Both Kenan and his mom quickly became very popular with our staff when they stayed the night in our Ashdod house before a Neurological appointment at Sheba Medical Center the next day. Kenan’s enthusiasm and the constant, firm handshakes he gave to everyone, several times, were so polite and funny, and his mom came with lots of snacks she gratefully shared with everyone. Some of my coworkers who picked them up at the border the day before had a blast playing with him, so I was also looking forward to getting to hang out with him too.
After finding the waiting room for neurology, we all sat down to wait. Kenan quickly got bored, and a little cranky, especially after dropping the delicious-looking plum he was munching on, and he started crying. I had a magic trick ready to go, the cure-all for a crying child, and while Kenan was impressed and confused about how I made a small ball disappear from a vase, his mom had her mind blown. She had an enthusiastic reaction that felt like a standing ovation, and she showed immediate interest in it. After showing her how to do the trick, and then showing her another trick, we got back to waiting, and playing with Kenan, trying to keep his spirits high.
After a while, we got into the doctor’s office, and then after a little longer, one of my coworkers who can speak Arabic arrived to translate. The doctor asked the mom if there were any problems, she told him that sometimes he would get upset when she told him “no,” but the doctor assured her that wasn’t a neurological problem, and that he was doing perfectly well.
Kenan and his mom got back to Gaza safe and sound after that, and we are looking forward to seeing him in about a year for another routine check-up. We are praising God for the healing of this boy, and the blessing which he and his mother have been to all of us. Praise God!
Today I picked up our good friend Kenan and his mother from Gaza. He came to Sheba for a short genetic appointment. They only took some blood and then he was ready to go back. Because we also had some other kids from Gaza to tend to, he needed to wait some hours before we could bring him back to the border crossing, but his mom didn’t mind the waiting time at all. She has many friends in the hospital. It was my last time seeing Kenan and his mother after they became such good friends in the last year I have spent here and I will miss them a lot. God please protect Kenan and his mother back in Gaza!
Today was such a busy day for little Kenan. When we picked him up at Erez crossing he was so happy to see me and smiled until he realised that he had to sit in a car seat. After that realisation he was a little bit mad at me but that ended soon when we arrived at Sheba hospital for his neurology checkup, echocardiogram and some genetic testing.
During all those appointments Kenan was always patient and tried his best not to be scared too much. His wonderful mother calmed him down a lot and made the day easier for everyone involved. In the neurology checkup, his doctor told us that there is still a little bit of blood in his brain but we shouldn’t be concerned about it. He didn’t have any epileptic seizures in the last couple weeks so he doesn’t need to take a few of his medications anymore. At the echo his doctor could confirm that he doesn’t need a catheterisation or further cardiac treatment before his next follow up appointment in four months.
Throughout this long day Kenan was always so sweet and although he cried every now and then, we had a lovely time with him and his mother. We pray for their safety back in Gaza and for Kenan’s overall health.
Today was a long day for our good friend Kenan and his mom. They both joined us when we went early morning to the garden tomb to celebrate the resurrection of the Messiah. Last week she already celebrated with us the beginning of Passover.
Later we brought her to the temple mount as she was so eager to go there during Ramadan. When we walked back to our room afterwards Kenan wanted to hold both Luisa’s and my hands while his mom pushed his stroller and Kenan looked so pleased. He was sitting in his stroller as if it was a little throne for him, the little king.
In the afternoon we brought him and his mother where he finally got his EEG which he waited for over the last six days. The test went pretty fast and Kenan will come back in six weeks for a neurology appointment where we will learn about the results of the test. We enjoyed it so much to have Kenan and his mother here with us during the last week and we will miss them dearly now that they are back in Gaza! Please keep praying for them.
Doro and I found our good friend Kenan relaxing in his room in the pediatric ward at Sheba this morning. The first thing I noticed was his special heavy-duty crib. When I asked his mom, she laughed and explained “The doctor says Kenan is the only one in the whole hospital with a bed like this. He plays and climbs too much for a regular one, it can’t hold him.”
Kenan was excited to have visitors, especially when Doro let him play with her glasses, which were endlessly hilarious to him.
After several days in the hospital, Kenan is doing much better and could be discharged today to our house in Ashdod, where he will wait for his EEG next week. We’re always glad to have him and his mom as our guests and we’re looking forward to spending time with them.
Today coworker Joanne and I visited our little Kenan and his lovely mother at Sheba Hospital. He was sitting in a brand new bed which has a window view, so he was observing us through that. We had a really fun time together. While we were in his room, Kenan’s mother was also on a phone call with her husband, so Kenan tried to entertain all of us at the same time. He was giving high fives, shaking hands and always had a big smile on his face.
Later on we talked to his doctor. He said that they removed Kenan’s sonde just today and Kenan still have to get used to eating things again. But once this is no longer a problem, he can probably leave the hospital. Because Kenan has an EEG and an Echo, soon he and his mother will stay for a time in our house afterwards, which we are really looking forward to. They are just so lovely and kind!
Please pray that Kenan will get used to eating by himself again.
Kenan wasn’t happy at all today. The feeding tube he received has been getting on his nerves a lot, so he pulled it out several times. That’s why it had to be taped to his face which didn’t make him any happier. Kenan hasn’t been eating well. When he ate he would throw up. He also lost weight. Hence, the feeding tube. His doctor thinks that he has a respiratory virus since they also heard a sound while checking his lung. Apart from that, his heart condition is also not so good. He has artery stenosis which is why he will probably get a catheterisation soon.
