[Rhodes22-list] Some tough news about Raz Jr's family

[Razgaitis Richard]

As the below email from our son Rich explains very well, this has been  
a difficult past few days.  Yet in the midst of that, it has been a  
blessing and a comfort.  I pass this on because I thought you would be  
interested and find encouragement in it as well.

Please no flowers/gifts.

God bless,

raz sr.
Begin forwarded message:

> From: "Rich Razgaitis" <raz at blainepharma.com>
> Date: March 28, 2005 10:00:22 PM EST
> To: <rich at raz2.com>, <erica at raz2.com>, "Rich Razgaitis"  
> <raz at blainepharma.com>
> Subject: Leviticus Anthony Razgaitis
>
>                                                                         
>                                                                         
>                                        
>                                                                         
>        March 27, 2005
>
> Dear Friends, Family, and Colleagues,
>
>   
>
> This is, unquestionably, the toughest letter Erica and I have ever  
> written after having just experienced the most excruciatingly painful  
> days of our life.
>
>  
>
> Wednesday evening Erica was admitted into the hospital; on Thursday  
> morning her pregnancy looked precarious given concerns re. infection,  
> pre-term labor, dilation, and other issues. I had just learned of  
> these complications upon arriving into San Francisco. After hours of  
> pleading and negotiating with airline attendants, I was able to get  
> onto a sold out flight that evening and arrived into Cincinnati on  
> Thursday morning. By Friday morning Erica’s situation seemed to  
> improve dramatically and we started feeling optimistic that she could  
> make it to 28 weeks, especially since we had been through this  
> situation before (Royce) where Erica made it on hospital bed rest  
> nearly five weeks after her water ruptured. Our situation with baby #3  
> appeared to be extremely challenging yet seemed to offer better  
> chances than what Royce had.
>
>   
>
> Friday afternoon the situation rapidly turned terrible with Erica’s  
> water breaking around 4pm coupled with an immediate resurgence of  
> contractions. Nonetheless, we remained hopeful during the afternoon,  
> particularly since our pregnancy was about 23 weeks along and  
> viability technically starts at 24 weeks (though there have been some  
> 23 weekers who have survived). However, subsequent tests confirmed an  
> infection in the amniotic sac and delivery became imminent (and  
> important for the health of Erica, since this could lead to sepsis and  
> her fever quickly spiked to 104). Even still, we hoped and prayed that  
> the doctors had misjudged how far along Erica was—even if just a few  
> days—in order that our child could have an increased chance of  
> survival along with life saving measures by a neonatal team upon  
> birth.
>
>   
>
> Labor started late Friday evening, around 9pm. Surrounded by a  
> delivery team for Erica and a complete neonatal team for our son, at  
> 12:38am on Saturday, March 26, one day before 23 weeks, Leviticus  
> Anthony Razgaitis was born weighing 1lb and 2 oz. He was tiny but  
> tough, particularly given such a severe infection, and Levi lived in  
> our arms for two hours until he passed that night at 2:38am to go home  
> to be with the Lord. He was such a beautiful little boy who was  
> perfect in appearance; those hours with him were so fleeting and  
> precious.
>
>   
>
> Some of you have been praying feverishly for us and our little boy and  
> his life. Erica and I can not express in words our gratitude and  
> appreciation for your prayers and your outreach for help. As some of  
> you also realize, Erica and I have a faith in Jesus Christ and it  
> compels me to mention a few things that we believe to be true,  
> particularly in this situation.
>
>   
>
> Our prayers were, in fact, answered (even though this isn’t the answer  
> we had hoped for). While our prayer and pleading was for God to save  
> our little boy, we also know that God works things out according to  
> His purpose and for the good of those who love Him. This situation  
> feels far from good, but we have unwavering faith and knowledge that  
> our God knows better than we do.
>
>   
>
> We continue to praise God for his goodness which includes this  
> devastating situation. God is not a genie that’s rubbed and thereby  
> grants a wish, nor is it appropriate when people only praise God for  
> the good things that happen in their life. He’s God, and is to be  
> worshipped no matter what. Little Leviticus was loved by Erica and I  
> with such intensity that I simply can’t express the heart wrenching  
> pain we are experiencing. But we continue to worship God and praise  
> him for everything in our life, including this event, which we simply  
> do not understand and leaves us with great sorrow.
>
>  
>
> We want to express our gratitude to each of you who have or are  
> praying for our family; we know that God is listening to these  
> prayers. And we know that prayer changes things and yet we also know  
> that God is sovereign over everything and that some prayers aren’t  
> answered as we hope. This is tough to reconcile and certainly remains  
> a mystery to Erica and I, but we continue to pray and have faith and  
> appreciate each of you who have done this for us and our family.
>
>   
>
> My dad shared with us recently a Howard Hendricks quote (long time  
> professor at Dallas Theological Seminary) in which he said to his  
> seminary class “You think God gives you children because of all you  
> are going to team them, but He is giving them because of all that they  
> are going to teach you.” It’s a great quote and we are certain it will  
> apply with not only Royce and Zoe, but also Levi as well.
>
>   
>
> Thank you for the privilege of your friendship, your prayers, and the  
> ability to share with you the birth of little Leviticus. Please feel  
> free to pass this email onto anybody you feel appropriate; as I am  
> sure we are unintentionally missing people on this distribution list.
>
>   
>
> There will be a memorial service for Leviticus this Saturday, April 2,  
> at 2:00pm at Faith Bible Church, which is located at 8103 E. Kemper  
> Road, Cincinnati, OH 45249. Phone: 513.489.1114. Website:  
> www.fbccincy.org. Children are welcome to attend.
>
>   
>
> As an aside, for family/close friends who are interested in coming  
> into town for this we have blocked a few rooms at the Mariemont Inn  
> under my name. Rooms are being held until Thursday afternoon. 6880  
> Wooster Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45227. Phone: 513.271.2100. Website:  
> http://tinyurl.com/63bzh.
>
>   
>
> If you would like additional information please feel free to call us  
> at our house at 513.272.8455. I will be home much of the week and my  
> Mom is here to help us out over the next few weeks.
>
>   
>
> Again, thank you each for your support and prayers, while we are torn  
> with the loss of our son we also have complete confidence that there  
> is One that has infinitely more wisdom than do we.
>
>   
>
> Sincerely,
>
>   
>
> Rich, Erica, Royce, Zoe, and Levi
>
> raz at blainepharma.com or rich at raz2.com
>
> erica at raz2.com
>
>  
>
>  
>
> Rich Razgaitis
>
> President, Blaine Pharmaceuticals
>
> 1717 Dixie Highway, Suite 700
>
> Fort Wright, KY 41011
>
> 859.344.9600 x17 (work)
>
> 917.797.0570 (mobile)
>
> raz at blainepharma.com
>
>  
>
>