Tonight, after just over two months in Israel, Mohammed and his father boarded a plane to travel home to Kurdistan!
On Thursday, Mohammed and his father spent much of the day in Jerusalem with coworker Julio,
and then returned to Jaffa for a farewell party.
Everyone shared stories and kind words for the two of them, and Mohammed’s father expressed so much gratitude for the care and support they have received during their time here in Israel.
Mohammed’s dad has been so excited all week about going home. On the way to the airport, he kept telling me and coworker Rachel how happy Mohammed was to be going home. Indeed, little Mohammed was in quite a good mood through all the waiting at the airport.
The process at the airport was very smooth for Mohammed and his dad. We were surprised to find that none of the airport employees there at the time could speak any Arabic, but they were all exceptionally kind and went out of their way to make the process as easy as possible, even playing with Mohammed in his stroller.
From the moment we left our home in Jaffa to when we waved goodbye at the security checkpoint, Mohammed’s father thanked us again and again for helping his son. “I love you, Shevet Achim!” he kept saying.
We’re so grateful for the time we’ve gotten to spend with Mohammed and his father, and especially for God’s provision and healing for this little boy!
After Mohammed’s discharge from Sheba hospital last week, we have spent a nice time with him and his father at our community home in Jaffa where they quickly and easily settled in.
Today, Mohammed had to come back to the hospital for follow-up with his cardiologist and to see the Gastroenterologist. Mohammed’s cardiologist was very happy with the condition of his heart and announced Mohammed can be discharged home to Kurdistan.
Mohammed’s father was very happy to hear this good news. Mohammed needed only to be cleared by the Gastroenterologist as well who was very friendly and thorough with Mohammed.
Mohammed still has his swollen stomach but that isn’t a reason for the hospital to keep Mohammed in Israel as this can be treated also in Kurdistan. Mohammed cleared with the Gastroenterologist also, who discharged him to Kurdistan. He will have the medicine for the conception regularly now instead of just when it’s necessary.
We will miss them a lot and had a really nice time with them, not just at home, but also in the hospital. Mohammed’s father was always helpful with translating for other parents in the hospital, so we ended up having a joke about him staying and working for Shevet, instead of going home.
Today, Mohammed and his father were discharged to our community home in Jaffa. They have been in Sheba hospital since arriving in early August.
When I told Mohammed’s father that they were discharged to Jaffa, he couldn’t believe it at first. I told him that I don’t know yet at what time we will go, and he said it was no problem as long as Mohammed was good and as long as he is really going to leave the hospital today.
I reassured him and he was very happy to hear that. We are happy that they are staying with us now and hope to have a good time with them in Jaffa. In the time, when Mohammed was hospitalized, he needed a lot of treatment for his heart and also for his stomach, so please pray for him as he has to settle in now to his life outside the hospital.
Mohammed needs to go back to the hospital for follow-up appointments soon.
Mohammed has been moved from the ICU to the pediatric ward floor of Sheba hospital, where he will be kept for observation for his heart function and also for the ascites in his stomach.
While Mohammed is not one hundred percent recovered, his dad often remarks of the difference in his son as a result of the operation; it is encouraging to see his father appreciate all that has been accomplished on Mohammed’s behalf, and yet still be realistic about how far he has to go. It is a rare balance, especially when one is long in the hospital.
This father and son have fun together. Mohammed’s dad was telling coworker Bria and I, that Mohammed likes it when his dad stands at his bedside, and will protest when his dad is trying to sleep just because he wants to see his face! The love between them is palpable.
Mohammed M had a diagnostic catheterization today at Sheba hospital, to determine his eligibility for future surgeries.
He is currently seven kilos. After the cath today, doctors said they would like to him to be at least three more kilos before doing any further intervention.
Please continue to pray for this lovely boy and his very devoted father.
One of the cardiologists at Sheba hospital spoke with Mohammed’s father yesterday to explain to him that his son would be having a catheterization tomorrow. But it would not be a normal cardiac catheterization.
They would instead be inserting a catheter in his abdomen to drain the the fluid build-up there and also the fluid around his lungs. He will be with this for at least twenty four hours, and the doctor who will do the procedure was hopeful it would help control the fluid build-up in his stomach as well.
The procedure took place today according to plan. It only lasted a few minutes and was done in Mohammed’s room in the ICU; his father, as always, was calm and supportive of his boy. Before the procedure, his father went downstairs and I stayed with Mohammed. He fell asleep as I brushed his hair with my fingers, and as he did so, I was so thankful that he was able to come here for treatment. At the same time, I am quite sad for the difficulty of his condition even after surgery.
So with that, please continue to pray for healing for him.
Mohammed’s father has been sure there must be more that can be done to study and treat this persistent swollen stomach, and blue-tinged finger tips; all this he’s been seeing in Mohammed in the previous couple of days.
Today, he welcomed the group of Kurdish families who were arriving for their first echos, in his usual upbeat and encouraging manner, also becoming involved with translation for one of the mothers who lives in the same city.
Later came the surprise that Mohammed is scheduled for a catheterisation tomorrow. The doctor explained the aims of this to Mohammed’s father, who is happy and hopeful that this will provide some help for Mohammed’s symptoms.
Please pray for sweet Mohammed tomorrow, that this will be a big help and step forward for him.
Mohammed’s stomach swelling has gone down by a few centimeters, so please pray this continues.
His doctor does not believe he has the congenital defect in his intestines based on the multiple tests they have done on little Mohammed. But his stomach swelling still remains an issue, so please pray for Mohammed and also for the doctors as they go about how to best treat him in this time.