Kenan’s mother has been waiting patiently for news from the doctors about what they’re going to do. Kenan was admitted after we took him from our community home to the ER since he wasn’t doing good. Hopefully they will find a solution soon.
Last night, Kenan’s mom called us and said that Kenan wasn’t doing well. He vomited four times and had a really bad cough. His mother was really worried. To be on the safe side, we decided to take him to Sheba Hospital’s Pediatric ER. When we finally got there at 4 am in the morning, doctors checked him, did some tests and gave him antibiotics and fluids. They then decided with Kenan’s cardiologist to admit him so they could do more tests to determine what was making him unwell.
Until his room in the ward was ready, we had to wait several hours. Thankfully Kenan was sleeping most of the time and so also his mother and I could rest a little. While waiting, I talked shortly to Kenan’s mother. She is having a hard time every time she’s in hospital with Kenan since they’re separated from their family. Since Kenan was born, they had to be in hospital so many times and often for a long period of time. Please pray for her so that she can be encouraged and that they can soon leave the hospital again with Kenan feeling better.
Later this morning Kenan woke up and ate a little, but not much. For most of the time he was either sleeping, coughing or crying. He wasn’t feeling well the whole night and only when he slept he seemed okay. Almost at noon we could finally go to the ward where Kenan was then admitted.
Just a few minutes before the nurse in the ward came to take a few tests, Kenan was finally smiling brightly and being in a really good mood. He enjoyed his new bed so much! But once the nurse touched him to take two tests, he was screaming and crying again.
We’re thankful that our cute little boy is more or less okay now and in hospital with the right people to treat him. Please pray for him and his mother and that the doctors can find out soon why he hasn’t been feeling well and how they can help him.
This morning we collected Kenan and his mother from the Gaza border for his MRI appointment at Sheba Hospital this morning. Because he’s been experiencing seizures for the past months, his doctor wanted it to be checked through an MRI. He will also have an EEG at the end of this week because of that matter. Since Kenan wasn’t allowed to eat anything for six hours before the MRI, he was pretty hungry and sometimes really angry that he didn’t get food. But most of the time he was in a good mood and tried his new walking skills.
Thankfully the MRI went well and after hours of waiting, he was clear to go home.
His mom is very worried since he has a cold and sometimes has a fever at night. Please pray that he will be fine. If anything happens or he’s getting worse, we can take him directly to the ER since he’s staying in our community house until his next appointment this week.
This morning, we brought Kenan and his mom to Sheba hospital for an appointment with the neurologist, who worked him into the schedule on short notice.
It turned out to be a very long wait for the appointment, but even four hours in a waiting room with these two is so much fun.
We drank some coffee, chatted in Arabic, and did our best to keep Kenan busy once he woke up from a long nap in his stroller. He especially enjoyed practicing his art skills with Lena and cruising up and down the hallway in his stroller. “Look at him, he looks like a little mukhtar!” his mom joked.
When he heard the list of Kenan’s symptoms, the neurologist said it sounds like he’s having seizures. This has been suspected for some time and Kenan has been taking medication to treat them, but it seems that it’s not quite. The neurologist increased the dose of medication and explained that Kenan needs to return for an EEG and brain MRI as soon as possible so he can get to the bottom of the problem and determine how to treat it.
Please continue in prayer for this sweet little guy and his mom, that the doctors will be able to find out what exactly is causing his seizures and how best to treat him.
For the last few weeks, Kenan has been struggling at home in Gaza. He’s been having episodes of bradycardia (severely lowered heart rate) with irregular breathing and oxygen desaturation, and spent a few days in the hospital in Gaza. His doctor there recommended that he come for a check-up and maybe even a catheterization at Sheba, so one of the cardiologists in the clinic agreed to fit him into her busy schedule today.
The good news from today’s echo is that Kenan’s heart is actually doing very well. The doctor and echo technicians looked carefully to see if they could find anything wrong, but everything looks good.
Given this and Kenan’s list of symptoms, his cardiologist suspects that his current problems may be caused by a neurological issue. Kenan has already been taking medications to treat seizures for quite some time now, and it seems to be time for another check-up with the neurologist. The doctor and cardiac secretary worked hard for over an hour to arrange an appointment for this Wednesday. Until then, Kenan and his mom are staying at our house in Ashdod. Please pray that his appointment with the neurologist will bring some answers.
I found a happy Kenan this morning. He was so happy that I couldn’t even get a clear picture of him. Kenan is doing very well, so that’s why he was discharged from Sheba Hospital today to his home in Gaza.
Kenan is on a new medication to prevent him from having seizures. He will take this for three months before returning to Sheba. Then he will have an EEG at the neurologist and he will return for an echo of his heart.
After a day of waiting to go home, Kenan found rest in his stroller and I drove him and his mother back to the border.
I met Kenan’s mother outside the hospital talking with friends. Kenan smiled and held out his hand to me.
She said that Keenan feels fine. However he’s had seizures and the doctors want to look into the cause. Therefore, in the coming days they will do EEG, MRI, and Holter EKG tests (continuous monitoring of the heart) in order to understand the source of the problem.
Kenan is now set up with the Holter monitor.
We hope that the doctors will understand the source of the seizures and that they will have the wisdom to help and to cure the problem.
