Days 5, 6 & 7: 1/19/24 - 1/21/24

For all of you praying for Mark and our family and patiently waiting for an update, I apologize that it has been a few days.  I have taken the last few days to just enjoy being in the comfort of our home with our family and to reflect on this sudden, unwelcome shift in our lives.  Writing these blog posts is helpful for me, it's therapeutic and it's also emotionally draining.  I have not updated this in a couple of days a.) because there are no new developments. b.) I didn't have it in me, emotionally and c.) I needed some time to decompress and reflect on everything that has happened over the last week.  


We got home on Thursday night and this weekend was a very good weekend.  Almost normal.  We have taken a couple of days to do what you do when you have been away from home for a period of time.  Laundry, dishes, cleaning, relaxing.  We have had visitors that we have laughed with, cried with and prayed with.  It helps Mark to see his friends.  Although, I think he is a confused by all of the attention because he feels fine and he is acting like himself.  He feels like his old self.  As he always has been, Mark is the comedian of the family, making us laugh every chance he gets.  He is not one who likes to be the center of attention, so this is all new and sudden for him and if I am being honest, he doesn't really get it.


This period of time for us is very strange.  It is incredibly nerve-wracking and at the same time welcome.  From the minute we found out the results of the initial MRI it was a race to react.  We were getting new info constantly as well as caring for him after his brain surgery.  You don't have time in those moments to think, you simply react and recover and then do it over again.  Being home is normal, it is day-to-day life and it is boring (in a good way).  However, we know that this peace is short-lived.  We should have the results of Mark's biopsy back this week.  We will know, with a fair amount of certainty, what kind of fight we are in for.  For the next couple of days we will just enjoy the peace that comes with not knowing while we prepare for the next phase of this battle.


I know that so many of you are deeply invested in Mark's journey and we appreciate your prayers and support more than you know.  We are touched by the outpouring of love from everyone.  While we may not have responded to every text or call or liked every message on Facebook or this page, please know that we have read each and every comment.  These words of encouragement and messages of hope help us more than you know.  Thank you to everyone who has taken time out of their day to pray for us and wish Mark well.  
We have a teleconference with his team of doctors later this week.  We also have a full day of meetings set up next Monday, in person, at Texas Children's.  By this time next week we will know what we are dealing with.  I will update Mark's Army after we know more so that we can all pray together and prepare to fight this fight along side of him.  
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We trust that Mark is being watched over by God.  We continue to ask for your prayers for Mark and for our family.  Please pray for strength for us.  Strength of faith, strength of family and that God give Mark the physical strength to wage war with whatever is going on inside his head.