Molly has confirmation of the date and time of her second Chiari I Malformation surgery: Friday, September 26th at 10am. Yeah, that's a week from today. We knew that date was possible earlier this week, but the nurse just made it official today. So here we go with some details.
1. The surgery is the same but different. It's the same incision, the same recovery time, the same post-surgery rules, the same doctor (Dr. David Frim), and the same hospital (University of Chicago). The different part is what the doctor does once he's opened up the back of Molly's head. Last time he created space for spinal fluid to flow. This time he is going to add a stent, technically (I think this is right) a "fourth ventriculostomy stent." It's putting a tube at the base of the brain in order to keep the pathway for fluid flow open. It's a brain straw. We've asked for the flexy one, but who knows. So in comparison...the first surgery is making space at the back of the head and second surgery is making a pathway at the base of the brain. Got it? Good.
2. I will be live blogging/Twittering this thing. Reformissionary/Twitter will have all the info you need to keep up, pray, panic, laugh, cry, throw up, or celebrate. I'm there for you! Last time all was focused on the blog and there were few pictures. Pictures will be up all the time through Twitter this time.
3. The kiddos are staying with church members in Crystal Lake, IL (20 minutes from here). They are homeschoolers and really great friends. Their kids are right in the range of ours, so it's perfect. Our kids will miss school Friday and Monday, but I'm sure they will be heavily involved in homeschooling stuff. They'll love it.
4. We are nervous. Molly has been really emotional about all of this lately. But it's not that we think something bad will happen. God is good and we trust him fully with all that's to come, even if it's not what we hope for and expect. We just know what's ahead for the next couple of weeks and none of it is all that fun...it wasn't last time. We ask for you to pray, especially on the morning of surgery day. We want this surgery to work and last a long time! You have all helped us through to this point, and we appreciate you very much.
Just one this week, and one some of you have already seen. It's Lou Piniella and his self-induced wedgie. Um...yuck, but funny. See all my photography.
There's a demon under every rock, around every corner, lurking in every dark alley, and in your closet! MUHahahaha! *Ahem.* So... What are your Big 5 books on spiritual warfare?
These would be books on the theology and practical reality of demons, demon possession and oppression, or stories about people dealing with these issues. These can be books that deal primarily with sin or prayer, spiritual "armor," etc, as long as they have a significant "warfare" component. There are a lot of kooky books and authors out there, but there are some really good ones too. Go!
I got a call on Sunday afternoon from Gary, a church attender and big Cubs fan. He wanted to know if I wanted to make the trek to Milwaukee's Miller Park for the Monday afternoon Cubs game vs the hurricane Ike displaced Houston Astros. They had just been scheduled on Saturday. I had already considered it after reading a Cubs fan blog on the two game series. After a bit of thinking I called Gary back and asked, why not Sunday night (that night)? The main reason I thought about Sunday night was that I could take my two youngest who are Cubs/baseball fanatics. They have seen a White Sox game live but not the Cubs. Gary agreed and we left 45 minutes later for the game.
We remarked before even leaving my driveway that we were so fortunate to be attending a game where Zambrano was slated to pitch. We made the 90 minute trip to Miller Park and Cubs fans were seemingly in every car on the highway. The parking guy commented as I shelled out $10, "Welcome to Wrigley North."
We entered Miller Park, which had the roof on because of approaching rain, to see the Cubs during batting practice. We found our seats, but went up next to the field to see them practice up close. After a bit we ate (me: Italian sausage, hot pretzel and a Pepsi, boys: cheese pizza and a Pepsi) and sat down for the game in the upper deck almost right behind home plate. It was actually a great view of the field.
Alfonso Soriano opened the game with a homer, leading us to the first of many fist pumps and screams for the evening. Two innings in I noticed that Zambrano hadn't given up a hit, but that happens a lot early in a game. In the third inning the Cubs threw down four more runs to take a 5-0 lead. Zambrano came out and pitched a no-hit third and 4th inning. I turned to Gary and my boys and mentioned the no-hitter in the works. Gary and I both commented about how cool it would be if that would happen, neither of us really believing it would happen. Too much game to play. We decided not to take it too seriously until after the 6th inning.
After six innings we all looked at each other wide eyed, realizing that Zambrano was doing more than just having a good night. This night could make history. There was a cautious but noticeable buzz in the crowd as you would overhear people talking about a "no-hitter" again and again as they chatted about the game.
The last three innings were intense. Every strike led to loud cheers, high fives, and raised arms in triumph among most of the 23,441 fans (since nearly all were Cubs fans). As the 6th inning ended I began Twittering the no-hitter. After the 7th inning we started counting down how many outs were left. I found myself almost crouching with every pitch, hands on my knees, eager but afraid to see the no-hitter broken. The stadium was electrified.