As planned, we brought Kenan and his mom late this evening to the ER at Sheba Hospital so that he can get admitted. It all took pretty long as it wasn’t an emergency, but Kenan enjoyed most of his time there.
He didn’t like his blood tests though as the doctors had to try six times until they finally succeeded.
After five hours of waiting and a lot of questions, we could finally bring him to his room where they did some tests on him and he could sleep in his bed.
Please pray that the doctors will quickly find out where Kenan’s problems come from and what they can do to help him.
This morning we were very excited to drive to Erez boarder crossing because we were picking up our good friends Kenan and his mother.
He was scheduled to come to Sheba Hospital for a dietary appointment and there the doctor had the great news for us that Kenan is gaining enough weight and looks so good that he doesn’t need follow-up appointments there anymore.
His mom was happy and proud of her son but at the same time, she was still worried. Kenan had some convulsions and tachycardia lately in Gaza and so she asked if Kenan could see his cardiologist. He was unfortunately not here, but she talked to another cardiologist who decided it was best to admit Kenan in the hospital and do some tests on him.
As it is the weekend now and they won’t do tests during those days, Kenan will stay in our Ashdod house until Saturday evening and get admitted then. His mom was a little bit sad that she can’t go home to Gaza, but she only wants the best for her son and so it is no problem for her to stay.
And we are very happy to spend more time with them here.
Kenan and his mom are already for so long a part of our community and we enjoy it always when we have them around!
Today our good old friend Kenan and his wonderful mother came again for an echo at Sheba. It was a day full of long waiting hours for them. First they had to wait at Erez, then we had to wait for hours for the echo and then for the doctor and in the end we needed the report for Kenan so that he could go home.
Kenan didn’t mind all this waiting time. He improved his driving skills with the cars in the echo area, made friends with another girl from Shevet and practiced walking and talking with us. He is a very cute boy and we missed him a lot in the last weeks.
In the end, Kenan’s doctor was very happy with Kenan’s heart. His condition is good and his heart is beating strong. For now there is no reason to worry and Kenan will come back in three more months for another echo.
We will also see him again in three weeks for a dietary appointment and I’m looking forward to seeing his mom again who makes every hospital so much fun! Thank you God for all those good results from today. It’s a miracle to see Kenan doing so well after we were so afraid before his last big surgery and if we remember in what condition he was when he first arrived in Israel, we can be very thankful indeed.
Only six days after his discharge from Sheba Hospital, after his big surgery, we brought our good friend Kenan back to the hospital for an echo today. It was an exciting day for especially his mom as today we learned about the decisions from the doctors, if Kenan needs a pacemaker implanted or not.
Thank God he surprised us with the good news that Kenan is doing very well, that he doesn’t need a pacemaker and that he can go hometo Gaza today. After all the fun time we had with him and his mother in Ashdod, we are a little bit sad to say goodbye now, but we are looking forward to seeing them again for an echo in one month.
Thank you Lord for Kenan’s great recovery and that he can finally go back to his family today!
Kenan has been given permission to stay in our community home in Ashdod for the week. He had a Holter test and with the results from this, the doctors at Sheba Hospital will decide next week if he needs an implanted pacemaker.
Kenan’s mother is very happy to be in a different environment from the hospital for a week. The drive is long, it is busy on the road. In Ashdod, Kenan is going to play nicely, he is having a good time.
Coworker Jonas and I thank God for his care and love for Kenan and his mother.
Our sweet Kenan was moved to intermediate ICU today. However, when we looked in his room this morning he wasn’t there. Instead, he was hanging out with his mother outside in front of the hospital! His mother says that he never wants to go back inside his hospital room, and that he’d rather sleep outside.
He is doing very well, and enjoyed playing with coworker Jakob for a while. After the first day of Sukkot on Monday is over, he will have a 24-hour Holter test to watch electrical signals in his heart. The results of the test will tell the doctors whether he will need an internal pacemaker or not. It’s so wonderful to have our cute Kenan back to his normal self – Praise God!
Please pray for good results from his Holter test.
We visited Kenan at Sheba Hospital today and he was doing well. His mother and he played some games, and blowing bubbles. Kenan was made up as a lion. Fortunately, a lion with a balloon.
Kenan’s mother gives God all the credit and also thanks for making it possible for Kenan to have surgery. It is not yet clear about the placement of a pacemaker, the doctor said a decision will be made in a week. It depends on the further recovery. A prayer point.
Kenan was doing well today and could even sit in his stroller for a while. He played with his stuffed animal and tried to tell us some stories in his own baby language. His nurse told us he is on an external pacemaker and they will track his progress for the next 7-10 days until they decide if he needs a pacemaker implanted. He doesn’t need oxygen support anymore. Kenan’s happiness brightened the day of all the volunteers at the ICU today and we’re happy that he was so good today.
We want to pray for Kenan’s recovery and the next few days where the doctors will decide if he needs a pacemaker. Pray for his parents so that they don’t have to worry so much.
Coworker Elise and I were so glad to hear from Kenan’s doctor at Sheba Hospital today that Kenan is stable, only needs a minimum of oxygen support, and is slowly improving after his big surgery a few days ago.
Right now, Kenan still has a long-term ECG, which should help the doctors to check on the electrical problems in his heart. The doctors even consider giving him a pacemaker, Doctors are still concerned about Kenan’s electrical problems in his heart and they’ve considered placing a pacemaker for him. But for now it’s important for Kenan to fully recover from his surgery.
