Going to catheterization with tears of tender love
Last updated on
In a tight embrace, a child and his mother clung together as quiet tears streamed down their faces. A stunning example of something so gentle, yet deeply meaningful which points undoubtedly to the tender love of God. This sweet event took place on Thursday morning as Ali, a two-year-old from Hebron, prepared to go into his catheterization.
Ali is no stranger to the hospital as he has had many visits and stays over his young life already. At five days old he received his first open heart surgery, and a few months later he received his second. This would now be his fourth catheterizations for both diagnostic and interventional purposes as well. Due to the fact that he has hypoplastic left heart syndrome, he will require another surgery called a Fontan in two years. (His heart defect is so severe, and the course of treatment so difficult, that in many places these children are left to die untreated).
When Ali arrived at Sheba Medical Center yesterday, coworker Joy and I had the absolute pleasure of getting to play with him for a while. He was a very busy little one as he ran all around the echo clinic while his mother chased after him. We couldn’t help but notice that, despite his age, he acted like a little man. At one point he was walking with both hands clasped behind his back with an expression of maturity on his face as he followed his mother. Needless to say, he’s adorable, and he very well knows that.
We were excited to see him the next morning before his procedure, but unfortunately he wasn’t so happy this time. Overwhelmed by the poking and prodding and an early wake up call, Ali could solely be comforted by his mother. Thus, when it was finally time for him to go back to the cath prep room, his mother had to carry him in her arms. During this time is when the beautiful and long embrace occurred as these two expressed deep love for each other. Ali fell asleep in his mother’s arms, and she quietly cried as she admired her precious son. Soon, the doctors came to take Ali into the operating room and his mother had to painfully let go of him.
We sat with her for the duration of the catheterization and she lovingly showed us many pictures of Ali. By doing this, the time quickly passed and exactly two hours after he had gone in, the doctor came out to speak with Ali’s mother. Everything had gone smoothly, and there were only some minor repairs necessary. Soon Ali was wheeled back to his room, where we left his mother at his side as she rejoiced to have her beloved son back with her.
We too rejoice that everything went smoothly, and that mother and son were soon back together.