Around the end of the 8th inning or so my phone rang. It was my Dad. He said, "Do you get the Cubs on your TV?" He didn't and was listening to the radio. I said, "Dad...I'm at the game!" He already knew that after calling my house and was pulling my leg. He said something like, "Bring it home!" "I'll try Dad."
As you can imagine, the 9th inning was very loud. Several times the crowd started chanting "Big-Z!" or "Cubb-ies!" My kids were shouting and screaming, Gary and I were giggling like kids at the entrance to Disney World. We couldn't believe it was happening, but it was. I grabbed my camera, which I had put away after the early innings, and started getting some last shots of Zambrano and the Cubs on the field to remember the night so that if he finished the job we could remember. I also wanted to be ready so that if it did happen I could capture the celebration.
As we got to the last out, and the batter swung at the last pitch, the crowd went bonkers. I was snapping photos and Gary hugged me so tight I had to stop taking them for a second. Then I took many other photos of the on field celebration as well as high-fived everyone around me. It was surreal. No one left the park as we all cheered and watched the players slapping Zambrano on the head wildly. Finally the Cubs began to leave the field and we all cheered very loud. As Zambrano took several on-field interviews we stayed and cheered until he walked off. Waving to the crowd he went down to the club house and we finally packed up and left.
We hit the john, and everyone walk talking to each other at the urinals. Some drunkish looking guy looked at me and said, "Did that just happen? Tell me that just happened!" We started the long walk out of the stadium and everyone is talking, yelling, cheering, singing, high-fiving, waving signs, talking about winning the World Series, and more. It was, again, surreal.
We got outside and started toward the parking lot and a couple of guys were talking to my boys. They talked about how they will remember this for their whole lives. I called Molly and my Dad and told them about the experience of being there. We hopped in the car and couldn't really move to get out of the packed parking lot. A guy came up to our open window and started in on how historic this game was. "Google it! It's been 36 years man!" He looked back at my kids in the van and started cheering and they cheered back. Then he went in front of the car that was blocking my way into the line out of the parking lot and told them we needed to go first because "They are Cubs fans." Well, that car was full of Cubs fans too, but I was happy to inch forward a bit.
We drove out, turned on the radio and listened to post-game. The 2 hour trip home (added time for lots of bumper-to-bumper back toward Chicago) was full of conversation and laughing and realizing that we had seen something really, really special. Gary and I talked to the boys about how important and historic this game was. I'm so glad I was there, and I'm espeically thrilled my two boys were there. Add to that the fact that Gary initiated the evening by calling me and paid our way into the game. Should God give me a long life, this will be one of the stories I will never tire of telling. Now...let's get to the World Series!
Panic at the Disco's new album is catchy and fun. It's playing a lot at my house.
Teddy Thompson is catchy, but for entirely different reasons. Check out the pleasant acoustic version of "In My Arms" below. If you need the official video, I'm here for you. His album, A Piece of What You Need, is also getting pretty good reviews.
I found your blog about a year ago through the Tim Keller resourcespage and have enjoyed keeping up with it. Keller has had a big
influence on me and I've found quite a bit of his stuff from your site,
so I thought I'd pass on some new Keller audio from RTS on iTunes U
(seminar on Preaching Christ in a Postmodern World with Edmund Clowney).
It permeates your life. You were born with it, live with it, and die because of it. It's in your thoughts, words, and deeds. You do it far more than you admit and you think others do it way more than you. Even your humble admission of how much you do it makes you feel sinfully proud of your humility. We need to learn more about it so we can kill it, avoid it, hate it, stomp on it, run from it, and rip it out. So...
What are your Big 5 books on sin & temptation?
These can be books on the doctrine of sin, specific sins, overcoming temptation, etc. In general these should be books about understanding and avoiding sin. These books should not have forgiveness as its main focus, though it very well may play a role in the book. Go!
The 36-year-old seven-time Tour de France champion will compete in five
road races with the Astana team in 2009, the cycling journal VeloNews reported on its website Monday, citing anonymous sources.
[...]
The move would reunite Armstrong with Johan Bruyneel, now the team director for Astana.
VeloNews
reported Armstrong also will compete in the Amgen Tour of California,
Paris-Nice, the Tour de Georgia and the Dauphine-Libere.
I hope the rumors are true because the Tour needs some excitement, it needs a hero, WE need a hero...
Okkervil River's The Stand Ins is fantastic after about 4 listens. If you like Okkervil and liked The Stage Names, you will definitely dig The Stand Ins. If you have no clue who Okkervil is or what their music is like, there's no time like the present to get on board. This opening paragraph to the very positive review by Pitchfork is enlightening...
