Diagnosis and Hope

   I'm so thankful to the overwhelming number of people who are praying for sweet Lydia. I've gotten countless messages asking for updates on how she is doing and letting me know that you are praying for her healing. It means so much to me and to Lydia's family. Since so many people are asking, I wanted to write an update on everything that's been happening with Lydia's treatment…. 

   Lydia is still in the hospital in Leon. It's been an overwhelming journey trying to get her the care that she needs. Two weeks ago we had a traumatic day trying to get her admitted to the hospital. We were there for under a week before her parents decided to take her home against medical advice. Cadence, Pastor Walther, Claudia, and I met with her mom and grandmother. We talked to them about the gravity of her situation and convinced them to take her back to the hospital. Lydia returned to the hospital and was there for a couple of days before an earthquake hit off the Pacific coast of Nicaragua. Because of the intensity of the earthquake, Lydia and her family were sent home and asked to come back again in two days. We were finally able to get her re-admitted to the hospital on Thursday night. She is now undergoing treatment under the care of a doctor that has been recommended to us. 

    I feel very hopeful about Lydia's care at the hospital in Leon. She is being cared for by wonderful doctors. I've talked with her doctors several times about her treatment and diagnosis. From everything I have been able to gather (my medical Spanish isn't the best), it seems that the doctors have confirmed a diagnosis and that Lydia has nephrotic syndrome. It is such a relief after months of not having answers of thinking that she could have anything from renal failure to leukemia. And even more wonderful, is that the prognosis for nephrotic syndrome is good. Of biggest worry right now, is that Lydia will not respond to treatment because of the number of times that she has started and not completed her medication. If she doesn't respond to the steroid treatment this month and her inflammation does not decrease, she will have to go to Managua and have a biopsy done on her kidneys to determine the next steps in order to restore proper kidney function.

    Please keep praying for this sweet girl and her family. Pray for healing. Pray that Lydia will respond to the medication. Pray that her family will be able to keep up her treatments once they are home. Pray for wisdom for the doctors. Pray for complete restoration of Lydia's kidney function.  Pray that she will once again have the energy to run and play, that she will run in joy.