Praise report! Neal is NOT going through a relapse! 🙂
His MRI showed no new lesions and the contrast dye showed no activity in any of the existing lesions (tears) in his brain. This means he is not going through a relapse and does not need the IV steroids!!! Praise be to God! I am so grateful we do not have to go through those two weeks of hell.
What is happening is Neal’s Syrinx is acting up. Yes, Neal has two issues – Multiple Sclerosis and Syrinx. The Syrinx (pronounced ‘searings’) is a hole in the spinal column and when irritated it can cause symptoms such as the vibration he is feeling in his hip. When they found Neal’s MS lesions they also found the Syrinx so we have known about this but there is nothing the doctor’s can do about the hole in his spine. Where it is located is too dangerous to try and operate and close up. Apparently the MS is what all the Neurologists focus on (both his permanent Neuro and the one we went to for a 2nd opinion at UTNB) so we are not too concerned.
All in all, Neal’s Neuro said that the weakness that caused him the greatest concern is an acting up of a symptom of one of the original lesions and ‘attacks’ had caused before. Neal can get better from each relapse but the symptom that arises will never truly go away. It presents itself again when he becomes too fatigued, stressed or does too much in the heat.
Thank you so very much for all of your prayers!! I do believe in the power of prayer. Either way, whether we had this good news or if we had the bad news I felt strength from prayer and YOUR PRAYERS.
Sometimes God overwhelms me. Last night in the second session of Catholics Returning Home we discussed in length our worth and seeing ourselves in God’s eyes. It is important to connect to that relationship with Him to fully embrace the Church because in every Mass, every Sacrament we receive, in every prayer we utter it is all woven within the living tapestry of our inner spiritual core. Yesterday I made reference to my need to ‘be still’ and this morning I began with attending Mass and I was given the privilege of being a Eucharistic Minister. As I stood before many of my fellow parishioners and offered them the Body of Christ the school choir began to sing this hymn that ignites that inner spiritual thread within me and draws me into His embrace. Before I knew it I could not stop the tears that wanted to fall as I finished giving His body, His promise over to others. I’m certain they might have thought I was crazy. 😉
Later, I retreated alone in the church sanctuary (for the chapel was full for the next Mass) and I allowed myself to ‘be still’. Again, that rush of love overwhelmed me and I cried in the comfort of His embrace. “Let me have some time before we go down that slipper slope,” I begged. “I want us to see this world you created with such beauty together.”
I won’t question why we got a reprieve this time. I’ll accept it with thanksgiving and remember that when the time does come to head down that ‘slope of suffering’ I will embrace these moments of memories and continue to find my strength in Christ.
“I love you Lord, and I lift my voice to worship you, oh my soul rejoice! Take joy my King in what you hear. Let it be a sweet, sweet sound in your ear.”
(This is the short hymn that sets my soul aflame with love. I don’t mean to plagiarize…Joy if you know who wrote it be sure to comment.)
Blessings
Shannon