This is a letter I wrote by email on August 16th, 2012 to inform my family and friends shortly after we found out that he was born blind because of bilateral congenital cataracts. (Note: The dates and times for invitation to prayer here have already passed.)
Most of you have heard by now that Zeke was born unable to see. If you hadn't yet heard, I'm sorry to deliver the news this way to you. We were shocked too, as I expected him to get glasses at the pediatric opthamologist, not a referral for surgery. The diagnoses is "bilateral congenital cataracts". Without the surgery, he would remain blind. Since we've known for a couple of weeks now, we are past the point of asking "why" did this happen and have moved on to doing what we can to fix and make the best of this.
That said, we have a surgery scheduled for his Right eye this Monday, August 20th. We are still waiting on a firm date for the Left eye, which at the latest will be scheduled for September 10th.
If you live in our area, Matt and I are going to have our own silent prayer and fasting time from 4-6 pm this Sunday, Aug 19th for Zeke's surgery. We want to offer to share this time with anyone who would like to join us by keeping the door open for anyone who wants to come by and participate with us in prayer and fasting with your (silent) visit for Zeke at anytime from 4 - 6 pm. Stop by for as little or as long as you like from 4-6 pm. Regrets are not needed, if it is in your heart to come by, then please do. If not, we do not want or need an explanation. We will stop visits and prayers promptly at 6 pm so that we can get adequate rest and prep time for Monday morning.
If you do not live in the area, or can not make it to our home, we would like to invite you to help us by lifting up silent prayers for his surgery, recovery, and healing during this time from whatever location you are in, and to join us in fasting from food for these two hours, as well.
Please pray for his surgeon, Dr. Akida, and also for the anestheseologist (who's name I do not yet have), that their work would be skillful, careful, and successful.
We are limiting the invitation for prayer in our home to this list so please do not forward this email. We love you and thank you for your support and concern. We will be in touch and let you know how things go as soon as we can.
Matt and Zuleida (and Mango! and Oreo! and Cocoa! and Puddy!)
Sunday, September 16, 2012
An Unexpected Turn
There has been an unexpected turn of events in our lives, and it has given me writer's block for the last two months. Every time I think to writing, I don't know how to start. The point of a blog (I think!) is to share highlights and snippets from your life under the premise of a theme - and all of a sudden, our theme for the last two months has completely done a shift. I've never been very good at dealing with sudden change, and so it's taken me some time to catch up.
A little over two months ago, we took Zeke to the opthamologists following a referral from our pediatrician. I knew Zeke wasn't seeing well and expected them to tell me he needed glasses. Imagine my shock when they told me he was blind! It was like being sucker punched in the gut to hear that - the kind of unbelievable that causes any sense of orientation or feeling to leave your body for hours - if not days or longer.
So, we spend July and August on a roller coaster ride that neither of us (myself or Matt) wanted to be on.
To catch us up to the present, and to give myself some time to form some new inspiration to continue blogging, I've decided to post the series of emails I sent my very close family and friends, which describe my experience from the day I learned that Zeke was born with bi-lateral congential cateracts, through both eye surgeries, until the present.
I'll post at least one of those letters a week until we are caught back up until now. If you are following us, thank you for sharing Zeke's journey with us, even as we take a very unexpected turn...
A little over two months ago, we took Zeke to the opthamologists following a referral from our pediatrician. I knew Zeke wasn't seeing well and expected them to tell me he needed glasses. Imagine my shock when they told me he was blind! It was like being sucker punched in the gut to hear that - the kind of unbelievable that causes any sense of orientation or feeling to leave your body for hours - if not days or longer.
So, we spend July and August on a roller coaster ride that neither of us (myself or Matt) wanted to be on.
To catch us up to the present, and to give myself some time to form some new inspiration to continue blogging, I've decided to post the series of emails I sent my very close family and friends, which describe my experience from the day I learned that Zeke was born with bi-lateral congential cateracts, through both eye surgeries, until the present.
I'll post at least one of those letters a week until we are caught back up until now. If you are following us, thank you for sharing Zeke's journey with us, even as we take a very unexpected turn...
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