God's precious miracle, Spencer Gordon Lewis, born Nov 1, 2003. 5 lbs 8 ounces, 15" long. WE LOVE YOU SPENCER!
Spencer's Eulogy
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Eulogy of Spencer Gordon Lewis
For many months we had been praying for our Temple Clearance from the First Presidency to come so we could be sealed together forever and that our baby to be, could be born Under The Covenant. On June 7, 2003 The letter finely came. Brenda had been crying, she had already read the letter, before I came home. We were so happy to know we could be sealed forever in
the House of The Lord.
It was on June 19, 2003 that Brenda and I went to her first doctor's appointment. Doctor McCaul was giving her the first ultra-sound. He seemed to be taking some time when Brenda asked him, 'Are there any abnormalities you can see?'
He said, 'Yes, I believe the baby has achondroplasia
syndrome' (short limbs being a dwarf). I took Brenda's hand. The doctor offered to terminate the pregnancy. Brenda said, 'He's a keeper!' When we
got home we sat the children down and told them about their new brother to be, that he would be a boy and a little dwarf. The children where so happy and excited. Jay said, 'He's sleeping in my room!' Nanny said, 'No, he's sleeping in my room!' That night our whole family watched the movie Willow.
We felt (on: June 20th) to name the baby: Spencer Gordon Lewis, after the prophets of God. (The name Spencer means: strong )
On August 8, 2003 at the Nauvoo Temple IL, Brenda and I were blessed to be sealed for time and all eternity which means to us: Not until death do us
part, but forever! I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever. (Eccl 3:14)'.but what man doth, it shall have an end. For whatsoever thou
shalt bind on earth (by the priesthood of God in the House of the Lord) shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be
loosed in heaven.' (Matt 16:19)
Thursday, Oct 30th, Brenda was scheduled to visit with her new Doctor (Dr. Dix) in Springfield, MO after the doctor examined her, the she said, 'Your
amniotic fluid is at 35 cm. and you're dilated to 5cm. You're not going home, we need to keep you here.'
We checked into a room (at The Ronald McDonald
House). On Nov 1st Saturday at 12:30pm Brenda's water broke. I must have been just a little nervous, when I started gathering her things I picked up
the suit case and with the other hand grabbed Brenda's purse and strapped it over my shoulder. Brenda couldn't keep from laughing at me. (She knew I
wouldn't carry her purse before in public).
At 8:50pm on Nov 1st 2003, Spencer Gordon Lewis was born, weighing 5lb 8oz and 15.5 inches long. Right
after Spencer was born The neonatologist (Dr. Eccher) and his nurses worked very hard to get him to breath on his own. They ended up putting a tube down
his mouth into his lungs to breath by a ventilator. (The ventilator has been his life-line ever since). After about an hour the Dr. Eccher came back to the delivery room and pulled up a chair to talk to my wife and I.
He told us that he had done everything he could, that our baby wasn't expected to live long. After he left, the nurse who helped in the delivery, was standing by us, when we received the news. As we wept, she wept and hugged Brenda. We where very touch by her kindness to us. The doctor had the nurses section off a private area in the nursery so that our whole family could be with Spencer to say good-bye.
A close friend, brought all of our children in, to see their little brother. It was 3:00 a.m. They were so tired but happy to see him. They said, 'he's got your ears dad, and mom's nose!' I said, 'He's got my hair, and now I know where it all went!' Our family friend said, 'I felt like I was part of the family too, so she said, 'he's got my bellybutton!'
The Doctor told us, he would slowly wean Spencer off the ventilator. He wasn't expected to live through the night. But to his surprise, he began to
make improvements. The doctor thought it best to bring in a genetic specialist from Columbia, MO. (Dr. Stephen Braddock). We met with Dr. Braddock on a Tuesday. After examining Spencer, the doctor said, "He has hypochondrogenesis, a rare genetic disorder that affects type 2 collagen in his body. It is so rare that there are less then 100 cases ever
documented in the world and no child has lived beyond 5 months. It is a lethal form of dwarfism.'
We cried again. It was like we where riding on an
emotional roller coaster. The poor little guy's body had so many complications with it; he had a cleft palate, a ruptured hernia, Pierre Robin which is a small air-way, club feet, and small rib cage that
confined the lungs. It is the small rib cage and lungs that causes the children who have this illness to die from respiratory failure.
Because there wasn't much documentation given on how the other children who died from hypochondrogenesis were treated, we wanted to give him every chance we could, by having the hernia repaired. To help with the Pierre Robin, the doctors put a tracheostomy in his neck. By doing this we were hoping to by-pass the obstruction in his airway. We also had a G-button put in his stomach for feeding him. Spencer is now 4 months old, he has been moved from Springfield, MO to Columbia, MO and then to St. Louis, MO.
Eight times he has moved between hospitals.
On March 3rd Wednesday, at 11:43am (Year 2004) Spencer, suffered from respiratory failure (he was 4
months and 3 days old). He went from our arms to Christ's arms and began his mission into the World of Spirits.
After going through all this, I can say, we have been blessed to have him in our lives. During this time we have met some wonderful people who have touch our lives. People whom we would have never met before, even from around the world, who have prayed and given gifts to Spencer and our family. They have become like family to us.
Through the wonderful people we have met, who have served our family in so many ways we are eternally grateful. We thank you! We love you.
By Jack R. Lewis (Father) and Brenda K. (Tudor) Lewis (Mother)