Earlier his mother tried to explain to us that Kenan was really tired these last days. We could see she struggles with seeing her son like this in his bed instead of jumping around and playing. She really cares for her son and before we could take a picture of him, she had to make sure to brush his hair.
You can continue to pray for Kenan that he keeps improving and even as he continues his treatment, that everything goes well for him. Please also pray for his mother who is really worried for him.
Kenan’s surgery was supposed to be the first thing in the morning at Sheba Hospital, but when coworkers Petra and Craig arrived in hospital, they heard that there is another emergency surgery.
Our little hungry boy was waiting until 1:30 until they finally took him to OR. Now there were starting long hours of waiting and praying together. Kenan’s mother was understandably nervous but very strong. After five hours the doctors told us that the surgery went all well and they are closing his chest now. During Kenan’s last echo, his doctor wasn’t sure whether they could fix his heart or if they will have to reroute all the blood in his body, as they do in single ventricle defects.
Today after the surgery the doctors told us that they were able to successfully fix his heart and to the Tetralogy of Fallot repair surgery. They patched the whole between the lower chambers of the heart and widened his pulmonary artery. We are very thankful for those great news!After another hour of waiting,
Kenan was back in his room and again two hours later his relieved mom was finally allowed to go to him.
Thank you Lord for this successful surgery! Please help Kenan to recover well!
Our sweet Kenan, who went to Sheba Hospital’s ER on Monday night with low oxygen, is feeling much better today.
When I came in to visit him and his mother, he was pulling himself up to stand at the side of his hospital crib, and played a lively game of “I throw, you fetch,” with his mother.
He would throw a toy down to the ground, then his mother would give it back to him – again and again and again. I blew up one of the hospital gloves for him to play with, and he was also very excited about that. He tried very hard to pop it.
It’s hard to believe that this lively boy was rushed to the hospital with low oxygen just two days ago, and that even now his oxygen is only 75%. However, that is the way it is – and he needs his next surgery as soon as possible. Fortunately, he is first in line for surgery tomorrow morning. His mother is very worried about his surgery.
Please pray that all will go well, that God will guide the doctors’ hands and keep little Kenan safe. Please pray that God will be with Kenan’s mother, to comfort and strengthen her as she worries about his surgery.
Late in the evening, Kenan’s very concerned mom brought him over to the staff house. After a month of increasingly frequent tet spells (episodes of oxygen desaturation), he was having a much more severe episode than usual, struggling to breathe and with a very high heart rate.
We brought him straight to the emergency room at Sheba. During the car ride, Kenan’s oxygen slowly came back up and his breathing and heart rate slowed to normal. Even so, when we arrived at the ER, the doctor decided right away to admit him for monitoring.
We waited several hours for a room to be ready for him. This was no problem for Kenan, who is the happiest child I’ve ever seen in the hospital. He loved the plastic shofar the nurse gave him to play with,
the piano,
and the big colorful fish in the waiting room, and all the attention from the doctors.
and all the attention from the doctors. Many of the doctors and nurses recognized him from his lengthy hospital stay some months ago and were amazed by how much he’s grown.
Kenan is now resting safely in the pediatric ward for observation while the doctors decide what to do for him next.
This morning coworker Jan and I picked up our good friend Kenan at Erez. His mother directly greeted me with a big smile and a “Marhaban Um Kenan,” as we are always joking that we switch roles and I am Kenan’s mom while she is volunteering at Shevet.
Before Kenan had his echo, his mom already told us that Kenan was in the hospital in Gaza a few days ago as his oxygen levels dropped to 50. Also in the echo, his numbers haven’t been very good and so his doctor decided that it is time for his next surgery. The doctors will discuss his case this week and then call him soon for a cath before surgery or directly for surgery. In the meantime, Kenan and his mom will wait with us in Ashdod and we will enjoy our time together with them.
Please pray that Kenan will stay safe in his time here and for wisdom for his doctors!
Today, coworker Elise and I went together with Kenan and his mom to an appointment in the dietary clinic at Sheba Hospital. Because we were really early, we still needed to wait for about two hours. We used this time to learn some Arabic with Kenan’s mom and she taught us some new really useful words. She even told us that she taught the volunteers yesterday also some new words and it was so nice to see how she enjoys helping us learn Arabic.
Kenan was really funny today and was smiling a lot. He enjoyed faking his cough and seeking all the attention which made us and his mom truly laugh at him. We really enjoyed waiting with them for their appointment.
After asking some questions the doctor said that Kenan is improving well. He‘s eating well like he should do and gained a little weight. In three months, Kenan will have to return for a follow-up appointment.
Kenan’s mother was a little worried about his bowel movement, but the doctor assured everything is okay and that she doesn’t need to worry.
After the appointment Kenan was really tired and fell asleep. Fortunately he and his mother were able to return home to Gaza afterwards.
A CT and neurological check-up. That was today’s plan for eleven-month-old Kenan. Because of the CT, he couldn’t have eaten anything for six hours beforehand and his mood wasn’t the best. While we waited a long time for the CT, Kenan kept crying, his mother showed strong nerves. She pushed the pram up and down and even helped coworker Lena and I to learn some Arabic vocabulary.
After Kenan was done with the CT, the doctors observed his condition for 1 1/2 hours in the recovery room. There he slept well and, thank God, was able to leave the room refreshed. In about a week we will receive the results of the appointment, for which you are welcome to pray.
