Update for William Reid Goforth

September 19, 2002

 

 

ANSWERS TO PRAYER! William is 7 months and 4 weeks old today! (adjusted age: 4 months and 4 days old!)

Even though there has been no "e-word" from the "little warrior" in quite some time (due to non-stop activity on the home front)—let it be known that the mighty hand of God's Living Word has continued to actively answer the prayers of His people on William's behalf. The most encouraging report to date came from William's most recent follow-up appointment with his primary neonatal ophthalmologist. After recalling William's pre-surgery examinations, he stated that William's eye conditions had been among the five worst cases he had ever seen! Now, after laser surgery, followed by extensive surgery by the Houston specialist to correct the detached retinas, the doctor reported that he would never have guessed that they were the same eyes. Glory to God in answered prayers!

 

Even though he did notice a pull to the right, the doctor said that it was correctable. In addition, he lent a very helpful frame of reference for us all to consider in respect to his eye development, but also we find it relates to other areas of development, as well. Beyond his actual age or adjusted age, he suggested that we must consider that because of all the procedures and surgeries that William has experienced, that his eye development could be assessed more closely to a one-month-old baby's developmental maturity. Therefore, he reassured Josh and Noelle that there is still time in the coming months for improved eye functions in regards to tracking and focusing. And we are reassured that he has some level of eyesight by the fact that he squints whenever he is momentarily in bright sunlight.

 

William's physical therapist has also given encouraging assessments of his good muscle tone. During her sessions with William, she teaches Noelle a series of "basic training" exercises to be working on daily with the baby for early intervention of any possible CP-related impairment.

 

A GLANCE BACK — UP TO THE MOMENT. . . 

With Josh and Noelle's permission, we'd like to share the following direct quotes from the doctor's hospital records labeled, Progress Note Addendum, compiled on William's 10th day of life this side of the womb, just hours before his departure on a medical transport jet bound for Texas:

 

"...no spontaneous respirations " — William has been breathing totally on his own for over 2 months now, and has a robust set of lungs as proven by a healthy, spontaneous "warrior's" cry, thank the Lord...

"I shall remember the deeds of the Lord...You are the God who works wonders."

 

"NEARLY flat EEG [doctor's emphasis]...no purposeful-movement" — William turns over from tummy to back now and even scoots forward on the floor when placed on his tummy. Recently he has started to purposely hit and spin the rattle on the tray of his swing...

"I shall remember the deeds of the Lord...You are the God who works wonders."

 

"...markedly abnormal HUS [head ultra sound] (among the worst I've ever seen)" — At William's most recent visit, the neurologist reported that the shunt is stabilizing the hydrocephalus, and that the baby's head is growing at a normal rate... 

"I shall remember the deeds of the Lord...You are the God who works wonders"

 

"...many neurologically-abnormal movements, including some seizures" — William remains to date, totally seizure-free, praise God!, and that's since being totally "weaned" off his anti-seizure medication...

"I shall remember the deeds of the Lord...You are the God who works wonders."

  

"...the expectation for this baby's outcome is that if he survives to hospital discharge, he will never learn language or self care" — Nearly 8 months later, because of their confidence in the mighty God our Healer, Josh and Noelle's expectation for William is that not only will he learn language, but that he will learn to read language. After all, Josh pointed out, "His first and middle names are WILL REID." :)  LORD, we pray!!!...

"I shall remember the deeds of the Lord...You are the God who works wonders."

 

"...he will possibly never know or interact with his parents" — Not only does William know and interact continuously with his daddy and mommy, he smiles when he hears familiar voices like "Grandpa Bear" over the phone!!! And no matter how hard he's fussing, he always stops to listen in wonderment to Grandpa's impersonation of Donald Duck. William also interacts with his toys. He smiles when Noelle asks him, "Do you want your duckie?" And he aims right for its cloth beak to suck on it. Furthermore, he sometimes "coos" to his favorite musical stuffed bunny whenever the tune is squeezed out of him—the toy bunny gets squeezed, that is, not William. :)...

"I shall remember the deeds of the Lord...You are the God who works wonders."
(Psalm 77:14)

 

PRAYER REQUESTS:

The one strategic area in which Baby William has lost some ground, though, is in the area of weight gain. Because of the frequency by which he would pull out the N/G tube (nasal/gavage tube), and the infrequency by which he would "cooperate" when they would have to reintroduce it (let's face it, he would wail every time!), they decided to observe his progress without it. Even though he drank a substantial quantity of breast milk, his pediatrician explained that he was using up too many calories for his intake, and therefore not gaining the desirable weight for his adjusted age. This area of weight gain is somewhat involved...

 

Even though William is now the size of a full-term newborn over 8 1/2 lbs., as a nearly 8-month-old preemie, his required intake surpasses his endurance of bottle feeding at the moment. (Breastfeeding would be even more taxing in this situation.) However, we're relieved to report that the baby is once again gaining—with partial bottle feeding for the first 20 minutes, every 3 hours, and the rest of what remains, administered by the N/G tube.

 

Since this is the top priority in prayer for him right now, we call upon all our prayer partners to please remember him whenever the Lord brings him to your mind. (In the center of our kitchen table we have a baby bottle right next to the salt and pepper shaker to remind us to pray for this particular need at our mealtimes.)

 

Today we would ask that you would join us in trusting the Lord God our Healer in His abundant mercy for...

a. the baby to continue to gain substantial weight and soon be totally bottle-fed once again.

b. a total healing from the common cold he presently has, so that it will not advance further in his lungs nor compromise his immune system.

c. continued muscle control and neurological maturation for improved eye functions and eyesight.

d. continued healing and strength to all his body muscles for normal gross and fine motor coordination and movement.

 

WORD FOR THE DAY:

Ever mindful of Baby William, one day during our daily Bible reading, the following Scripture stood out as a prayer to God our Healer, the Son and sun of righteousness. "But for you who fear my Name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you WILL GO FORTH and skip about like calves from the stall" (Malachi 4:2 NAS). And in the words of our pastor, Doug Phillips, interceding for Baby Will, "...a prayer goes up to Heaven that this little boy will run and dance and shout and sing the very praises of the Lord Jesus Christ."

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