Bruska 's Heart Surgery

I took Bruska to Schneider Medical Center today for a follow-up on her surgery. She had an EKG and an echocardiogram performed to check on her healing and to see if the water around her heart remained. Bruska is normally the portrait of a happy child but during the tests she was very uncomfortable. However, it only took a few silly faces and a game of peek-a-boo to forget the tests and return to her usual giggling self. The results from the tests were very good; the water around her heart was completely gone, and the valves that she had surgery on showed no signs of leaking whatsoever, which is even better than expected.


After we finished everything at Schneider we headed to Wolfson Medical
Center to visit Akram and be there to support Dima and her mother. Akram
cares for Bruska very much and Bruska enjoys playing with him, it was also
good for their mothers to visit to encourage one another.


Amidst the hustle and bustle and stress of the hospital, we all enjoyed a nice Kurdish lunch together at Akram's bedside.

Yesterday Justin and I made a visit to see Bruska and her mother after receiving news earlier in the day that she would be dismissed to us. Later the hospital called again to say she needed to stay until at least Tuesday. We knew it would be a disappointment to them to have to stay and wanted to offer some friendship and companionship to help offset the news. It was a delight to both of us to see Bruska doing so well in the ward, and her mother no longer wearing the anxious worry she had before Bruska's surgery.

We found out that Bruska was kept at the hospital because she had some water around her heart, and further tests were needed before she would be dismissed. Even though they were not able to come with us to Jerusalem, Bruska's mother was very gracious and thankful. Just looking at Bruska's big smile was enough to make anyone happy! The nurses all commented on what a sweetheart she is, and we share their consensus.


I asked again about whether there was a determination of cerebral palsy, and they said they didn't know, only that the lack of oxygen to her brain from the heart condition had caused some damage and they were not sure of the extent. Please keep praying for Bruska's healing to be completed by God's touch to her body. We look forward to having her back with us, possibly as early as tomorrow. Pray for her mother to continue to be comfortable in the hospital until she is able to rejoin us, and some other Kurdish speakers, in Jerusalem.

Alex and I took off for the hospital early this morning thanking God that we had not gotten any middle of the night calls saying Bruska required an emergency surgery, and hoped to find her in her ICU room when we arrived. We entered and saw her there with her mother sleeping in the chair beside her. The ICU staff reported that she remained stable throughout the night, and was expected to go to the operating theater at 8 AM. The interim time was challenging for Um Bruska as she was fighting fears and tears while the staff made final preparations to take Bruska downstairs, and her family called to check on her status. The surgeon came in for a final check before Bruska was wheeled out, and said he was optimistic about Bruska's surgery being successful since she was able to stabilize after yesterday's severe cyanotic spell. He added he had never seen a child's oxygen level drop that low before and the child survive - a real opportunity for all of us to praise God for His care for Bruska.

Um Bruska was allowed to accompany her daughter to the area just outside the OR, and I was able to accompany her for moral support. Once she was wheeled away, Um Bruska began to weep, but the nurse was kind yet firm with her about a positive way to spend her time during the surgery. We began this process in the waiting room near the ICU where she sat with her head on my shoulder for a very long time, praying. I was praying too, both for her and for Bruska. After a while, the parents with children in ICU or in the ward greeted her as they passed by, and inquired about Bruska. There were phone calls from home to inquire and encourage as well.

When she began to seem tearful again I suggested we walk, and since it was a beautiful day, we walked outside and then sat in the sun for awhile. Returning later to the waiting area a Jewish family who have been very diligent to check on both Bruska and her mom walked through. Their newborn infant daughter was well enough today to be transferred to another hospital in a city closer to their home, so it was a joy-filled day for them. Yet they were so concerned about Bruska that they stopped to find out details about her surgery and her mom, and said they had prayed all night for her. The husband also insisted on buying sandwiches for us so Um Bruska would eat... I had invited her to have tea and a sandwich already, but she wanted to honor these who had shown such compassion for her, and accepted their gift. To me it seemed God had His special way through them to keep Um Bruska strong.

After more phone calls from family checking the progress, at last, around 1 pm we began to see the doctors from Bruska's surgical team. Each of them said the surgery was finishing and had gone well, but were not ready to elaborate. I was able to give her this bit of good news until we had opportunity to meet with the surgeon. When he came to us, he shared that Bruska had a good surgery with no events during the operation, and it was a total repair. He was full of encouragement that she would be incredibly better than she had been in the previous days, although mentioned again that she had arrived with neurological damage before surgery. He called our translator Mazal, so that the results were translated to Kurdish for Um Bruska.


After a little while longer we were able to enter the ICU and see Bruska ourselves. What a relief to see her oxygen saturation at 99%! Her mother was focused on the drainage tube in Bruska's chest, but understood from the doctor's explanation that this was necessary and would be removed later.


Our visit was brief as it was time for shift change, and when the new team came on--the ones who'd been with us last evening when Bruska "crashed"--they suggested that we consider taking Um Bruska with us to Jerusalem tonight so she could rest while her daughter was fully sedated. By this time her good friend Um Akram had arrived after Akram's echo at Wolfson, and she translated this idea to her. To my surprise Um Bruska decided to come to Jerusalem with us, so after an emotional goodbye to Bruska, we set out. When we arrived at the house Um Bruska was welcomed by the other families and we all sat together to eat the nice hot meal which was waiting for us. Even though I suspect she was exhausted beyond what we could know, she also joined us for a party in honor of the good reports from Bruska's surgery, and the dismissal of Havan, and upcoming dismissal of Omed and Halo.

Let's thank God together for Bruska's timely arrival last Friday before this catastrophic attack yesterday which might have taken her life had she not been in hospital. We can thank Him for the doctors and nurses who were able to stabilize her, and then make the full repair of her heart today. The compassion of the staff at Schneider has also been a blessing for this gentle, humble woman and her desperately ill daughter. Keep praying for little Bruska to be fully healed. One of the nurses in ICU mentioned the neurological damage which was there before the surgery, saying even though this good surgery was from God, the damage would still be there and not heal. I shared my thoughts that since God was Bruska's creator, I felt it possible that He could create a way to restore life to her brain. She was willing to consider this because she earnestly believes God is the one who directs these surgeries. I look forward to how God will do His work in little Bruska's life. Thank you for praying with us.