Today Hamed came to us again with his mother. Things have changed a lot since we last saw him. Now he is very cheerful, and even though he cannot express his emotions, you can be seen the happiness of life he is filled with. He smiles and laughs, and everything is interesting to him. G-d gave him the great gift of life and he appreciates it. He and his family are grateful to our organization, which helped to keep their child’s laughter in their home. We are also very grateful to the people who support us financially, the doctors who selflessly save their lives, and of course our friendly team who are ready to help everyone. It is thanks to these people, these strong shoulders, that we continue to carry rays of light and happiness in this difficult time.

Hamed was discharged from Sheba Hospital to his home today! He had an echo today just to make sure he is good enough to be discharged. There was a friend of Hamed’s mother who came by and took some last cuddles from Hamed.

After a couple of hours, the report was written and Hassan’s mother packed her bag. She was very happy! Hamed has been doing so well after surgery. What a miracle that she can take her son home today. Thank you for all your prayers for Hamed.

Thanking God in Sheba Hospital this afternoon as we found little Hamed sitting up in his bed and doing very well after his surgery last week. He still gets some oxygen support but his doctors are very happy about how he is doing.

We continue to keep this little one in our prayers.

Today was the big day for our little friend Hamed’s surgery at Sheba Medical Center. When I arrived in the hospital this morning Hamed was waiting in his room with his mother until they will take him into surgery. Hamed is usually the happiest baby and never cries but he did not enjoy this waiting time and was unhappier than I’ve ever seen him.

The only thing that could cheer him up and distract him a bit were some YouTube videos on his mom’s phone.

Not long afterward, a nurse came and brought Hamed and his mother to the surgery preparation room where his mother then had to say goodbye. We waited together infront of the ICU where a few other mothers also joined us for some of the waiting time.

After less than five hours, Hamed was back in his room. The surgeon said everything went well. They closed Hamed’s VSD, opened his pulmonary artery and disconnected the BT shunt that was placed in his last surgery and did a full repair through this. Hamed is doing very well after the surgery and is now recovering in the PICU from the big changes.

Please pray that he will recover well in the next days!  Thank God for this successful complete repair!

Our sweet Hamed had an appointment in the eye clinic today in Sheba Medical Center. He has exotropia, which means that one of his eyes deviates outward. From now on he will wear an eyepatch for two hours everyday until his next appointment in six months.

Thank the Lord that he just needs such a simple treatment.

This morning I brought little Hamed and his mother to Sheba Hospital for his CT scan. Hamed wasn’t allowed to eat six hours beforehand, but he was very brave and not crying most of the time. Only shortly before the scan he lost his patience and started crying.

The CT went very fast and also afterwards Hamed woke up quickly from the anesthesia. He soon started to eat again and after a little while, when the doctors were sure he was fine, we were allowed to leave again for our community home in Ashdod.

Hamed and his mother will stay a little while longer in our house because he has an ophthalmology appointment next week and in the meantime we enjoy the time with them in our house.

Little Hamed was a sleepy and peaceful baby during his echo follow-up visit. It seemed like every time I turned around he had fallen asleep again, and he made no protest as he was passed around from person to person. The doctor was unconcerned with Hamed’s results, and he thought the heart is, all things considered, in a good condition. Hamed will return for the next follow-up in three months, and in the meantime, the doctors will consult as to when his next surgery will be. Their current expectation is next year. Pray for his continued healing!

After Hamed last had a genetics test, today I checked with his doctor about the results. Unfortunately, these have not yet arrived, but even so there was news.

Hamed is still gaining very little weight and the doctors are worried about his eating habits. So they’re also considering a gastrostomy for him. First, however, they want to observe how he develops. May God continue to watch over Hamed and never lose sight of him. How good that we can trust in the Lord, especially when our hearts tend to doubt and can be pessimistic in difficult situations.

When I spoke to Hamed’s doctor today, he shared his view that Hamed would need another heart surgery in the future. Although he could not say anything about the exact time, he reported that he is in conversation with cardiologists about it.

The first heart surgery was a quick intervention to help Hamed at that moment. However, in order to enable a good long-term condition of the heart, further surgery is needed. Let’s pray for Hamed that God will continue to bless him and endow the doctors with wisdom. How good that we can trust in the Lord.

When I visited Sheba Hospital and came to Hamed’s room during today’s visits, I met his doctor directly who explained Hamed’s current situation to me clearly. His colleagues recently had a genetic test taken of Hamed and are now awaiting results. However, the doctors have a guess it may be Noonan Syndrome. At the same time, it was stated the clinical picture of this syndrome is not entirely clear so they cannot be sure yet. In the end, we must wait for the results of the genetics test in order to clearly determine the disease.

Unfortunately, an early discharge is not probable and doctors are still waiting for Hamed to gain weight. Only then can a discharge be considered. In the meantime, Hamed’s grandmother who has spent the last few weeks faithfully by his side, will return to Gaza. Since she complains of health problems, she is eagerly waiting for some rest. Another family member will then be by Hamed’s side in the hospital.

My little precious friend has a bacteria that is resistant to Antibiotics. And on top of that, he had to go back to the secondary ICU of Sheba Hospital because he had some breathing problems. Hamed came Wednesday night where they treated him with oxygen. He’s doing better now.

Today he had an Echo so they are waiting for the results. The nurse informed me that the decision will be made in the next few days as to whether Hamed can be transferred to a normal ward or whether he can go home.  I would be incredibly happy for Hamed if he could be in the arms of his family again, although I will also miss him very much. Please Pray for Hamed’s health, that he may grow up to be a happy and strong young man and that this wonderful little boy may go home soon.

I was really looking forward to visiting little Hamed and his lovely grandma at Sheba Hospital today. I was also happy that Hamed is now in a normal ward and no longer in the ICU.
The nurse informed me that Hamed had breathing problems, so a chest X-ray was ordered. But nothing new has emerged, and no explanation for Hamed’s labored breathing.

Hamed has a nasal cannula through which he receives his food. The nurse told me they want to start slowly to give him food by mouth in the next days. Little Hamed just contracted a virus too; please pray he gets well very soon. We thank God for bringing Hamed safely to us.

On Friday afternoon, new little Hamed arrived by ambulance in Israel. Only shortly after he arrived at Sheba Hospital, the doctors decided that he was in such a bad condition, they would take him directly to the OR and do an emergency surgery.

They created a BT-shunt for him and today, just two days later, our nearly four-month-old boy was already extubated and doing much better than when he first arrived.

His grandmother already made good friends with two other grandmas in the ICU and was happy to get to know us today. Hamed was supposed to already come a day earlier, but as there was no free ICU bed, little Hamed couldn’t come.

Thank God that Hamed made it fast enough to Israel and is now doing better! Please pray for all his still-coming procedures!

Three-month-old Hamed from Gaza, has Ventricular Septal Defect and is in an ICU ambulance on the way to Sheba Hospital from Gaza this morning. Updates coming.