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The funeral for Lemuel Craig Houston, son of Pastor Craig and Mrs. Emily Houston, will be held at GracePoint Church in Bremerton, Washington, Friday January 27th, 2017 at 1PM.

We desire to joyfully celebrate with our family, friends, and community, God’s grace and goodness to give us such a treasure of 1 year and 2 days with our beloved son, Lem.

“We sorrow, but not as those who have no hope.”

Funeral Service

Friday, January 27th, 2017
1:00 P.M.

Reception to follow.

GracePoint Church
8278 WA-303, Bremerton, WA 98311

Private Graveside for family and friends.
Forest Lawn Cemetery

Funeral arrangements are under the care of Lewis Funeral Chapel of Bremerton, Washington.

Dear Beloved Family and Friends,

We are broken hearted this evening to share that our beautiful baby boy, Lemuel Craig Houston, entered peacefully into the loving arms of Jesus, while being held by his loving mother and father and surrounded by his siblings. We covet your prayers as we grieve his earthly loss and celebrate his heavenly reward.

“Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”
2 Corinthians 5:6–8

We are so grateful for the medical care we have received beginning with the first responders at our home, the ER Staff at Harrison Medical Center, and the stellar care that we have received for the past 16 days at the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit from Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital in Tacoma. Every Physician, Nurse, Respiratory Therapist, housekeeper, and hospital staff provided us with competent and compassionate care.

We are also humbled by the thousands from all over the World who have prayed for our precious Lem! We have good news, your prayers and ours have been answered, Lemuel is completely and finally healed.

“Bless the LORD, O my soul: And all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; Who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; So that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” Psalm 103:1–5

Tonight, I would like to take a few minutes to update our family and friends both far and near on Lemuel’s current condition.

Neurological Update

We were given very encouraging news yesterday regarding Lem’s MRI, that was actually far better than anyone expected and what everyone was hoping for. On a scale of what can be determined by the radiologist, pediatric intensivist, and neurologist, they find the MRI to be very encouraging with markers of “Mild Damage” to the brain. This is very encouraging, but the brain is a mysterious organ and has not yet fully awakened.

With Lem’s MRI, they would expect other aspects like his EEG and neurological exam to correspond, but they don’t as of yet. Lemuel is still in a coma and and has some response to stimuli to touch in his hands and feet and his eyes are responding reactively to light.

We need Lemuel to start waking up, coughing, and gaining a gag reflex.

General Health Update

Lem’s general health is doing well, with a solid heart beat, adequate kidney function, bowels that seem to be coming back online, and after fighting off pneumonia his lung function is doing very well. He is still on the ventilator, but is currently on a setting where he initiates his all of his own breaths. His vital signs are staying very consistent and in a healthy range.

He is also receiving breast milk from his mother, through a tube, and seems to be doing well as they increase the daily amount required to sustain proper nutrition.

His Care

We have been taken care of with such diligence and love by our team of doctors, nurses, respiratory therapist, general staff, and housekeeping at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital.

I also want to just say that I have the most amazing wife who has not left the room as she seeks to care for our son. Our children have also been extremely supportive, visiting regularly, with some of the older ones staying overnight throughout this past 8 days. Our oldest son Samuel has also been here with my wife and I every night except one, helping me take the night shift watching over Lemuel.

Our church family, neighbors, and friends have been so generous to provide meals for our children at home, given gift cards, and offered to help in a variety of ways. Right, now we don’t know all the ways we may need your help, but give us a month, and we may realize something we do not yet know.

We remain in awe of the outpouring of prayer support, Facebook comments, and text messages from many people around the World. It has truly been humbling. We are sorry that we can’t possibly respond to them all but know they mean a lot to us.

Lastly, I want to say thank you for all of you who have helped support our family through the youcaring.com account that was set up. Both sharing the link and giving are helpful. We don’t know all that the future has, but having been in the hospital with the long term care of our daughter Anna-Renee, who had a bone-marrow transplant 3.5 years ago, we know that it becomes very expensive, just maintaining life, living at home and the hospital. Every little bit helps and is very appreciated.

https://www.youcaring.com/craigandemilyhouston-733744