About my Gideon

It has now been nineteen months since the discovery of Gideon's brain tumor...very hard to believe that it has been that long!

I am pleased to say that he will have his last physical therapy session on Monday, May 9th! It has been a long road to recovery for my boy. When I think back to when he first started therapy and wasn't even able to walk, I am overwhelmed by the goodness of God!

Gideon has always looked forward to seeing his therapists....they have become almost family to us. They have been such a large part of our lives for a long time. When we first started, we were going three times a week, to physical, occupational and speech therapy. A few months ago, we were down to just physical therapy, mainly working on his core strength.

If you were to see my boy, you would see a normal, active, rambunctious seven year old. I am so grateful that he is doing so well. Believe me when I say, I have seen many children who see his same therapists who will never get better in the same way that Gideon has. They will have a lifelong struggle to just do basic tasks.I only experienced a glimpse of what it is like to have a child with special needs....and that great affected me and gave me a newfound appreciation for those caring for their disabled children.

I feel that as we prepare to move to a new city and become members of a new church...we are closing a chapter in our lives. In some ways, it is sad, but we are very excited to see what God has in store for our family.

Happy Birthday to my 7 year old boy....I am truly blessed to be your mommy

My precious Gideon...I looked at you tonight, on the eve of your seventh birthday and my heart felt like it was going to overflow with thankfulness that you are still here with us.

I write this with tears welling up in my eyes.

You see, I don't think you have understood the impact of all that has happened to you in the past year.

I know you have heard the story over and over again...that you had a brain tumor that was removed and now you are well. But, it is so much more than that.

When I think back to Halloween night and remember the devastation I felt upon hearing that my little boy was not well.....well, I don't even have the words to describe it.

Upon hearing the news...I couldn't wait to get to you...to hold you and hug you and tell you that it was all going to be okay.

That week before surgery....speaking to your doctor as he showed us pictures of what had to be removed....and as I sat there crying, knowing that I had no choice but to completely trust God with your life...that He would lead the hands of the doctors who would work on you...knowing that if you didn't have the surgery, you wouldn't be here today...and that there was a chance that even with the surgery, you may not have made it.

I remember laying by your bed, holding your hand, singing to you while you slept. I would sing Great is The Faithfulness and The Deep Deep Love of Jesus...and oh how my heart would cry out to God!

The hardest thing I have ever had to do was let you go.

That morning of your surgery, I didn't know if I would ever get MY Gideon back. Daddy and I didn't want to go to sleep that night...so we stayed up with you, playing and hugging and laughing...hoping and praying that this wouldn't be the last time we heard your beautiful laugh or saw your lovely smile.



And here we are...nine months later...and you are celebrating your birthday!

You have worked so hard. It wasn't easy and yet you rarely, if ever, complained. God gave you such perseverance to work through the pain and fatigue...


and you learned how to feed yourself...how to stand and walk again...and you are even golfing! You are running and jumping...laughing and tackling...and we are so proud of you!! When I remember where you were and see where you are now, I can't help but praise God for the way He has healed you.

God has used you to touch so many lives. We don't know what the future holds for you, my dear boy, but our prayer is that God continues to be glorified through you.

Our family will never be the same...and I pray that God continues to draw you to Himself.

Gideon, we love you more than you will ever know!

I feel like my blogging lately has been one apology after another!

I haven't posted in awhile...not only have I been busy, but I have been having a hard time slowing down enough to have something even worthwhile to post.

Here is a long-awaited update on life and how things are going!

First off, this seems to be the question that I get asked most often...How is Gideon?

Gideon is doing extraordinarily well! He continues to go to therapy 3 times a week and is progressing every day! When I think back to where he was 3 months ago...I am amazed at God's healing in Gideon. He has been walking on his own for about 6 weeks now and hasn't used his wheelchair or his walker for a long time. He has even started running!! He is completely self-sufficient and takes care of himself like a normal 6 year old.

