Sidqi's Heart Surgery

Friday, October 10, 2008
Healthy Sidqi Heading Home on Sunday
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Sidqi might only be a month old, but he and his family have been through a lot due to his birth with his great arteries transposed, and emergency surgery done shortly after his birth.

When Mary, Donna and I went to Wolfson Hospital today, we were happy to find that Sidqi is doing so well, he is due to be discharged on Sunday, and will be going home to Ramallah.

His mother was sitting with him on her knee, and looked very happy that she was soon to go home with her son. Sidqi is a lovely little boy, and there will be some very excited siblings back home in Ramallah waiting to spend time with him. Plus a very happy mum!

Thank you if you helped with sponsoring Sidqi’s operation, you have helped make a huge difference in his life, and in that of his family.

Click to send an e-mail message to Sidqi and his mother.

Notify me when Sidqi's page is updated
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Sunday
October 5, 2008
Already Out of the ICU
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While admitting Kale for her surgery today, I was happy to find Sidqi in the next bed in the children's ward, already out of the ICU entirely. Sidqi's mother explained that her son has a slight cough, but otherwise is doing well. He was sleeping when we first arrived to settle Kale into her room, but woke up soon afterwards because he was hungry. His mother prepared a bottle for him and he drank and was satisfied in his mother's arms.

It is a beautiful thing to have these two families sharing the same room, as all of the patients become like family, and Sidqi's mother already knows the father of Ali, Shanaw's aunt, and Hevi's mother. Keep praying for Sidqi as he recovers and gains strength. Pray for his devoted mother as she continues to wait through the process, and care for her son. May God reveal the fullness of His plan for this family during their time of healing and new hearts.

Click to send an e-mail message to Sidqi and his mother.

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

Thursday, September 25, 2008
Breathing Again On His Own
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Tiny Sidqi was extubated today, removed from the respirator and finally breathing on his own!

He is doing well the ICU nurse assigned to him told me. During my visit to the ICU he was sleeping sweetly. His mother was not in the room at the time, but had spoken to me outside the ICU to ask about little Mohammed. Please keep praying for his recovery, and that his life will be a testimony of God's ability to build bridges among the people in this land.

You may help sponsor Sidqi's emergency surgery by clicking here.

Click to send an e-mail message to Sidqi and his mother.

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

Monday
September 22, 2008
Still on Respirator, But Stable
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Sidqi is still in ICU and on artificial respiration, but the nurse said that he is stable and that the surgery went well.

If all continues as today then doctors will attempt to wean Sidqi from the respirator tomorrow and allow him to breathe on his own, which will be crossing a major threshold in his recovery. Please pray for Sidqi over the next 24 hours.

You may help sponsor Sidqi's emergency surgery by clicking here.

Click to send an e-mail message to Sidqi and his mother.

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

Thursday, September 18, 2008
Recovering in ICU After Seven-Hour Surgery
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When we went to visit Sidqi in the hospital today, he was undergoing an emergency operation to switch the great arteries coming from his heart, which lasted for about seven-and-a-half hours, from 6:30 am till 2 pm. Thank God that the surgery went well, and the child is doing well. Sidqi is pictured above in the ICU on artificial respiration after his surgery. His blood pressure and heartbeat are fine. They are going to leave his chest open until tomorrow, and if they see that he's doing fine, in the morning they will close it.

When I asked Sidqi's mother how she is doing and how she's feeling, she started to cry. We all can understand how hard it is for a mother to see her son with health problems, but I told her that we have to thank God that his operation went well, and that he is doing fine. Sidqi is her fourth child.

You may help sponsor Sidqi's emergency surgery by clicking here.

Click to send an e-mail message to Sidqi and his mother.

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

Just 10 days ago a young woman from Ramallah gave birth to little Sidqi at the Makassad Hospital in Jerusalem. Physicians assessed that Sidqi had transposition of the great arteries (TGA). This heart defect requires immediate attention.

Wolfson Hospital in Holon was contacted as one of the few centers in Israel able to deal with this complex case. Our partner charity known as Save a Child’s Heart at Wolfson contacted us asking our help to sponsor the child.

Time was of the essence. It took only a few minutes of prayer before deciding that Shevet Achim should be involved in helping to save Sidqi's life. Shortly after our decision, Sidqi was transferred to Wolfson fully intubated (on a breathing machine).

When the ambulance pulled up to the Wolfson emergency room, the mother emerged with a look of frozen anxiety. Parents often do not know how to react to seeing their children hold on to life. Sidqi was quickly wheeled into the ICU to have his first echo.

Team members Keleigh Glisson and Linda Allalouf came to the mother who was waiting outside the ICU. Until now the mother had shown little emotion. When Keleigh and Linda put their arms around the mother, a flood of tears burst forth as she was finally able to begin to release 10 days of fear.

We pray the Lord provides the funds urgently needed to help sponsor Sidqi's surgery and to breathe new hope into Ramallah.

You may help sponsor Sidqi's emergency surgery by clicking here.