Notify me when Ahmad's page is updated
at this email:

It is such a joy is see Ahmad back to his old self... grinning away and active once again! 
 
After enduring the stress of seeing her son sedated from his first operation to the second, and then taking a turn for the worse last week when the fluid around his lungs did not subside, Ahmad's mother is a happy mother today, all ready to hand Ahmad whatever he calls out for.
 
With Ahmad fully alert this evening, his mother wanted to feed him some peanut-flavoured rice-puffs because "Ahmad no eat" (Ahmad has not been eating). But the nurse told her to wait while she checked with the doctor, who promptly approved! Dr Nir explained to me later that Ahmad is low in salt, and the snack would do him some good. 

Once his hunger and thirst were satisfied, Ahmad seemed ready to dance and maybe even have a game of soccer! And I'll soon have to watch out for his outstretched hands when I'm near Ahmad because he used to love grabbing either my camera or my glasses during his pre-operation days at Wolfson.
 

Notify me when Ahmad's page is updated
at this email:

When I walked into ICU last night, I was a bit surprised to see Ahmad’s condition. He was taken off of the oxygen tubes yesterday, praise the Lord. But I saw a very skinny boy. He has lost so much weight within the past two weeks. His mother was very concerned and worried for him. She asked me when he would be able to start eating normal food again. Right now they have him hooked up to a feeding tube but his mother is ready for him to start regular food again.

As one of the doctors was making her rounds I decided to ask her how Ahmad was doing. She said that he is doing well, but it is going to take time and the feeding issue all depends on him. They had him heavily sedated for a few weeks because he was connected to an oxygen machine but now that he is off of the oxygen they are slowly starting to decrease his medication. Hopefully soon he will be eating normally again and adding some meat to those bones.

As I was watching Ahmad there were times that he would look at me and I thought he remembered me, and then there were times where he was just staring out into space. I brought along a coloring book with me, not knowing if he would be able to color, but when I gave this to him a huge smile came on his face and he looked up at me. He just smiled and smiled. We opened up the coloring book and I was asking him where is this and where is that, and he just looked up at me with a huge smile. Ahmad’s mother began to smile and she kissed him. She told me that he did remember me and that she was grateful that we brought a smile to her son’s face again.

Ahmad’s mother was very happy and pleased after seeing her son smile again. It’s been very difficult for her being away from her family in Gaza and being at the hospital for almost two months.  She knows that Ahmad still has a bit to go before he will be released to go home. But I reminded her that he has came a long way and his surgery was a very difficult one. She is so thankful for what has happened to her son and that he will have a healthy and normal life. I shared with her yesterday that in a few months he will be playing soccer and riding a bicycle and she just had a huge smile on her face and said, "God willing."

Please continue to pray for strength for Ahmad’s mother, and that Ahmad will be able to eat normal food and gain some weight.

I met physiotherapist Tali today when I visited Ahmad in the ICU. She has come to give Ahmad some physiotherapeutic treatment to help release the congestion in his chest. It is interesting to watch how simple it seems. Tali was gently thumping Ahmad's back while singing softly to him. The singing, she says, helps Ahmad to relax; while the gentle thumping on his back will coax his body to cough out whatever is causing the congestion in his chest. (Click the play arrow below to watch a video clip of Tali and Ahmad.)
 
After the thumping came the exercising of Ahmad's legs, and the physiotherapist alerted me to Ahmad's response -- he started to push and 'cycle' with his legs on his own! I watched and chatted with the physiotherapist Tali to find out more about the technique used. In less than five minutes, Ahmad started to cough. "Yofi!" (Great!), Tali encouraged Ahmad.
 
With the help of a nurse, Tali adjusted Ahmad into an upright position and put his head to one side. And just in time too -- Ahmad coughed and vomitted a whole lot of sticky liquids, which probably included the medication he was just fed with a while ago. Thereafter Ahmad looked very relieved and soon his eyes became droopy... then he was able to get some sound sleep! His mother, the physiotherapist and I were all very pleased. Only the nurse in attendance was a bit concerned. That's because she was not sure how much medication Ahmad had regurgitated with his bout of vomiting, and how much should be administered to him to replace it!
 
But one thing for sure, Ahmad is feeling much better today after his "physio-treatment" and he can enjoy a good rest.

It was a joy to see Ahmad sitting up in his bed in the ICU this evening with his mother, now smiling again, talking with him as she sat by his side. Thanks be to God that Ahmad is at last able to be off the ventilator. He was wearing only an oxygen mask, and clearly has a very big appetite at this point - the 20th day in the ICU after surgery. As you can see, he appears to have lost weight while intubated, although I am sure his mother will help him make up for lost time now that he can eat again. In the meantime, he appeared to even be eating the oxygen as it flowed from the mask!

Please keep praying for Ahmad to regain his strength and move through the rest of his recuperation process quickly with God's touch. I look forward to seeing him happy and active again in the children's ward in the coming days.