Our main area of struggle is starting him back up with his schoolwork. I am easing back into it with him, but this is an area that he is lacking in right now. We are beginning with basic letter formation and basic reading skills. He is doing really well with that....so I hope to incorporate more into our routine over the next few months. I think I will continue a small amount of tutoring for him once summer hits...so I can concentrate solely on him and his needs, while the rest enjoy summer vacation!

He will need surgery on his left eye to correct the muscle. Hopefully, this will take place in April/May. I really want this to be taken care of before the baby arrives in June. It's a very minor procedure, and we ask for peace of mind for Gideon, since being put to sleep is not a comforting thought for him.

He has his 3 month follow-up MRI on March 6th. I'll be sure to update with the results of his tests when we know anything.

Other than that, we are so thankful for our boy and how God has used him to draw others closer to Himself. When I think over the past few months, I am often drawn to tears of gratitude at the sufficiency of His grace throughout this ordeal.

Meanwhile, Nolan is zipping through second grade. I hope to be done with his schooling in late April. He is a sponge to knowledge and it is truly a joy to be able to teach him. It won't be long until Haddon joins in when he turns 5 in April, and begins Kindergarten in the fall.

Haddon and Jamison continue to have a love/hate relationship. One moment, they are playing nicely together, the next moment, they are at each other's throats! I believe that Jamison is slowly working his way into the threesome that is Nolan, Gideon and Haddon.

Paysie...oh, my little girl...she is talking, walking, climbing...you name it, she is doing it! I have to keep a watchful eye out for her. She is a little daredevil who continues to have her brothers wrapped around her finger. Regardless of what she is doing, she faithfully remains to be called "sweet girl" by her brothers. At any given time, she can be standing on any piece of furniture and getting into any number of things around the house. By God's grace, she is slowly being trained into a docile creature...ha!

And now, the baby! Judson is growing well and is quite the poker and prodder. He now weighs nearly a pound and a half and is perfect in every way. At my ultrasound last week, I could see him opening and closing his mouth, all while wiggling his little tongue...so adorable! I am excited for his arrival, yet remaining extremely patient until June....quite possibly July! A lot needs to happen between now and then, and I am being sustained by God's promises through it all.

I want to thank you for your prayers and encouragement throughout the ups and downs associated with Gideon. I am overwhelmed by the amount of support from our local church family and those that volunteer their time each week to watch the kids for me while I bring Gideon to his therapy. God has been so good to us....better than we deserve!

We are home!

During the daily 6:30am rounds, the Dr told us that because of Gideon's improvement, we were able to be discharged!

We decided to take two days to drive home, and we arrived yesterday!

It was so great to see my other children. Two weeks seemed like way too long for a mommy to be away from her little ones!

We are slowly settling in and await a surprise visit from Gramma and Grampa from Maine! Gideon has kept the secret and when John gets home with the other boys, they will be in for quite a shock!

God has blessed us so greatly, I am often overwhelmed to tears.

Hopefully, we'll be out by the weekend

That is our hope...only if Gideon is thought to be ready by the Dr's! They will be discussing his discharge today at their daily meeting.

Gideon is much more steady, though he is unable to sit or stand on his own yet. His coordination is getting better, though he is still a bit shaky. His walking is improving, though he can't walk by himself.

He did great yesterday in physical therapy, and is surprising us at each chance he gets!

We are so proud of him. He wants to go home and get better so badly, that he puts forth huge amounts of effort.

His days are brightened by video calls with Gramma and Grampa in Maine.

We are seeing our Gideon peak through more and more, and I have the feeling, once we get home, we are going to have to hold him back from activity for his own safety...and he's going to want to just go go go!

Things are slow, but improving

We spoke to Dr Boop and were told that his MRI looked great and it was confirmed that they were able to remove all of the tumor!

Gideon is making improvements. It's just very slow. He is moving his head around more, speaking a little bit more, and we saw him smile and heard him giggle for the first time since before his surgery.

We continue to see small glimpses of the boy we know. We rejoice over the little things that he is able to do...things that he couldn't do yesterday.

Our God is so very good to us. He has prepared us for such a time as this...and for that, we are eternally grateful.

