Saif’s mom was so happy to receive a visit today; her time in the PICU at Sheba hospital has been long and tiring.
Despite her obvious fatigue, she updated me on her baby son, then went with me to see several other parents of babies also in the ICU! Since she speaks a little English and is also comfortable with the Arabic/English translation app. It’s always a joy— and sometimes a bit funny— to an outsider who sees us communicating with a few words of different languages, translation apps, and a version of charades! One of the nurses laughingly commented today, “yes, we all communicate by pantomime here!”. I have unofficially nicknamed Saif’s mom “the Gaza ambassador in the PICU” for her knowledge of the infants and parents, her ability to welcome them and orient the new families, and her willingness to help with information and emotional support for others.
Saif is doing well with his tracheostomy, breathing on his own, and with just two liters of oxygen by a trach collar. He is alert much of the time, quickly comforted by his attentive mother. He continues to get feedings by tube, and his weight crept up to 2.5 kg (5.5lbs).
Although this weight gain seems minuscule, it is a victory for this small boy. Please pray with us for Saif to gain weight well, wean off of oxygen, and be able to put all of his energy now into getting bigger and stronger.