But that was not the end of the day for Kenan. In the neurology clinic, for example, the doctor tested his ability to respond to stimuli and asked the mother questions about his current stage of development. Thank God, Kenan has been making good progress. He still applies to catch up, but follow-ups are no longer necessary. It’s enough if his reflexes and motor skills are stimulated every day with exercises and toys. How beautiful it is to see God bringing improvement in Kenan – Let us praise the Lord!
Kenan had a nice straightforward dietary appointment today at Sheba Hospoital.
He is steadily gaining weight, though he also lost a little bit since his last appointment. The doctor wants him to eat more solid food and less milk so he’ll grow better.
He was very sweet while we were waiting, and enjoyed listening while his mom and I played a toy xylophone there. Please pray that this little boy will grow bigger and stronger.
This morning we brought Kenan and his mom again to Sheba hospital for another dietary appointment. Surprisingly, we saw that he was gaining weight which is very good. The doctor was still a little worried that he is not eating enough and was thinking about maybe placing an NG tube next time he comes, but first she wanted to talk to his cardiologist again.
For now Kenan is fine, he is getting grape sugar additional to his milk and he can go back to Gaza until his neurology appointment at the beginning of August.
I had a lot of fun with Kenan and his cheerful mother as we were waiting for his appointment. Kenan loved to play with me, so his mother joked that I am his mother today, and she is working for Shevet Achim. We were laughing a lot and enjoyed our time together.
Let us pray for his wonderful mother and especially for Kenan, that he will gain more weight back in Gaza!
Our happy boy had a priority echo at Sheba Hospital today, after staying a couple of days in our community home in Ashdod.
Today was a good opportunity to discuss all the aspects of Kenan’s condition with his doctor, especially after his dietary appointment last week and a brain CT he already had in Gaza.
Now with a better view of him and his improvement, the doctor determined Kenan still needs a neurology appointment and a chest CT, to determine what the next steps will be for him.
Today at Sheba Hospital, Kenan had a nutritionist appointment so we collected them from the Erez Border Crossing.
Kenan didn’t show good numbers today, losing weight faster and according to his mother, doesn’t have so much appetite. The doctor knew this could be a possibility, and requested that Kenan stay with us in Ashdod. We’re glad to have these amazing people in our community home, so that’s good news for us.
The doctor will see Kenan next week and according to Kenan’s condition, they will consider the option of placing a peg tube. When he was hospitalized before, the doctors wanted to give him a peg tube in his stomach because he wasn’t gaining weight even at that time.
The doctor changed Kenan’s dose of medication and supplements, and requests a follow-up appointment in two weeks.
Today, young Kenan crossed the border with his mother from Gaza to Israel for an echo appointment at Sheba Hospital. They were relieved to get into the air conditioned van at Erez, as it was a particularly hot day.
The results of the appointment were positive.
Kenan is stable enough to continue growing older and stronger back home in Gaza while the doctors monitor his condition and wait for the best time to admit him for surgery. The doctor encouraged Kenan’s mother to feed him generously with oils and fruits to build his body up.
It was a joy to see Kenan’s eyes lighting up in the hospital. Pictures of children on the wall, blinking lights, and our face masks were all of particular interest to him.
His curiosity kept us on our toes and provided levity to a hospital visit that can be very stressful.
We are looking forward to seeing this child again, all in the Lord’s timing of course. Please pray that Kenan’s body continues to grow stronger and more prepared for the necessary surgery ahead.
This morning coworker Jenny and I picked up little Kenan and his wonderful mother at Erez boarder crossing. He had a genetic appointment, including a blood test and a cardiac checkup, requiring an ECG and an echo. During the genetic appointment, Kenan’s mother talked with the doctor to find out more about her family and how to protect against this genetic disease in the future.
Later, after his echo, his doctor told me that Kenan still has a lot of different problems and that he still needs another heart surgery. He thinks that it is the best to have this heart surgery soon so he has one problem less and because his oxygen is still not very good. The doctors will discuss this in their next meeting. Also Kenan gained only 100g of weight since he was here two weeks ago. He will come back in one month for another echo and a dietician appointment. But for now he is stable enough to go back to Gaza.
His mom still knows a lot of people in the hospital because she was here with Kenan for two month previously and she was happy to see them again. After a long day in the hospital, Kenan and his mother were very tired when we brought them back to Gaza. She gave us a really nice snack in the car and we enjoyed our time with her. Lord we pray that you keep cute Kenan and his whole family safe in Gaza and that you give the doctors wisdom for this case.
When coworker Frank and I arrived on floor five of Sheba Medical Center today, Kenan’s mother was greeting us with a big smile and said, “We are going home!” Kenan was still laying in his bed, but his mother was already packing everything.
We talked with a doctor and he explained to us that Kenan will go home and come back to the hospital in two weeks. In this time, he should gain weight. They will check on the weight in two weeks and if he gained 3.5 kg, he can have his next heart surgery. If he doesn’t gain that weight, he will need a PEG tube to make sure he will gain the weight for his next surgery.
Kenan and his mother were now for nearly three months in the hospital. The time wasn’t always easy, with many ups and downs. In all that time, Kenan’s mother always tried to be joyful. Today she was even more happy to go home. With these treats you see in the picture, she went to all the nurses, doctors and other patients to let them be part of her joy. Also, all the people love Kenan and are good friends with both of them.