Life was a crummy movie on Okkervil River's breakthrough album, The Stage Names. On The Stand Ins,
it's a lousy rock show. As the interchangeable titles and puzzle-piece
album covers imply, this new record is an extension of its predecessor,
a further untangling of themes and ideas about music, art, celebrity,
love, and the folly of it all. The Stand Ins doesn't quite match the gusto and brainy emotionalism of The Stage Names but it exceeds its bleakness. Pop songs lie, tortured
singer-songwriters are wealthy narcissists, groupies have regrets,
music scenes wither, nothing changes. Rock promises redemption but
delivers only destruction, or at best, cultish relative obscurity.
Or for a more direct introduction to their music watch this video for "For Real" from their album Black Sheep Boy...
Now, if you don't know the Fleet Foxes by now, this is one of the best introductions that can be made. This isn't a wordy song, but a demonstration of their beautiful wintery harmonies...
First, my boys are ready to kick some Chiari butt as they sit outside the University of Chicago hospital last Friday. Second, my four are questioning why the sun is illuminating a taxi. All my photography.
Looks like Molly is in for another round of brain surgery.
After a 2 3/4 hour rainy drive into Chicago Molly met with her neurosurgeon and found out that the MRI's showed no new problems and that the space the doctor created in the last surgery is still there. So why is there a problem? Through a different set of MRI's, the doctor noticed that very little spinal fluid flowing at the base of the brain near the brain stem (from the side view). He believes that's because there is some scar tissue blocking the way and that she probably needs a stent (or stint), a tube inserted there to allow fluid to flow as needed. It's what we have been assuming would happen since the symptoms restarted.
The doctor tried a spinal tap to measure the pressure since that could be causing spinal fluid flow issues as well. Danny (5) was with her the whole time, even looking at the needle sticking out of her spine. Awesome. When the doctor found the fluid pressure to be normal he decided to lower the pressure a bit just to see if it might help. So far, nothing. Actually Molly is very uncomfortable right now. If that stays the same Molly will likely be scheduled for surgery again soon. We are emailing Dr. Frim's nurse on Monday with how Molly is doing and may know more then about a surgery date.
Maybe between now and Monday something will change, but we feel 98% sure surgery is coming soon. How soon? Dunno. I'll let you know. Thank you so, so much for praying. We appreciate it more than we can express. For photos and a fairly complete "tick tock" of the day go to my Twitter page.
As some of you know we are headed to see Dr. Frim, Molly's neurosurgeon, at 10am tomorrow. They will have reviewed all her MRI stuff, spinal fluid flow info, etc and have a view of where to go from here. If this is news to you, catch up on Molly and Chiari. FYI, she's had mostly very bad days lately, but today was slightly better as she was able to walk and stand without constant help.
If you think of her, pray for Molly's appointment tomorrow. You may also want to pray that we get there on time, as that seems to be a problem lately. Chicago traffic is unreal sometimes (most times). We are driving out at 7am. If you want to keep up with our trip and get the scoop first, follow my Twitter updates on the right sidebar of the blog, or here.
Molly and I were at the Desiring God conference last year called Stand: A Call for the Endurance of the Saints. That was just a
few months after her brain surgery and elimination of her symptoms. Now that her symptoms are back there is
much good to remember from the conference. Honestly, I hadn't thought of the conference in a while. Then today a friend at Crossway pointed me to Jerry Bridges' message found as chapter 1 in the
Stand book. It was good for us to revisit it. Here's an excerpt...
...Lamentations 3:38 says to us, “Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come?” That is, God is in sovereign control over the difficulties and the pain just as much as he is in control over what we would consider to be the good things, the blessings of this life. Now we should thank God for the good things of life. We are to be thankful people. But what about the bad things, the things that we would not choose to have in our lives? Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 to “give thanks in all circumstances,” and then he adds, “for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” That is to say, it is the moral will of God that we give thanks in all circumstances....
How do we do this? We do it by faith. We don’t just grit our teeth and say, “Lord, I don’t feel thankful, but you said to give thanks, so I’m going to give you thanks even though I don’t feel thankful.” That’s not giving thanks. We do it by faith. We do it by trusting in the promises of God. We do it by faith in the words of God through Paul in Romans 8:28–29, where he says “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love him.” And then he defines the good in verse 29 as being conformed to the likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is what God is after. He wants to conform us to the likeness of Christ; so he brings or allows these various circumstances, circumstances that we ourselves would not choose. He brings them into our lives because he wants to use those circumstances in his way to conform us more and more to the likeness of Christ. And so by faith we can say, “Lord, I do not know what particular purpose you have in this difficulty or this pain, this trial. But you said that you will use it to conform me more and more to Jesus Christ, and for that I give you thanks.” So we give thanks by faith.
