SAMUEL CHRISTIAN DE BEER

Samuels Website

PRAYER REQUESTS
1. That Samuel’s upcoming surgery will be a success and, together with his recovery, will pass without any complications and as little pain and discomfort as possible.
2. That the Lord will continue to bless and keep Samuel safely in the palm of his hand.
3. That Samuel’s developmental progress will increase steadily, as it has over the past couple of months.
4. That Samuel’s immune system will continue to strengthen.
5. That I will continue to draw my strength and faith from my Saviour enabling me to not only face the challenges and trials brought into our lives by RTS, but also to continue to give my family the love, care and attention they deserve.

PRAISE REPORTS
Sam has recently learnt to sit unsupported and, although he cannot pull himself up into a sitting position while lying down, if he is even on the slightest slant can manage to sit himself up by using his tummy muscles. Sam’s strength in his legs and co-ordination improves daily. He loves “walking” while holding mom or dad’s hands and, although its not his favourite activity in the world, is even tolerating some crawling exercises now. Although he cannot yet say any words, he LOVES to “talk” and has specially reserved voices for different activities like talking to the animals, looking at photo’s on the wall and singing while driving in the car. He has faced many challenges in his still very short life but, regardless of what he might be going through he seems to (almost divinely) maintain an awe-inspiring joy and enthusiasm for life. He has touched countless people’s lives, many who we’ve not even met face-to-face and this is the reason why I know he has been put on this Earth for something amazing.

SAMUEL'S GLIMPSE
Samuel was born at 32 weeks into my pregnancy, weighing 1.485kg and in respiratory distress. He was fairly unresponsive immediately after his birth and was immediately rushed to the NICU where, although his weight was for more than most of the preemie babies in there, his inability to breathe put him on par with the smallest of the little ones. Sam was ventilated for seven weeks of his nine week stay in NICU. He could also not swallow and eventually went home with a feeding tube. Since he came home, sixteen months ago, he has been diagnosed with chronic reflux, chronic constipation, respiratory disease, delayed neurological development, angulated thumbs, palmar hyperhidrosis, obstructive sleep apnoea, a neurogenic bladder, deviated septum, small airways, turned-in left foot, strabismus, high palate, sensory integration dysfunction and more recently, a tethered spinal cord. He has been in hospital five times in the last eleven months for three chest infections, a very bad kidney infection and one surgery to rectify his angulated thumbs. Sam currently works with a neuro-therapist and speech therapist. He is also meant to have been seen by an occupation therapist to aid with his sensory/reflex integration dysfunction but we unfortunately have to wait for our financial situation to improve before we can go this route. He has a paediatrician, ophthalmologist, general practitioner, orthopaedic surgeon for his legs and feet, orthopaedic surgeon for his hands, an ENT specialist, two anaesthetists and a neurosurgeon.