Olevern
11-21-2012, 06:30 PM
As I write this I am still in tears (of relief and gratefullness) I have been on my knees thanking God for his wonderful grace and mercy.
About an hour ago Zack's mom called and I was floored. They arrived on time for their appointment this morning and went through a battery of tests, including the MRI with dye enhancement.
The doctors went over the results several times, then called in other doctors in to review all the previous records and offer explanations.
There is no mass! There, I said it....although my initial response was incredulity. How could this be? Not even any evidence of the smaller spot shown in the X-ray of a year ago, let alone any sign of any larger mass restricting the growth and expansion of his lower lobes.
The doctors couldn't offer any explanation, other than they thought possibly that the method of transmittal of the recent local X-ray or the methodology of the X-ray tech had somehow caused the false reading. They really did not have a plausible explanation of why they told Zack's mom he had a mass that was possibly life-threatening and scheduled him for a biopsy tomorrow and now can not find the mass. They were more or less trying to explain the unexplanable.
Now, that news just blows me away. It is certainly beyond anything I hoped for. I don't know why I find it so hard to accept that The Great Physician has been at work here.
To be sure, there is some concern still over Zack's breathing problems. The lower lobes of his lungs are still restricted and smaller than they should be. (almost as if there has been something restricting their growth for something over a year). The doctors also say that Zack's lungs evidence considerable scarring, probably from multiple untreated pneumonias.
The doctors say that there is no reason that the bottom lobes of his lungs will not eventually catch up with his body growth and that, as he gains overall body size and his lungs enlarge increasing capacity his current breathing difficulties will become lessened.
He apparently now has an infection or pneumonia in his lungs and they have given him some kind of medicine that is taken in a decreasing dosage "pack" to relieve him of that. They ordered follow-up with his primary care physician (whom I believe Zack's parents are going to change). They also changed some of his asthma medication to relieve his asthma. They recommended that Zack's parents have a notarized permission to make medical treatment decisions prepared for me and his grandparents or anyone they left him in the care of for any period of time or when they are not immediately available, just in case of asthma attack, and continued use of the pulmonary "test tube" to tell when he should begin or continue physical exercise.
I cannot tell you how relieved I am. I asked God to intercede in such a way as to glorify His Name, and I believe He has. You all may find other possibilities/explanations more comfortable or plausible, but I intend to give God the glory for what cannot be explained or is outside of human possibility.
God is Good, and as with my daughter, for whom God has done a marvelous and miraculous work, I believe that this report is nothing less than the handiwork of a loving heavenly Father who has answered your (and my) prayers.
Thank you all so much for calling upon the Lord in Zack's behalf. Zack may never know how close to eternity at a young age he came, but for the prayers of the men on this board, and the intervention of his loving Heavenly Father.
I have had the privilege of leading many boys and young men to Christ in the many years I have mentored, but this one I can't lose....God definitely has a plan for his life.
I thank those of you who reached out and offered to donate things to make his recovery (and Christmas) better...this is a family who live from day to day (as opposed to paycheck to paycheck)...they struggle financially but seem to always get by.
I almost feel as if I must apologize for getting everybody all worked up on Zack's behalf; I can only say that the information you received is the same information Zack's mom and I received from the medical community and, as we received it.
If nothing else, it showed once again the depth of caring that exists here on the board.
Once again, thank you from the very bottom of my heart for your prayers and concern.
Be blessed,
vern
About an hour ago Zack's mom called and I was floored. They arrived on time for their appointment this morning and went through a battery of tests, including the MRI with dye enhancement.
The doctors went over the results several times, then called in other doctors in to review all the previous records and offer explanations.
There is no mass! There, I said it....although my initial response was incredulity. How could this be? Not even any evidence of the smaller spot shown in the X-ray of a year ago, let alone any sign of any larger mass restricting the growth and expansion of his lower lobes.
The doctors couldn't offer any explanation, other than they thought possibly that the method of transmittal of the recent local X-ray or the methodology of the X-ray tech had somehow caused the false reading. They really did not have a plausible explanation of why they told Zack's mom he had a mass that was possibly life-threatening and scheduled him for a biopsy tomorrow and now can not find the mass. They were more or less trying to explain the unexplanable.
Now, that news just blows me away. It is certainly beyond anything I hoped for. I don't know why I find it so hard to accept that The Great Physician has been at work here.
To be sure, there is some concern still over Zack's breathing problems. The lower lobes of his lungs are still restricted and smaller than they should be. (almost as if there has been something restricting their growth for something over a year). The doctors also say that Zack's lungs evidence considerable scarring, probably from multiple untreated pneumonias.
The doctors say that there is no reason that the bottom lobes of his lungs will not eventually catch up with his body growth and that, as he gains overall body size and his lungs enlarge increasing capacity his current breathing difficulties will become lessened.
He apparently now has an infection or pneumonia in his lungs and they have given him some kind of medicine that is taken in a decreasing dosage "pack" to relieve him of that. They ordered follow-up with his primary care physician (whom I believe Zack's parents are going to change). They also changed some of his asthma medication to relieve his asthma. They recommended that Zack's parents have a notarized permission to make medical treatment decisions prepared for me and his grandparents or anyone they left him in the care of for any period of time or when they are not immediately available, just in case of asthma attack, and continued use of the pulmonary "test tube" to tell when he should begin or continue physical exercise.
I cannot tell you how relieved I am. I asked God to intercede in such a way as to glorify His Name, and I believe He has. You all may find other possibilities/explanations more comfortable or plausible, but I intend to give God the glory for what cannot be explained or is outside of human possibility.
God is Good, and as with my daughter, for whom God has done a marvelous and miraculous work, I believe that this report is nothing less than the handiwork of a loving heavenly Father who has answered your (and my) prayers.
Thank you all so much for calling upon the Lord in Zack's behalf. Zack may never know how close to eternity at a young age he came, but for the prayers of the men on this board, and the intervention of his loving Heavenly Father.
I have had the privilege of leading many boys and young men to Christ in the many years I have mentored, but this one I can't lose....God definitely has a plan for his life.
I thank those of you who reached out and offered to donate things to make his recovery (and Christmas) better...this is a family who live from day to day (as opposed to paycheck to paycheck)...they struggle financially but seem to always get by.
I almost feel as if I must apologize for getting everybody all worked up on Zack's behalf; I can only say that the information you received is the same information Zack's mom and I received from the medical community and, as we received it.
If nothing else, it showed once again the depth of caring that exists here on the board.
Once again, thank you from the very bottom of my heart for your prayers and concern.
Be blessed,
vern