I really like Questioning Evangelism by Randy Newman. In chapter 2, "Solomonic Soulwinning," Newman gives four lessons from Solomon/Proverbs. It's very good advice. All the Scripture quotes are ESV.
1. Avoid an Argument
"Many an evangelizing Christian has won the battle but lost the war by not avoiding an ugly argument." - p 42
17:14 - The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out.
"The man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still." - p 42
2. Recognize a Fool
"...some dialogues should stop, and others should never start. Recognizing these situations before it's too late is crucial." - p 43
14:7 - Leave the presence of a fool, for there you do not meet words of knowledge.
23:9 - Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the good sense of your words.
18:2 - A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.
"Until someone is more interested in truth than in airing his or her own opinions, it's best to talk about the weather." p 45
3. Remember that People are People
"We're not just just rational beings to be informed and educated, spiritual beings to be evangelized and enlightened, or physical beings to be fed and satiated. We are whole beings, called to love God with the whole heart, soul, strength, and mind." - p 45
"Solomon understood the complex nature of people. He realized that conveying content makes up only a small part of the communication process." - p 48
14:30 - A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.
20:5 - The purpose in a man's heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.
4. Remember the Power of the Tongue
10:31 - The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
12:18 - There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
18:21 - Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.
17:27 - Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
"...somewhere between total silence and nonstop talk lies wisdom." - p 49
It was fun taking our kids to school this morning. We always hate it because we love to be with them, but we know it's important. This will be a difficult year with all four kids in school (Danny is in Kindergarten now) at three different schools. I'm exhausted already! But I LOVE my kids. Here are three photos from the last three "first day of school" days from newest to oldest: 2008, 2007, 2006. From left to right: Daniel, Elijah, Jack, and Sarah.
Want to give a word of thanks to Jeff Capps who sent me his new EP called Shine. I've been enjoying it and playing it at home. I think we also used it for post-service music. Check out Jeff Capps on MySpace.
Just got word from Molly's doctor that they have moved her appointment from September 18th to this coming Thursday (4th). Since her neurosurgeon only has Thursday appointments, that basically means they got her in right away. Very happy about that. But that also means she needs her battery of MRI's done asap.
So we are driving to the University of Chicago this afternoon for a 4pm MRI appointment. Last 2 trips took 2 1/2 hours to get there (most of that is traffic delay). Then Molly will undergo 2 hours worth of tests while the kids say "When is Mommy going to be done?" She really suffers laying down for the MRI's and it usually has lingering effects for a day or two.
Just trying to keep you all in the loop. Thanks to all who have been praying.
That's right, I dropped the "H" bomb. Knowing how to read the Bible is just as important as reading it. I've heard too many Christians say they read it but don't get it. It's not just a lack of spiritual understanding, it's a lack of a hermeneutic. So...
What are your Big 5 books on biblical hermeneutics?
These are books on biblical interpretation, understanding biblical genres, etc. There is a range from text books all the way down to the very practical for average Christians. Don't list books on biblical languages...that's another list. Don't just list reference books on the Bible either. Go!
As most of you know my wife Molly had brain surgery last summer for Chiari I Malformation, and as I said a few weeks back her symptoms have returned...all but the most serious and difficult. Well, now ALL her symptoms are back now with the addition of a few others I've mentioned before (jolts & headaches).
Molly has taken quite a turn with increasingly worse symptoms in the last 6 days. She tried to get on the treadmill and walk today, just take a decently paced walk. She couldn't. Her legs and balance just won't work. She is starting to have difficulty with simple mental tasks and decision making. The occasional numbness in her hands is growing to regular numbness higher up her arms. Her jolting is sometimes happening 3-4 times a minute compared to 5-6 times a day just a couple of months ago. She has needed some assistance walking from time to time. During the Lord's Supper on Sunday she nearly dropped the cup (the holy shot glass) because her fine motor skills are so degraded.
Because of all this her spirit is crushed. She's already had one surgery that didn't last a year. We have no idea if another surgery will help at all, or how long it would help. While Molly is trusting God in all of this, she is struggling mentally and emotionally to believe that things can get better. I honestly believe that when we see her surgeon next month we will see the potential for good things. It's hard for Molly to see that. And while I am working hard to stay positive, watching her struggle with the simplest of tasks and grow very frustrated is very hard on me. I want to do something to help her get better, and so far there is nothing to do. My heart is breaking for her.
So, less than a month until an appointment with her surgeon. We are going to try to get some MRI's done before that if we can find a place that has the right equipment.
Molly has confirmation of the date and time of her second Chiari I Malformation surgery: Friday, September 26th at 10am. Yeah, that's a week from today. We knew that date was possible earlier this week, but the nurse just made it official today. So here we go with some details.
. It contains 22 readings for Advent, including ones from Martin Luther, Tim Keller, Jonathan Edwards, and others.
