Update for William Goforth
April 3, 2002

ANSWERS TO PRAYER! William is 10 weeks and 2 days old today!

He continues to make steady gains in weight and height while presently weighing 3 lbs. 10.3 oz. and measuring 16 inches tall. William "the conqueror" has had the victory of not just one, but two "promotions" this past week. Glory to God! More about that later... 

UP TO THE MOMENT. . .

Photo background: From the first few days of his life when William was ever so fragile, Great-grandma Maggie started calling him her "Little Tiger." She soon set out to find a stuffed tiger to send him as a reminder of her love and care for him. She managed to find one at the gift shop of the hospital where she still volunteers once a week at the spry age of 81 years young. Then, just the other day when we approached William in his NICU isolette, we were momentarily startled to discover this over-sized fluffy tiger hovering over the baby as if it had pounced on him. But it didn't take long before we could see that William was perfectly at ease and secure with his mild-mannered bedside companion, as you can see. . .

We are pleased to report that this photo is already outdated, for William has been promoted to his own infant incubator. This is most likely what most of us imagine when we picture hospital equipment for a preemie or any other newborn in critical condition. However, babies born as early as William initially need to be in an opened isolette (as pictured in the photo) which allows free access to other critical care apparatus. He seems to be content in the comfort of his new cozy confinement since it muffles some of the constant buzzing hubbub of the neonatal intensive care nursery.

Another major improvement from the photo is that William no longer has to wear a "funny cap" (his mom called it his "alien cap"), nor that ugly gray elastic strap around his head which kept the CPAP tubing pressed against his nose. He has now graduated one more grade in the course of respiration therapy from the CPAP to the nasal cannula, (which is a two-pronged tubing apparatus with direct flow of oxygen into the nasal passages.) This makes it increasingly easier to transfer him from his bedding into his mommy and daddy's arms for more frequent kangaroo care. Now that he is off the oscillator, ventilator, and CPAP, he is taking his own breaths while presently receiving about 50% oxygenation. We are told it is a learning process for preemies to coordinate breathing, sucking, and eventually swallowing. Alarms alert the staff when they "forget" to breath. His lungs still need to continue to heal and mature considerably before he is capable of breathing without supplemental oxygen. We now bring these areas of concern to your gracious attention as a matter of prayer.  

PRAYER REQUESTS:

Today we ask you to please join us in prayer that:

  • his lungs would continue to heal and mature to allow normal respiratory development with no long term pulmonary damage.
  • he would learn to coordinate breathing, sucking, and swallowing to maintain proper oxygen saturation in his blood.
  • a steady decrease in the cranial fluid and natural absorption would eliminate the need for a permanent shunt.
  • his brain would be totally protected from any pressure caused by any fluids or dissolving blood clots.
  • William's eyesight would continue to be protected from ROP (Retinopathy of Prematurity). 
  • the Lord would continue to give divine wisdom and supernatural insight to each hospital staff member who attends William each day.

    • WORD FOR THE DAY:

    This week the Lord has graciously used our families to minister to friends whose newborn baby is presently in the NICU just an aisle away from William. Our prayers are that these friends, and others the Lord sends our way, would also receive the outpouring of our Lord's merciful comfort. "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and God of all comfort; Who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God" (II Corinthians 1:3-4).