The First Post (December 18)

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9 

As God's children, we confess that his ways are higher than our ways. And yet, when something like this happens, it's impossible for us to understand what his purpose and plan are for Madilyn. Why? Why is God allowing such a young child to face such an awful disease? Countless tears and prayers and laments have gone up to God's throne with these questions in the past week. Although our human minds cannot possibly understand God's ways, we strive to take comfort in knowing that he is King. He is sovereign, and has chosen for himself many people to be his sons and daughters. That is exactly what Madilyn is. She is a daughter of the King. Yes, she is also a beloved daughter, sister, granddaughter, cousin, niece and friend to many here on earth, but ultimately she is a daughter of the Eternal and Sovereign King. We trust that he has a plan for her life, and that he loves her with perfect love. 

Since so many concerned and supportive people have been asking how Madilyn is doing, the Boonstra family thought it might be best to start a blog to keep everyone updated. This blog is not directly being written by Adam and Laurissa, but all of the information comes from them and is approved by them before being posted. 

Last week Tuesday Madilyn woke up with very concerning symptoms. The right side of her body was weak and uncoordinated, and she was nauseous. Before this, there was no indication at all that anything was wrong with Madilyn's health. Laurissa took her to the hospital in Wingham, but they were quickly sent to the Children's Hospital in London. By nightfall, she'd had a CT scan, which seemed to show some sort of mass in her brain. An MRI was ordered for Thursday to look into it further, which confirmed that there was a tumour, and that it was cancerous. Adam and Laurissa met with the oncology team on Friday, where they received the most heartbreaking news that any parent could receive; Madilyn's brain cancer is considered terminal. The doctors estimate that with treatment they would expect her to live for maybe one more year. 

Currently, the plan is to do 3 weeks of radiation, set to begin December 22. The hope is that the radiation will allow Madilyn to be well enough to return home for a while. There is even hope that if she responds well to the radiation, she might be able to go home on the weekends during those 3 weeks. This current week has been packed with procedures to get ready for the upcoming radiation. She is having a Port-A-Cath inserted today, which will make things like bloodwork and giving IV fluids easier. Tomorrow (December 19), she will be having a biopsy (surgery) to confirm the type of tumour/cancer. This will allow them to target her tumour with more specific and effective radiation therapy. She will be kept in the PCCU for 24 hours post surgery for recovery and observation. 

At this point, Madilyn has been told that she is sick and that she has to be in the hospital for a while and that once she is feeling better that she can go home. She has not been told the full extent of her diagnosis, because a 6 year old truly cannot understand what is happening to her. Please keep this in mind when talking to the family, especially around Madilyn, Patrick and Josie. Please be mindful of what you share with your own young children as well, to prevent hard information from reaching the ears of Madilyn’s young cousins and friends, who are also too young to understand. 

Madilyn is receiving excellent care from the doctors, nurses and volunteers at the hospital. The nurses have decorated her room with a princess theme, because basically all 6 year old girls love princesses, Madilyn included. The right side of her body remains weaker and less coordinated than her left side. This makes a lot of tasks that were once easy (walking, eating, etc) a lot harder for her. She still manages to smile and laugh. A volunteer at the hospital told her this joke that she's been sharing with her steady stream of visitors: "What kind of vehicle goes to the bathroom?" A dump truck. 

Adam and Laurissa have been taking turns staying at Ronald McDonald House right beside the hospital, which has been very convenient and a huge help to them. Patrick and Josie are able to be there with them. Madilyn is able to leave her hospital room and spend time with the rest of the family at the RMH. Many family members and friends have come to visit. People have been so generous and the GoFundMe has raised almost $30000 at this point! Blessings have been found even in the midst of grief and uncertainty. 

Please continue to uphold Adam, Laurissa, Madilyn, Patrick and Josie in your prayers. Pray for Madilyn as she undergoes her biopsy surgery and starts radiation. Pray for Adam and Laurissa as they make countless hard decisions together and watch their precious daughter go through all these procedures and radiation. Pray for the immediate families, the grandparents and siblings and cousins who are walking along beside them in this journey.  

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1