April 18

Clay had another MRI on Friday and we went over the results yesterday. Although the radiologists are calling the report "stable" I saw the scan myself and it looks much better than stable to me (and to his doctors). The white spots (showing uptake of the dye) are smaller (or gone in some spots), and the tumor in his brain is skinnier and is leaving more areas of normal brain tissue around it.  We compared this latest scan to October and also to February, and there is consistent shrinkage and decreasing enhancement.  So we now go to MRIs every 3 months instead of two.   Clay continues to feel great and we notice a real difference in his interest in school and ability to focus.  We also had an appointment with the neuro-opthamologist. We were hoping to get some indication that the optic nerve is transmitting light, but that does not seem to be the case.  We are not giving up hope here, and neither is Clay.  If you are praying for Clay, please pray that he gets restoration of his vision.

Last Saturday night JD and I took Clay to a healing mass.  It was a wonderful experience, and it was very different from most typical Catholic services in that there was a band playing, people singing, arms and tambourines waving.  After the Mass, people got up to give testimonials of their healing.  After this, the Priest attended to anyone who wished to have a laying of the hands.  We waited for about an hour to have the Priest come attend to Clay. 

On our way out, Clay was walking between JD and me and he said to us, "Has your heart ever hurt so much it felt like it was going to burst?"
 I said, "I'm not sure, exactly, what do you mean?"
"Well, mine feels like that, like it is exploding inside, and it is going to break into two pieces, split right down the middle."
 I looked over at JD, wondering if Clay was feeling sick or where this was going. 
"Why does it feel that way Clay, what do you think is wrong?" I asked. 
"It is going to explode because I am just so happy," he said, "because I have Daddy and I have you in my life." 
We feel exactly the same way.