Real original title for my post. I know! But, I'm not feeling it lately.
I wanted to post this to ask everyone to be lifting Lafe's name up in prayer for us. We were notified by the school nurse a couple of weeks ago that Lafe had failed his vision screening twice in his left eye. No problem! I made an appointment with our optometrist for the following week. That was last Thursday.
We did NOT get a good report. The optometrist told me that his diagnosis is not good. He wrote down a prescription of 20/200 in that eye. However, he is not really using the eye at all. It is essentially non-functional at this time. The doctor said he has had this lazy eye since birth. The problem is that it never crossed which is not good. Had his eye crossed, that would have meant that his brain was at least trying to get him to use that eye. Plus, we would have seen a problem much earlier than 6 years of age.
So, we will be taking him to a pediatric opthamologist on November 11th. I am anxious to hear what our treatment options are. According to our optometrist the difference in the eyes is so much that glasses will not work. There is not surgery to be done because the muscle is not involved at all. Therefore, he believes we will be patching the right eye in order to try and force the brain to receive and process signals from the left eye again. If we regain some function in that eye, they will probably correct vision with a contact lens. That sounds really fun with a 6 year old.
I know we serve a MIGHTY GOD!!! And, I know that he is fully capable of restoring function in that eye before we do anything treatment wise. That is my first prayer. If that is not His plan, I am simply asking you to ask for some function in that eye! Also, please pray that God can decrease Lafe's anxiety. When he realized we were possibly going to need to patch the good eye he panicked and begged us not to cover it because he wouldn't be able to see at school. Yuck! I explained that the doctor and Mrs. Hastings (his teacher) would work on this with us and we will do whatever he needs to keep learning. That seemed to put his mind at ease a little.
I go through moments of complete peace and then there are moments of absolute guilt. I know that Lafe didn't say anything to us because he never saw the right way. Had it been a change in vision he would have told us. However, he didn't know that he was seeing differently than you and I. I know all of this, yet, I still have Satan telling me I should've known and done better, faster. Please pray that I can fight off these horrible messages from him and feel the peace and comfort that I know is from God.
And, don't leave me a message saying what one lady said to me at Ladies' Bible Class today. I know I have to consider the source, but her words hurt and have been in the back of my mind all day. She said "I can't believe that there are 2 nurses and 1 doctor (my dad, a DENTIST) in your family and y'all couldn't figure out this was wrong until now???!!!!" She tried to joke and laugh it off, but it HURT!!!! If you are thinking those things, just don't say anything to me at all.
I will keep you posted.
15 comments:
I'm so sorry about all of that. We will keep Lafe in our prayers. Keep us updated!
I will be praying for you and for Lafe. I'm so sorry that you are not only having to deal with the eye problem, but also that you are having the mommy guilt to go with it. You are amazing and there is nothing you could have done differently. I love you and wish I was there to give you a big hug!
Juli, there is absolutely nothing to feel guilty about with Lafe's eye problem. You are a wonderful mommy and there is nothing you could have or should have done to prevent or make things any different. God will do what is best for Lafe and will not give him or you and David anymore than you can handle.
I am furious that someone could be so insensitive to you about this and to think that it was someone at Ladies Bible Class is even more disheartening. Do not let what this woman said affect you at all, she is the one with the problem.
As I said God will take care of things and as you said if it is not to completely heal the eye, then just know that He is in control and you, David, Lafe and the other boys can handle anything with Him in control and in you life.
Know that PaPa and I love you all very much and this is in our prayers for the very best outcome.
We love you bunches and bunches!!
Gran
I am praying for Lafe and for you. I am so sorry that you had to experience that negative comment. Just from reading your blog, I can tell you are such a wonderful mom. Your boys are very lucky to have you. With God, a great family, and good doctors on his side, I know Lafe will pull through this.
Um...did you tell her that none of you are optometrists?! Duh lady!!! Sorry...sisterly protectiveness coming out! I love you sister!!!! We are praying that God's will be done in this. Also, praying that Lafe can keep learning even if he has a patch over his eye! :) Tell him we love him.
Hey JB,
After reading this post (yes, I read your blog through Google Reader), I had to comment and tell you about Maggie's dad. He was a bit older than Lafe when he was walking in the woods with his dad. His dad moved a thorn bush aside and told Wade to "watch out" as he let it go. It scraped his right eye and permanently damaged it to the point that it became useless to him. That eye is now a different color than the good one, and other than that you would never be able to tell that he only has one good eye. And he owns his own video production company so his vision is really important to his livelihood. He builds, he drives (better than her momd ;>), he reads, he gardens, he watches movies. He lives a very normal life. So my prayer is that God will heal Lafe's eye...but if he doesn't, rest assured that it will merely be a bump in the road in his life.
His,
Ryan Inlow
Oh, Girl! I'm so sorry!!! I'll definitely be praying for all of you. And try to get rid of all that guilt. We mommys are sure good at that when it comes to our babies!
We love you and your family Juli! We are keeping Lafe in our prayers and we are certain that God will guide you and all involved through this process. Call anytime!
i have alazy eye myself and have 4surgeries...none of which worked! initially they did but several years later my eyes would go right back. i did the patching and glasses when i was young too. i have been researching a new treatment called Vision Therapy. Basically it's physical therapy for your eyes and seems to have great results. i have said that if any of my girls have a lazy eye this is the route i would take. then again my grandmother had the same surgery and hers has worked perfectly...who knows! don't feel guilty, youre a mom not superwoman! I'll be praying for comfort for both you and lafe.
Hey! Do not feel guilty AT ALL!!! Listen - My dad is an ENT and I had serious ear infections forEVER before I finally got tubes and he STILL feels guilty about it. I also got glasses @ 5 and contacts @ 6 (I got Lasik @ 23 - I was a -10 in both eyes!!). My mom used to help me with my contacts when I was younger and I am forever grateful. The contacts were so much less constricting than glasses. And my mom STILL has guilt about the glasses b/c I used to always ask "Mommy is it raining outside?" and she would get so frustrated and say "JUST LOOK!!!" But I couldn't tell!! The day she drove me home from Lasik surgery I said "Oh my gosh. I can see the rain in the distance." She cried. It was the first time I've ever even known you could see it. God is good and He will take care of ALL of his children (even that thoughtless old bag in your Bible Class!)
Jenny.
I am so sorry y'all have to go through this. We will keep you all in our prayers. Lafe is blessed to have you both as parents!
Lord Jesus, I ask *right now* that you would restore all eyesight to Lafe's eye. In the mighty name of Jesus I declare that all eye sight restored, his brain functioning properly and that all guilt is removed. May you get all honor and glory in this and I ask that you blanket this household in your peace!
We love you Lord!
i can't imagine all the emotions you are going through right now, but i want you to know i just prayed for lafe and your family and each of the doctors thaat looks into his precious eyes.
I will be praying for you and your son. My daughter has a hearing loss. We did not discover it until she was 3 1/2. She is now 22 and student teaching. I say this to let you know that she has excelled and is a loving compassionate individual & serving the Lord. God has taken what the enemy meant for bad and made it good. I hope this encourages you, but please know I will be praying for complete healing.
i have done a bad job of keeping up with your blog! Monte is blind in his right left eye, but he still functions everyday as if he wasn't. I hope that Lafe's eyes are doing better!
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