Kenan was smiling the whole day in the hospital and also the whole drive, as if he would know that he is going home. So he also enjoyed the time in the car, watching out of the window and smiling at me, whenever I turned around.
Because of the long time they spent in hospital, it took a while to write the discharge report. There was also the question if they should go home tomorrow, but Kenan’s mother insisted on today, so nothing will come in between, as so often happened before now. So, we arrived quite late at Erez Border Crossing and could see the sunset.
Kenan’s mother was so excited to see her husband and other child again, and that both her sons will be united.
In the car she also thanked us all so much. It was always so nice to visit her with all the joy and love she spread. So, also a big thank you to her!
Both of them have a special place in all of our hearts. We hope and pray that Kenan will gain weight in these next two weeks at home, thereby qualifying for his needed surgery. Thank you for joining in prayer.
When coworkers Tatiana, Amelie and I arrived on floor four in Sheba Hospital, we saw Kenan and his mother waiting in the echo area. This mom has been here two months and she already knows a few words in Hebrew to communicate with the medical team and with us.
The doctor said that Kenan’s weight does not improve and also he has eating problems related to an existing neurological problem. They want to wait two more weeks to see if he needs a PEG tube or not. Today he had an echo for his heart and the doctors now wait for the results.
In the last few days, when needed, they had to fed him via sonde and the doctor said it’s not good to send him to Gaza with a sonde. The mom is missing her home, but she also doesn’t want Kenan to have a PEG. So, the decision for now is to wait for two more weeks, to see if he has improvement and won’t need a PEG tube. They might go to Gaza and back to the hospital again in these two weeks. But the medical team is not sure about this as he might not be able to come back at the right time.
When we left, Kenans mom thanked us and Kenan smiled to us. We hope that Kenan will be able to gain weight and to eat properly and that he and his mom will be healthy and well.
Today, coworker Elisabeth and I visited Kenan and his mother. They both smiled happily at us as we entered the room.
Kenan did gain a little bit of weight, because he gets now very thick milk. This week is somehow his last chance to gain enough weight by normal eating. If it works he will be able to go home. But if it fails, the doctors consider a PEG tube so that he will gain weight. The doctor explained that his weight is a real problem.
Kenan is such a cute guy and it’s nice how he smiled today and even tried to do some sports. His mother hopes so much that he will not need a PEG tube.
Today, I visited Kenan and his mother at Sheba Hospital. A nurse explained to me that Kenan is losing weight. If he doesn’t gain weight this week, the doctors will consider placing a PEG tube to feed him.
Kenan’s mother showed me pictures of Kenan back in Gaza. He was very big and I could even see that he lost weight in the last months. She feels very sorry for her son. We talked a while and she is tired of the long time in the hospital, but she wants just the best for him and hopes very much that he does not need the PEG tube.
Let’s pray for Kenan and his mother. They both need strength. May God’s will happen that Kenan will have a good life.
Today at Sheba Hospital, a feeding specialist came to see little Kenan. He decided that it is the best plan for Kenan to take milk through a normal bottle but one with a bigger hole. Also they want to add cornflour to his milk and see if he will gain weight then.
Kenan’s mum is still full of joy and always happily walking around in the hospital.
Thank you for praying that her waiting time will soon have an end and that now finally Kenan is eating well enough!
Today, coworker Amelie and I went to Sheba Medical Center to visit little Kenan. I was very happy to hear the doctors saying that he hasn’t had a fever in two days and that he is eating better. The doctors are monitoring his weight right now and if he continues to gain weight and eat well, he might be discharged next week.
I really hope that Kenan and his mom can go home soon since the doctors already said that he can go home a few times before, but it never happened.
I am impressed how, threw all this, Kenan’s mother is always happy and is in a good mood and I always have a fun time while visiting Kenan.
When I wanted to visit Kenan at Sheba Hospital today, he was not in his room. His doctor told me that he developed a fever again after he was doing better yesterday. They were trying to find out more about the reason for the fever and so they sent him to a chest x-ray. I went downstairs to meet him and his lovely mother and she was very said that Kenan is again not doing well.
Tomorrow it is already two months that little Kenan is in the hospital in Israel and it has to be such an exhausting and challenging time for his mother who is missing home, family and a significant holiday.
Let us pray that her time here soon has an end and that Kenan is finally improving!
Today, we met Kenan and his mother again on a walk through Sheba Hospital. Kenan’s fever is gone and he also laughed when I saw him.
Otherwise there is no big news. The doctors still want to wait on discharging Kenan until he eats better. It could be at the end of the week or next week.
Please pray for Kenan and his mother. It is not very nice for her to wait from week to week always with the hope to go home next week. We can pray for patience, joy and that Kenan will improve his eating skills and get them to a place worthy of discharge.
When I wanted to visit Kenan today, two doctors were standing in front of his room. They told me that Kenan developed a fever and they are trying to find out why.
They also said that they are still not happy about how much he is eating and that they do have to wait again until they can discharge him. His mom was sadly not there and so I couldn’t enter the room and also not talk to her, but I’m sure it has to be very frustrating for her that she now has to wait again.
Please pray for cute Kenan and for his faithful mom!
When coworker Hanna and I visited little Kenan at Sheba Hospital today, we were really happy and surprised that he is now without his feeding tube. The doctors also did some other examinations and everything is good now with Kenan. He might be able to be discharged at the beginning of next week.