Here is a video of Gideon's favorite song:

Welcome back to 5 South, Gideon!

We have graduated from the ICU and have been brought back to our room. Gideon is settled in a nice clean bed and is watching a movie.

I am starting to see small glimpses of my boy...and it's so hard to be patient. My greatest fear has been that I will never get back the same boy that went into surgery. But my fear is short lived as I remember the promises in Scripture...and that my God is fully in control of this situation.

I'm not going to put any expectations on my boy. He will come back to me as he is able. He's been through a tramatic experience and healing won't come overnight.

So I sit next to his bed, holding his hand, singing to him...watching him through tears and prayers.

Oh God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Him all creatures, here below
Praise Him above the heavenly host
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!

Amen!

Hymns and Prayers

I spent several minutes singing hymns and praying with my boy. Oh, how I love being used by God to comfort my little boy.

I sang and we prayed together. He closed his eyes so tight when it was time to pray and held my hand as we spoke to our heavenly Father.

He spoke his first words since this morning...which filled me with joy to hear his voice, yet saddened me when he told me "I want to go home."

And we will go home soon, my sweet boy. But always remember....this is not our real home. This home is but a temporary dwelling.

One day, we will meet our Father in Heaven, where we will live forever and ever...

Psalm 30

I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up
and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
O LORD my God, I cried to you for help,
and you have healed me.
O LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;
you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.

Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger is but for a moment,
and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2931091755465679030

As for me, I said in my prosperity,
"I shall never be moved."
By your favor, O LORD,
you made my mountain stand strong;
you hid your face;
I was dismayed.

To you, O LORD, I cry,
and to the Lord I plead for mercy:
"What profit is there in my death,
if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it tell of your faithfulness?
Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me!
O LORD, be my helper!"

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
you have loosed my sackcloth
and clothed me with gladness,
that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

Gideon is in the ICU

The surgery went really well and they were over before we expected them to be! We received a call after about 3-1/2 hours, that they were done and that it would be about an hour before they were done finishing up.

Dr Boop visited us in our room at about 12:45ish and said that they were able to get all of the tumor removed. There was no excess bleeding and there was no need for blood transfusions. He said that he couldn't have asked for a better surgery.

We've been by his bedside for a few hours now. He looks so helpless on the bed...but is recovering well. He is following commands to squeeze hands and moving his legs and feet. He is responsive to his name and to questions and tries to talk, but his throat is probably a little sore.

He was given a shot of morphine around 2ish or so, since he was getting a little agitated due to pain. I'm sure that's not helping with his attentiveness.

His eyes are a little uncoordinated. We spoke to one of the assisting surgeons and he said it was most probably due to a little swelling in his brain from where they removed the tumor. He said that during the surgery, Dr Boop was very careful not to damage anything, and he would be surprised if it were anything but swelling. There are obviously no guarantees, so prayers for the swelling to go down in the next couple of days is appreciated.

He has a slight fever that peaked at 103.3 and they gave him Tylenol and Motrin, and are now administering ice packs to lower his temp....which is working. They were able to give him the Motrin through his mouth and it's a great sign that he can swallow and has no problems with that. Nurse Corrie said that it was very normal for this to happen after surgery, and they would be more concerned for a high temp a few days from now.

Gideon squeezes my hand when I ask him to. He opens his eyes when I call his name. He should be much more awake in the next day or two...I can't wait to really hold my Giddy again.

In the morning, he'll be going in for an MRI and then hopefully, he'll be back in our room.

Continue praying for his healing and recovery.

Gideon's surgery

He will be leaving his room at 7am and surgery will begin at 7:30am.

Doctor Boop said that the surgery will last anywhere from 5-8 hours. Gideon will be moved to ICU and will remain there for about a day. Once he is awake and recovering, he will be brought back to his room.

If he does really well, and is able to walk and move around, we may be released within the week. If he needs more physical therapy, we might be here up to 3 weeks.

God is good, and we take great comfort in His word...that He knows the outcome of the surgery and Gideon's recovery. Pray for us.

