Update for William Goforth

June 5, 2002

 

ANSWERS TO PRAYER! — HAPPY HOMECOMING!

No! Baby William is not "missing in action!" Strike up the band! Hoist the banner and sound the bugle! On Monday, June 3rd, hallelujah!, (on Auntie Aimee's birthday, by the way) at approximately 2:30pm CST, our grandson, William "the conqueror" Reid Goforth was awarded an "honorable discharge" from the hospital after 4 months and 2+ weeks—the sum total of his entire life on "active duty" in the NICU. His precious discharge nurse, along with the family, took him on the NICU's traditional victory lap (yes, that's what they call it)—to say goodbye to all the "special forces"—the dedicated caregivers, who worked daily through the heat of the battle for his survival. And furthermore, in specific answer to prayer, William left the hospital without the aid of the ever-present nasal cannula!  Thank the Lord again and again! Please forgive us for having so much fun with this, but we are ecstatic beyond belief!

 

...and baby makes three!

UP TO THE MOMENT. . . 

William seemed to adapt very well to all the attention he received from all the commotion of family visitors on his first day home. The real test for Daddy and Mommy came on his first night home—a sleepless one, at that. He still has his days and nights mixed up, as do so many full term newborns. After all, he's really only 3 weeks old by BST —"Baby Standard Time." :-)

 

After his first follow up doctor's appointment yesterday as a "civilian" (now that his is no longer in the NICU), it appears that he will need a more gradual weaning from the supplemental oxygen with intermittent use of the nasal cannula until there is further healing and maturing of his lungs. 

 

By the Lord's grace they were able to have at least two days on "furlough" at home before the next campaign that awaits them...

 

PRAYER ALERT!

Although Monday heralded a new beginning for the Goforths, with a joyous celebration of William's release from the NICU, we recognize we are still continually dependent on the Divine Caregiver, our Lord God, and for His attendance to the steadfast petitions of His people on behalf of Baby William... Just hours before the baby's release, William received one more eye exam, which seemed to confirm detachment of the right retina. Along with the excitement of his discharge, Josh and Noelle were presented with the serious possibility of bypassing home, and flying all the way to Michigan to meet with the recommended specialist, since the Houston specialist was out of the country. However, praise the Lord, after assessing all the alternatives, the hospital arranged for an appointment today, Wednesday, with a specialist in Houston, who will examine him before proceeding with surgery to reattach the retina. That allows us all the more time to petition the Great Physician—our God who specializes in miracles, to do a creative miracle on William's eyes, before his exam this afternoon. It is our ultimate hope and prayer for William's eyes to be totally healed.   

 

PRAYER REQUESTS:

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

a. total healing of William's eyes which would eliminate the need for surgery.

b. traveling safety for Josh and Noelle as they drive to and from Houston with our precious "preemie on board." 

c. grace, peace, and victory for the Lord's purpose involving William's eyesight.   

e. wisdom and strength for the challenges ahead for Josh and Noelle.

 

WORD FOR THE DAY:

Logic may dictate that we are being unreasonable when asking for prayer for a total healing for the baby's eyes. However, in our family devotion time this morning we read about the total healing of a certain centurion's servant. The physician, Luke, reports that Jesus marveled that the centurion, who proclaimed himself unworthy to be visited by Jesus, had the faith IN JESUS to heal the servant from a distance with His spoken word (Luke 7:9). In God's Living Word, Jesus proclaims, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord" (Luke 4:18-19). Therefore, we can put our full trust in the Lord Jesus who specializes in the miraculous and who is not constrained by location. He is able to answer prayers of the faithful even from a distance for He is "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever" (Hebrews 13: 8).

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