Friday Night Update

Mike has had a couple of really good days this week! He actually had one night without seizures. The first in about 6 weeks. He still has bad headaches but had a couple of days that they weren't as intense. Yesterday, we had a great day visiting a pastor friend in RI and his family. Mike and he had some great conversation and he was so encouraged from their time together. He thoroughly enjoyed the day and held up pretty well. As the day progressed his headache got worse and he was pretty tired but I think it was a good kind of tired! By the time we got home his head was pounding but he was so glad to have made the trip. He had a number of seizures while sleeping last night and bit his lip pretty good during some of them. They look pretty sore and red today. Actually...we told him he looks like he had a really bad lip job done and looks like he is wearing bright red lipstick! Don't think he appreciates our humor yet! It has been much more relaxing not worrying about him passing out and hitting his head all the time. Now that the syncope episodes (passing out) have turned into seizures at night, he has more independence and is getting hurt less often. This has freed him up considerably. No more wheelchair, can go into stores or restaurants etc without an escort and has even started walking a couple of miles a day! We are so proud of him!

Even though he is tired and his head hurts, he is pushing past it and trying to get in shape. He would like to do a 5k with Becka in July if the doctors give him the ok. Our final stop on this medical journey will be the Mayo Clinic in MN. We leave on Tuesday and will be home Wednesday of the next week. His app't will be with an endocrinologist and we are hoping that along with neurology they will be able to put together a plan that will reduce the intensity of the headaches and control the seizures. We would also like to know why the entire left side of his body has neurological deficits. So far, no one has been able to answer that or why the protein level in his spinal fluid is high or why the last time they tried to do a spinal tap they could not extract any fluid. You can see we have lots of questions and we are praying Mayo has lots of answers! We are overcome with appreciation for how the Lord, through so many of you, has taken care of so many of the Durkees' needs. A quick example (one of many): the flights to the Mayo and the 2 hotel rooms while we are there, along with breakfast, have all been taken care of! This is a huge burden lifted from Mike and Becka! Through so many of you and the love and tangible support you have offered, all of the medical bills that have come in so far have been brought up to date and are paid for! You can just imagine what a relief it is for them to be able to concentrate on Mike's health and not have the added stress of all the medical bills. None of us will ever be able to put into words what all of you mean to us or how we have so appreciated you journeying along with us! It has been a long and hard road and we still aren't at the end of it, but through it all we are learning the significance of His grace being sufficient! He holds us up and reminds us of who He is....