Gideon update pt1

I am going to do my best at updating my blog about Gideon. I'll just be copying and pasting the updates from Facebook.

Here they are from the past couple of days:

Oct. 31:

EVENING- Gideon diagnosed with a brain tumor at Johnson City Medical Center; transferred to Knoxville Children's Hospital

Nov. 2:

MORNING- Consultation with a pediatric neurosurgeon at Knox. Children's hospital. Doctor gives the following speculative diagnosis after a close review of Gideon's CT scan: things look very optimistic. The tumor, while large, appears to be benign and treatable. It located in the cerebellum, on the left side, and is approximately the size of an orange. The doctor anticipates that removal of most or all of the tumor with little complication is probable. Also, it is thought that post-surgical recovery should be minimal.

MIDDAY - Transfer to St. Jude's Hospital is imminent, not due to complications but instead due to both ensure the best possible care for Gideon and also due to the nature of the condition.
Gideon was pretty upset at the thought of moving to another hospital (and not going home), but was cheered up by a visit from the UT Track Team!!

Nov. 3:

MORNING - Gideon was released from Knoxville's Children's Hospital to be transferred to Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis, TN, which is the partner children's hospital to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. After a meeting with the residing pediatric neurosurgeon at Knoxville, Gideon was medically released to ride in the car with his parents rather than by himself in an ambulance.

AFTERNOON - After a successful and comfortable car ride, Gideon and his family arrived at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis at approximately 4:30pm [central time]. Check-in went smoothly and Gideon was placed in his new room within 30 minutes of his arrival. Gideon seems very happy with the nursing and medical staff at Le Bonheur, who are very proactive about his needs and have made him feel extremely comfortable and at ease.

An MRI has been scheduled for tomorrow morning (Nov. 4), and surgery is expected to take place on Friday (Nov. 6).


EVENING - The nursing team attempted to give Gideon an IV. The first attempt was unsuccessful, so a second one was made. It appears, at this point, that the second attempt has been successful. A specialist will be stopping in shortly to evaluate the current IV (that was left in) to make sure that it was successful.

Nov 4:

We spoke to Dr Boop and heard similar things to what Dr Harris told us back in Knoxville. Dr Boop is optimistic, yet kept us grounded in possible complications that can arise. This was hard to hear. It was also hard to see the pictures of the MRI.

Please pray as we get help figuring out how to tell Gideon and his brothers about what is about to happen Friday morning.


We are leaning on God so incredibly much right now. Please continue to pray for us.

A little update

We are currently in Memphis, TN at the Le Bonheur hospital where Gideon is scheduled for surgery on Friday.

Things look cautiously optimistic, but they won't know it all until they see the results of the MRI (that he is getting even as I type this), and examine the tumor upon removal.

We have created a Facebook group to keep everyone up to date on what is happening. As much as I would love to be able to keep up my blog, a carepage, facebook, and whatever else...I am just so mentally exhausted, it just isn't possible.

Gideon Jordan - Prayer Needs and Updates

Please Pray

Over the past few days, I began to notice Gideon was not as mobile as he should be. He was stiff, wobbly, and unsteady. Last night, it was extremely noticeable.

I couldn't just wait until Monday to go to the Doctor's. God just really laid a huge burden on my heart of concern for my boy. John spoke to a friend who said we should get him seen.

After the CAT scan, they found a tumor on his brain.

Within an hour or so, I was riding in an ambulance 2 hours west of Johnson City, to the Children's Hospital in Knoxville.

We await hearing from the Dr, and he will be getting an MRI this morning.

Please pray. Pray that the other children do well without John or I there right now. Pray for the Doctors that are taking care of my Gideon. Pray for healing. Pray for comfort. Pray that God looks great to everyone we are in contact with. Pray for the baby that I carry....though barely 6 weeks along...in this time of emotion and stress. Pray that whatever the outcome is....that God is glorified in this.

It reminds me of a blog I read last year when a family was going through hard times. God is the same. He was the same last week, before we knew anything was wrong. He was the same last night when we brought him to the hospital. And He is the same today.

Great is Thy Faithfulness....