The best of the bad...

Andy's list of possible diagnoses that would have caused all his problems were not happy ones: auto-immune disease (specifically, MS), viral encephalitis, severe reaction to anti-malaria medication causing increased intracranial pressure.  Brain tumor and brain hemorrhage were on the original list but pretty much dismissed after the MRI he had here.  None of these are good options, and after Andy's symptoms continued and occasionally he would experience something new the doctors all agreed that we had reached our diagnostic capabilities here in Togo and more needed to be done.

The waiting is always hard.  Knowing you can't change what will be, but wondering how the answers found will change you.  My heart has been searching God - wondering what He is doing to shake up our life and emotions and wondering what I am learning through all of this...  Praying that I'm am learning more to trust, even through my confusion and questions of how and what and the timing of it all.

Scan and analysis of Andy's eyes

Andy was able to see an opthamologist, and that has been the most helpful.  They were able to take spliced images of his eyes.  It showed inflammation that was likely worse several weeks ago when this began.  He was able to have an MRI done last evening and was able to get the results today - on a Saturday, can you believe it?!?  Everything looked fairly normal, which is what the doctor was expecting after the visit on Wednesday.  What does it all mean?  Well, we have to wait for the "official" diagnosis, but general consensus from the neurologist and opthamologist both seem to conclude it is viral encephalitis.  Essentially, his brain and central nervous system are inflamed because of a viral attack he experienced earlier in July.  As time goes on, his body should recover and the symptoms should continue to dissipate.  Hopefully within a few more weeks (or maybe months) things will be more normal.  (I have my suspicions about what virus caused all this, but we will wait and see if any blood samples can be done to confirm a more specific diagnosis.)

So, this is good news.  So good in fact, Andy has purchased a ticket to return to Togo, and I can hardly wait to see him again.  He leaves Indy on Friday.

I was prepared for much worse news.  Prepared to hear Andy on the other end explaining a very complicated situation, packing up the kids and having to head across the ocean to meet him.  I was ready for all of that, but God answered in a different way.  And my heart is full of gratitude.  The kind where you feel like you don't even deserve something this good and yet it was given to you anyway.

So, who knew being diagnosed with viral encephalitis was good news?  Oh, but it is.  And, God has shown once again that He is good - not because of this outcome, but because He was faithful to sustain me and give me His peace and comfort.  And, then He topped it off with viral encephalitis, and I couldn't be happier.
~amanda