After almost two months, one catheterization and a few examinations, our cute little Eliana went home to Kurdistan today.
We’re all very excited that, she and her mother can go home to their family. I enjoyed our time together here very much and it was nice to watch how Eliana went from a silent and shy girl to a very crazy funny and loud little person. It was always a lot of fun to go with her to the park or run around in our community garden. Also Eliana’s mother is a very wonderful person and I had a lot of fun with her. She is a very strong woman and a great mother.
We’re all very happy for them but at the same time, it is also a little bit sad to say goodbye as we all love them very much. We definitely will never forget them and they will be missed around here.
Please pray for blessing and protection over Eliana and her mom.
Since her echo at Sheba Medical Center on Sunday morning, Eliana and her mother have been waiting patiently for the doctors’ decision whether they can go home or not. First thing this morning, we got a message from her cardiologist– the doctors all agree, Eliana can go home!
This news was met with cheers and applause in our house here in Ashdod. Eliana will need to return for more treatment in the future, but for now we’re excited to send her home to her family in Kurdistan.
This morning, coworker Momo and I drove together with beautiful Eliana and her lovely mother to the Sheba Medical Center for Eliana’s scheduled echo appointment.
The doctor said her ECG, oxygen level and echo look very good after her catheterization three weeks ago. That’s the reason why Eliana is probably discharged to Kurdistan, but the doctors have to discuss it and will tell us on Wednesday if it’s a yes or no, but it looks very good for her. Also, we don’t know when she needs to come back to Israel for her next treatment, it depends on how she is doing. It may be in six months, but it could also be in another two years or later. For now, we are looking forward to Wednesday and hope the best for Eliana.
During the waiting time Eliana was very active and was the whole time running around and had a lot of fun in the playground area.
It is so nice to see her like this.
While we’re happy for a coming discharge for our kids at Shevet, we volunteers and of course also the families in our community home are a little bit sad to say goodbye to Eliana and her mom so soon because they are so lovely and they became a big part of our hearts. For my part, I always so much enjoy to spend time with Eliana and her mother. She is a very sweet and smart girl and it’s wonderful to see how lovely her mother cares for her daughter and how Eliana is trusting her in every moment.
When we returned to the house today, another Kurdish child, (teenager) Khonav hugged Eliana immediately, as they have such a special relationship and said that she won’t let Eliana go.
So let’s pray for them, that they get good news on Wednesday.
Cute little Eliana and her mother are waiting patiently for Eliana’s echo at Sheba Hospital next week.
Since both of them arrived in Israel, it was a huge pleasure having them staying at our community home in Ashdod.
In the beginning Eliana was a little shy and reserved, but now she’s more outgoing and has became a good friend of us and the other kids in the house. All the families that are living with us right now spent last weekend in our Guesthouse in Jerusalem.
Eliana also loves to run around, to play and to go to the park right behind our house. I always enjoy it to spend time with her as she is a lot of fun. Also Eliana’s mother is a very nice and wonderful person and we are all glad having her here.
Please continue praying for Eliana and her lovely mother.
Today my Coworker Frank and I went to Sheba Medical center to see Eliana. After her cath yesterday she has already been discharged today. The doctor told me that she is doing well now but will most likely need another catheterization in a few months. In two weeks she will have a follow-up appointment. Meanwhile, we’re all very happy to have Eliana and her mother back at our community home in Ashdod.
When we arrived in Ashdod today, Eliana and her mother weren’t even completely out of the car when the other family’s came out of the house and ran towards them to welcome them. We all really enjoy the company of Eliana and her lovely mother.
When coworker Amelie and I arrived this morning to Sheba hospital, little Eliana was already in her catheterization procedure and her mother was waiting with other mothers and grandmothers from Gaza and Kurdistan. She was quite worried about her child and even though she is only in the hospital since yesterday, the others comforted her and encouraged her.
Eliana got a balloon catheterization to dilate the pulmonary valve. Everything went well and the balloon dilation helped. But the doctor told me afterwards that Eliana’s valve is very complicated, and they are not sure if what they did today would be enough for Eliana.
When our cute girl was finally back in her room, I entered it together with her relieved mother. I stayed in the room for an hour while Eliana was crying; her mom tried everything to comfort her. During this whole situation, I had the song “Beautiful One” in my head which we sang in our morning meeting today. As we worship God with this song, he looks at us, his children, and sees us as beautiful ones. In this moment, being in the hospital room with a crying child and her slightly weeping mother, I caught hold of some more of the love that God has for us. I probably can’t even understand what Eliana’s mother felt in this moment, how heartbreaking it has to be to see her beloved little girl crying so hard, and yet we know that God loves us even more and cares for us more than we can comprehend.
Let us pray that Eliana’s mom will feel this love while she is in the hospital and also for a quick recovery of our beautiful one!
Eliana had her echo today at Sheba Medical Center. Doctors checked her oxygen level and also ordered an x-ray taken.
The cardiologist was very kind with Eliana’s mom and explained in detail and also drew a picture for her as to what all the process would be before and after the surgery for her daughter.
After a few weeks of waiting and making many new friends in the Ashdod house, Eliana was admitted today for her catheterization tomorrow.
On the way to the hospital and during all the halftime between procedures today, we saw the amazing relationship Eliana has with her mother. Her mother was always beside Eliana, holding her hand, and patiently carrying her, even sometimes singing to Eliana.
We witnessed how this lovely mother communicated safety, trust and love to her daughter.
Beautiful Eliana and her mother have for two weeks now waited very patiently in our home in Ashdod. They are waiting for Eliana’s procedure to be performed at Sheba Hospital.
The doctors have now decided to treat her heart with a catheterization this coming Tuesday. In the meantime, they were and are a great blessing to our community and the families.
Eliana is warming up more and more to us volunteers and more often we see her smiling at us. She is such a cute girl! All trips to the park (next door to us) or just playing in the garden, are great fun with her.
Eliana and her mother are also great friends with all the other families. They have always fun with each it other and it’s always very nice to spend time with all the families together, whether over dinner, during our trips to the park or just when sitting together.
We are glad that they had such a good waiting time and made new friends at our house in Ashdod. Please pray for Eliana, that the cath on Tuesday will go well and that they will also have a pleasant time in the hospital too.
Today I drove with beautiful little Eliana and her lovely mother to the Sheba Medical Center for her first appointment.
First we went together to a blood test. She cried a lot, but still she was very though. For her mother, it was really hard to see her daughter like this, so a tear also came down her face, but she was very patient.
Then Eliana had an echo.
She had an ECG, and they checked her oxygen level and at the end of it, we also went to have an x-ray taken.
Even though it was her first appointment, the doctor already said that they are discussing now when she is going to have her surgery and what they are exactly doing. It will be a big surgery, this much they knew.
During the waiting time, Eliana loved to walk around and to play in the playground area. She also became really fast friends with the children around her.
After everything was done, I drove with them back to our house in Ashdod. So let’s pray for Eliana, her mother and for wisdom for the doctors.