Prayer Alert: Michael Schaffer’s Son Undergoes Emergency Surgery
By Movieguide® Staff
Digital artist Michael Schaffer, who founded and runs the social media account ‘Memes for Jesus,’ recently asked friends, family and followers to pray for his son, Ezra Jude.
Today, doctors at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia began emergency surgery on Ezra after the baby spent his first week alive in the hospital.
“Happy one week of life on the outside, little man! I know it hasn’t been the most amazing experience yet, but things will get better. I’m so happy you are here and that I get to be your dad,” Shaffer posted on Instagram yesterday.
Schaffer provided updates via instagram stories to his nearly 35 thousand followers.
“Ezra’s surgery is tomorrow morning! Please pray for no complications and for the staff who will be operating on him. We are so thankful for Ezra’s amazing team at CHOP, and all of our family and friends who continue to pray and check in on us during this journey,” the story reads.
“Today, Ezra was moved from his oscillator ventilator to a conventional ventilator, and all his tests and numbers continue to look beautiful!” he added. “Our little guy is going to receive his healing through surgery, and we are so thankful that we live in a time when this procedure is available for Ezra. God is so good. Thank you Lord for the gifts, abilities, and knowledge you have given to the doctors and nurses taking care of our sweet boy.”
In a separate post, Schaffer explained Ezra Jude’s condition:
Our little warrior has arrived! Ezra Jude Schaffer was born at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia on Wednesday, April 19th at 12:37 PM, weighing 6 lbs 12 oz. Ezra brilliantly chose to be born on International Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Day. CDH is a hole in Ezra’s diaphragm, which caused his abdominal organs to move up into his chest cavity, as well as shift the placement of his heart. This has caused underdevelopment of his lungs, and will require two surgeries over the next couple of months.
Schaffer previously posted about his son’s condition on March 2, two months before his expected due date:
Our little warrior, Ezra Jude, is due to be born mid April. ?
In December, we learned that Ezra has a rare condition called left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia; which is a hole in his diaphragm that has caused his abdominal organs to move up into his chest cavity. This condition causes poor lung development and has pushed his heart to the right side of his chest, due to the increased pressure. Because of this condition, he will need to be immediately stabilized and have surgery shortly after his birth, to patch the hole and put everything back where it belongs. It is likely he will have a 2-3 month stay in the hospital before he is can be discharged home.
Because of his condition, Ezra will need to be born at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
We will be relocating to the Ronald McDonald House at the beginning of April in anticipation for his birth. However, two weeks prior to our relocation, we will be moving out of our third floor apartment and settling on our first home. We will have a short amount of time to prepare his room, much less the rest of our house, but are excited to start creating a space for him in our new home.
We are thankful for the amazing employees at CHOP, who have guided us through this process, our family, friends, and church who have loved and supported us, and ultimately our Lord for the peace and comfort He has provided amidst all the unexpected chaos we have faced these past few months.
We would love if you would keep our family in your prayers over the coming months, as Ezra is brought into the world and begins his process of recovery. ?
Please join Movieguide® in praying for the health of Ezra Jude, as well as the peace and comfort for the Schaffer family.
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