In addition to caring for his son, Mohammed’s father has been a very good friend to the other Kurdish families in the hospital now and also has many Arabic-speaking friends, as he knows both Arabic and Kurdish.
After a week of exams at Sheba hospital to find the cause of the fluid build-up in Mohammed’s stomach, there was one more, hopefully definitive test today, to confirm if he has an intestinal disorder which has been present since birth.
The doctors checked to see the condition of his heart and if that was tied to this fluid build-up, but thank God, the cardiologist could confirm this was not a complication tied to his heart function.
For many of the past days, Mohammed was not able to drink milk and this contributed to quite a difficult time for him. His father said they both went two nights without sleeping. But when co-worker Julio and I visited them today, Mohammed’s dad was happy to say that he is now able to eat again and was sleeping soundly after his meal.
Please keep Mohammed in your prayers, especially as his body seems to have a lot of complications.
Mohammed Mosa was sleeping when I visited him at Sheba hospital earlier today, but he looked like he was sleeping peacefully. His father says that he has been drinking a little bit of milk and can have it every three hours. He is thankful for the improvement, as the milk helps calm Mohammed.
Please continue to pray for Mohammed, his family, and the doctors as they wait for the test results to determine what is causing this buildup of fluid in his abdomen.
Since recovering from surgery, Mohammed has developed a a severely swollen stomach, the reason for it isn’t yet known.
He has been receiving fluids, but unable to drink milk, so please pray for him.
He was quite distressed for some time before he calmed down; he has a few toys includes bubbles that he likes and stroking his hair relaxes him. A pacifier helps calm him.
He is enduring a lot in his young life, and there is still a ways to go, so please pray for this lovely boy.
Mohammed Mosa is recovering well from his BT shunt surgery. His father was grateful to see that Mohammed’s complexion was much better.
Mohammed will require more surgeries, and his father is willing to stay for however long is needed for his son. Mohammed’s father is grateful for his son’s life, and we are grateful for Mohammed and his father.
Please pray for Mohammed as he continues to recover.
When I visited Mohammed and his father today at Sheba hospital, he was already extubated, just one day after his surgery!
I was really happy to see this progress and Mohammed’s father was as well.
Mohammed’s doctor told me that so far, he is recovering well, praise God. Please continue to pray for Mohammed and his friendly father for their time in the hospital.
Mohammed Mosa had his very first surgery today! His father sent us photos of Mohammed and also said “Praise be to God.”
We are thankful that Mohammed was able to be operated on today, especially at his age of one year and six months. Mohammed had a surgery procedure to place a BT Shunt which will help increase the blood flow to his lungs, and help his oxygen levels increase. This is only a temporary solution, and it will help prepare him for future surgeries.
We pray that Mohammed will have a good recovery and adjust to this new circulation. We also pray for peace for his family in Kurdistan and for his kind father who is with him in Israel.
I visited Mohammed this morning, and he was not happy! His father was sleeping since he had had such a heavy few days of travelling.
Mohammed was being prepared for a CT scan of his head and heart, which means he was fasting. A nurse and I gave him a bath, which he also did not enjoy! As he cried, the dark blue colour in his fingers and mouth became heightened. The doctor’s summary of little Mohammed today was that he is both very unwell, and very complicated.
Please pray that he will soon be able to have intervention which can save his life.
Mohammed Mosa is a one year and six month old boy from Iraqi Kurdistan. His father and Mohammed traveled to Israel yesterday, and Mohammed was immediately admitted to Sheba hospital in Israel.
Our memories with Mohammed Mosa start with visiting his family less than two weeks ago in his home in Iraqi Kurdistan. They welcomed us into their home and his grandmother handed me Mohammed. He was crying, with his face, hands, and feet, a dark purple.
His oxygen levels were in the 40 % range without oxygen, so we asked his family to please keep him on oxygen all the time. After he was cradled in his mother’s arms with oxygen support, his oxygen levels slowly started to improve.
We sat in their home together with his family and cousins, drinking tea and exchanging stories. Mohammed’s family had to move from near Mosul to Zakho Iraqi Kurdistan due to ISIS.
At birth, Mohammed was given three months to live. However Mohammed has far surpassed this expectancy. His family has hope for him in Israel.
His family is so kind. Every time we see Mohammed’s grandmother, she reminds us that she is not only praying for Mohammed but for us. We also are praying for Mohammed and his family every day.
With our portable oxygen concentrator, we took Mohammed to an echo and to get a corona test in Kurdistan, as well as get to know his family more. The local cardiologist reiterated the severity of his heart condition and wished us safe travels as we left. Mohammed was diagnosed with a heart condition called Double Outlet Right Ventricle. His heart is even on the other side of his little body.
At the airport, his family asked us to take care of Mohammed. We trust that God will care for every detail of Mohammed. As we traveled to Israel, his father was nervous but excited to start this new adventure with Mohammed. We entrust Mohammed to our God and pray for his new adventure in Israel.
On Thursday, Mohammed and his father spent much of the day in Jerusalem with coworker Julio,
and then returned to Jaffa for a farewell party.
Everyone shared stories and kind words for the two of them, and Mohammed’s father expressed so much gratitude for the care and support they have received during their time here in Israel.
Mohammed’s dad has been so excited all week about going home. On the way to the airport, he kept telling me and coworker Rachel how happy Mohammed was to be going home. Indeed, little Mohammed was in quite a good mood through all the waiting at the airport.
From the moment we left our home in Jaffa to when we waved goodbye at the security checkpoint, Mohammed’s father thanked us again and again for helping his son. “I love you, Shevet Achim!” he kept saying.
