Looking Forward to the End ...

The end of a matter is better than its beginning,

    and patience is better than pride.

9 

Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit,

    for anger resides in the lap of fools. ~ Ecclesiastes 7:8-9

Our little buddy is not happy.

While there has been daily progress with the movement of Jonah's lower jaw, the movement has not been going exactly as was originally planned.  We have been turning the devices for exactly 23 days, which is what we were originally told would be the total time for turning.  So, basically, we thought we would be done turning right about now.

This is an x-ray of Jonah from a few days ago. 

The lower jaw, instead of sliding downward (and forward towards his front teeth), has tilted upwards so much so that his bottom teeth are now pushing against his upper palate expander.

(Here is the x-ray taken immediately after the placement of the distractors)

Due to the way his jaw has moved, it is evidently more difficult for Jonah to talk and eat.  The range of motion in his jaws has decreased and he is barely opening his mouth.  

Yesterday, a new adjustment was introduced.  This is an adjustment that required a special tool and was done in the doctor's office.  The adjustment was to correct the tilt in Jonah's jaw and it was so dramatic that he experienced a great deal of discomfort all evening.

 Jonah has to do mouth exercises to help with the stiffness and his range of motion.  These exercises are so important that if he does not show significant improvement over the next couple weeks, they are considering removing the distractors and then replacing them 6 - 8 weeks later.  Needless to say, we are dealing with lots of tears and frustration as we push him multiple times a day to open and close his mouth.

Since Jonah's surgery, he has also had something similar to 'night terrors' many nights each week.  He cries and thrashes around in his sleep.  He does not realize or remember that he is doing it, even when we have had to wake him up due to the severity of his episode.  This is difficult because we are experiencing interrupted sleep most nights and it is especially challenging on nights when he has several occurrences.

We knew when we began the adoption for Jonah and Rees that it would be a challenge and that we would have situations that would be hard.  We could really only guess as to the specifics of the situation(s).  In the same way, Jonah did not fully understand all that he would have to go through prior to his surgery, despite our preparations.  

We can't really know until we've experienced ...

... and once we're "IN IT", we might decide it's too hard, too painful, too much ... but 

'... The end of a matter is better than its beginning

Better is the end of a thing than its beginning ...

Finishing is better than starting ...

Endings are better than beginnings ...

Better is the end of a thing than its beginning ..."

(Ecclesiastes 7:8a)

We tell Jonah that this might be hard and it might hurt but that it won't always be this way.  It will get better and we have to keep working hard and trusting what we're supposed to do so that we can reach the goal, finish the task, ... "whistle".  (Yes, ... we tell him that one day he'll 'whistle'!)

It's hard to see him struggle ... to cry ... be frustrated ... and in pain ... but we know that we have to endure these difficulties to "achieve the END that is Way Better than the Beginning."

I am reminded how closely this resembles our walk in Christ ...

LORD, help me to finish what I start, to stick with it even when I get weary and weak.  Let me not "give up" when things get tough.  Help me to ignore the voices of defeat and despair, that in the end, I may not be foolish, but victorious.