We’re all very happy about this great news. I really enjoy spending time with little Kenan and his lovely mother. They will be missed but we’re all very thankful that they can go home to their loved ones in Gaza.
Today coworker Willem and I visited little Kenan and his lovely mother at Sheba Hospital.
Yesterday they did a bronchoscopy and didn’t find what they expected to find between the airway and gastrointestinal tract. But they found something else and took a test of some kind, results are pending.
Now the focus is to try to make Kenan eat. They don’t want to feed him with the sonde. Today Kenan had a cardiologist appointment, and from a cardiology standpoint, Kenan should be allowed to return home. If he eats, he should be released. His mother is hopeful to this end. Let’s pray for them and especially that Kenan begins to eat by himself soon.
When we visited Kenan at Sheba Hospital today, his mom told us that he just came back from his bronchoscopy, and she is still waiting for results. She was quite happy today and also Kenan was looking at us and reacting to us.
We came later this afternoon again and asked a doctor if the results are back, but they are not yet and so we have to wait until tomorrow. Let’s pray for wisdom for the doctors and healing for cute little Kenan!
Today I visited Kenan and his mother at Sheba Medical Center. Kenan is still struggling with eating and he has a lot of congestion in his chest. He can eat little bits of pudding, but he receives the rest of his food still through an NG-tube.
Tomorrow Kenan will have a bronchoscopy, so that the doctors can see if something is stopping his food from going down, and also to see why he has so much congestion and a bad cough.
Kenan’s heart condition is really good. It is the eating disorder and the coughing that is keeping him in the hospital. Please pray for wisdom and insight into the problem, so that the doctors can make an effective treatment plan for sweet Kenan.
Today I went to Sheba Medical Center to visit little Kenan. When I entered his room, Kenan welcomed me sitting in his bed and his mom laughed out loud and was very happy. His mom is a very happy and funny woman and I really enjoy spending time with her.
The doctors told me that Kenan has again trouble eating without the tube. Every time he tries to drink or eat, he starts swallowing. To find out what is going on, doctors ordered an x-ray today. We don’t know the results yet, but please keep praying for him so he will be able to eat soon and can finally go home.
Today I visited Kenan at Sheba Medical Center. He’s doing well after he had some bacteria in his body in the last days. Today he had some exams and the doctors said that he can start drinking milk and eating again. He already started eating a little bit today but also still has his feeding tube in case he won’t eat again.
If he continues eating he can be discharged in a few days. I really hope that Kenan will keep improving and that he and his mother can go home to their loved ones soon. Let’s continue in praying for this little boy and his lovely mother.
Today we were meeting Kenan and his mom on the second floor of Sheba Medical Center where he had an appointment. Kenan’s mom is always very happy and was glad to see us.
The doctor told me that Kenan gets antibiotics right now because he had bacteria in his blood. Kenan still gets his milk through a sonde and is not allowed to eat normally. On Tuesday they will do another exam. After this the doctors will decide if he can start to drink milk again.
If this works out positive, he may be discharged at the end of this week. Let’s pray that he and his lovely mom can go home soon again.
Today, coworker Joanne and I went to Sheba Medical Center to visit Kenan.
His heart is doing well. The only thing that keeps Kenan from going home to Gaza right now, is that he has problems with swallowing and is presently receiving food via a feeding tube.
It’s always really nice to visit Kenan and his lovely mother. I always laugh a lot with her which makes me really happy. Please pray for the two of them, that they hopefully can go home soon and that Kenan develops his ability to eat and swallow normally.
Kenan’s doctors hope to discharge him from Sheba Hospital soon, but he is still not eating. His mom told me today that he has to receive all of his milk through an NG tube because he chokes and coughs it up when she tries to feed him by mouth.
The doctors think that Kenan’s low muscle tone may cause difficulty swallowing. Please pray that Kenan will be able to eat normally soon so he can return home to Gaza.
Today I went to Sheba Medical Center to visit little Kenan. I met him outside enjoying the sun with his lovely mother. If he remains stable, he will be discharged on Sunday.
He is still on medication that needs to be injected so the nurses taught Kenan’s mother how to do this correctly because she will have to do it when they’re back home. Right now she is still a bit afraid, but hopefully in the next days, when she does it together with the nurses, she will become more confident about doing it.
She is a very nice woman with whom you can laugh a lot and have a lot of fun.
Thank the Lord that Kenan’s doing so good right now and pray that he and his mom can return home soon.
Today, coworker Doro and I visited little Kenan and his mother at Sheba Hospital. Kenan was just out of his examination. The doctors tested how he is swallowing and how he can eat on his own.
It was hard for Kenan to swallow the liquid milk. The majority was going to his stomach, but a bit also was despositing into the lungs. So, they will change his nutrition to a thicker milk. Hopefully he can eat that better.
His body gets more and more strength – the therapy really helps. Today, he grabbed my finger and didn’t let it go for some minutes.
For now he is in the Secondary ICU and will learn how to swallow and eat. So we can pray that he will learn fast.
Today I visited Kenan and his mother at Sheba Medical Center. The doctors told me that in the echo yesterday, there was no visible fluid around Kenan’s heart now! That’s such good news.
Also the physiotherapy with Kenan has helped him to improve. His body is still very floppy, but it is getting better with therapy. Tomorrow they will do the procedure with the sonde to see if milk is going into the lungs when Kenan is eating.
Let’s pray that also this area of struggle will resolve itself for Kenan. We can also pray for his mother, that she gets enough sleep and strength.
Today, I visited Kenan and his mother in Sheba Hospital. It was very nice to see them.
Kenan still has some areas where he struggles. He had an echo today to check on the fluid around his heart. And also his eating is still difficult. Kenan is coughing very much too. The doctors will watch now with a sonde how he is eating and to check if milk is going into the lungs.
Concerning the fear Kenan may have neurological damage, it seems better at the moment. They will still monitor him carefully to see if he may have neurological damage.
The time with Kenan’s mother today was very nice. She is a lovely woman. But also she is very, very worried about her son. She hopes that he soon will be so improved that they can return to their home in Gaza.
Please pray for all the issues Kenan is struggling with, that he may be soon more healthy. And let’s pray also for strength for Kenan’s mother.
“Kenan is the handsomest child” – was the first thing the doctor told me when I asked about Kenan’s condition. He was moved to the Secondary ICU, but still there are some issues he’s struggling with.
Kenan’s body is very floppy. He can’t really move his arms or legs. The doctors are concerned he has sustained neurological damage. They will do tests and Kenan will receive physio-therapy.
In addition to that, doctors discovered fluid around Kenan’s heart. But gladly the echo today looked already much better than yesterday’s. I also went with Kenan and his mother to have a chest X-ray done.
It was a big day for Kenan. After the X-ray, he slept shortly and than a nurse fed him with a feeding bottle to find out how well he can suck and swallow. He is a strong guy and could drink a little bit. But he still has to practice a lot. A better pacifier should help him with practicing.
During all the time I spent today with Kenan’s mother, I realized what a wonderful mother she is. She is already friends with many nurses. And all the doctors and nurses love little Kenan.
When we walked through the Secondary ICU, nurses came to Kenan because they were so happy to see him. Please pray for this lovely little boy, that he soon will be better and the doctors can help him further. God brought him already so far!
Today, coworker Willem and I went to Sheba Medical Center to visit Kenan.
When we entered his room, he welcomed us with his eyes wide open.
Maybe today or tomorrow, Kenan will get a visit from a speech therapist which will see if his reflexes are strong enough to begin receiving food orally, or if he still needs to receive it through a feeding tube.
Kenan’s mother was also in a really good mood today and we were laughing a lot. She is a really nice and lovely woman.
Please keep praying for this cute little boy and his lovely mother.
When coworker Elisabeth and I visited Kenan at Sheba Medical today, his mum was standing next to his bed. She was really happy that he opened his eyes a little bit.
The doctors said that his cardiac situation is good, that also his lungs are improving and that he is off of oxygen. But now they are mostly concerned about his neurological state because he is not waking up well.
The brain scans showed mild atrophy of the brain which is quite common and doesn’t have to be permanent. He may also have had some epileptic seizures, but there is no clinical confirmation of this. That’s why they recommended a brain MRI and EEG to find out more.
Let’s pray that the doctors can find the best way to treat him!
When we asked the doctor about Kenan this morning at Sheba Medical, he was telling us that after Kenan’s surgery, Kenan at first was really sick but that he was improving. Now he is doing quite well, but is still in a great danger. They also have to check his neurological situation because now that they are reducing his drugs, he probably will have withdrawal symptoms.
The doctor also said that there is still a lot of hope and we could really see this hope in the eyes of his Kenan’s mom. She is such a strong woman and stays with her son faithfully all the time.
Let us thank God that Kenan is improving so well and pray for a full recovery!
When we visited Kenan at Sheba Hospital today in the ICU, where his mother was sleeping.
But a nurse told us the very good news that Kenan is extubated and doing better. He will still need a while until he will be fully recovered and can go home, but this is already a big step for him.
Let’s continue in prayer that Kenan is improving soon!
Today I visited little Kenan at Sheba medical center. Doctors yesterday took him in for exploratory surgery, and placed a BT shunt to improve his circulation. He’s still intubated but he is slowly improving and the doctors are starting to reduce his medicine.
I met his mother today and she is a very kind and lovely woman.
Please pray for a good recovery for this cute little boy.
Kenan is still intubated and stable at Sheba Medical.
Tomorrow morning, Kenan will have a diagnostic catheterization. In this procedure, the doctors will decide if they can help Kenan right away during the catheterization or on the same day in a surgery.
It will be a tense day. Please pray for Gods grace and his wisdom.
Today I found Kenan and his mother in the Pediatric ICU of Sheba Hospital. Kenan was sleeping and intubated.
Kenan’s mother was very kind and showed me immediately pictures on her phone of Kenan from before he had trouble breathing in Gaza. I saw that she cares a lot about her son.
The doctors are still trying to find the reason why Kenan had trouble breathing. So today he had a CT-scan and we will get results hopefully tomorrow.
We ask for your prayer that the doctors will find the problem and that God will give them wisdom as they are trying to make the best possible treatment plan for Kenan.
Both Kenan and his mom quickly became very popular with our staff when they stayed the night in our Ashdod house before a Neurological appointment at Sheba Medical Center the next day. Kenan’s enthusiasm and the constant, firm handshakes he gave to everyone, several times, were so polite and funny, and his mom came with lots of snacks she gratefully shared with everyone. Some of my coworkers who picked them up at the border the day before had a blast playing with him, so I was also looking forward to getting to hang out with him too.
