Little Maryam came to Sheba Hospital today after a while back home in Gaza. It was amazing to see how much this tiny baby we knew grew into a little girl though she’s still very small for her age. Her echo went very well and she was calm throughout most of it. Although she grew a lot in this time away, her aorta is really narrow so she needs another surgery soon. Her heart worsened but her eating is so much better now that she probably doesn’t need the PEG tube anymore. Maryam was in the hospital for a big amount of her time and therefore is less physically developed than a normal one year old. Her family is a little bit worried about her neurological state because she doesn’t move her legs on her own, nor tries to walk.
We will see Maryam again in two months for another cardiac follow up to figure out what intervention she will need. Please join us in prayer for Maryam and her family.
Today I’ve finally met our little Maryam again! The last time that I’ve seen her was months ago so it was really exciting for me to see her a lot bigger and with more hair than the last time, and her lovely grandmother again. I picked them up at Erez this morning and after waiting for another child we could finally hit the road to Sheba Medical Centre. As soon as we arrived there, Maryam immediately got checked in and then we had to wait for a little while, until we got called in by the Echo technician. In the waiting time Maryam’s grandmother was meeting up with all the mothers in hospital she met during the few months Maryam was admitted to Sheba. It was so nice to see how all of them stayed in touch and enjoyed the time they had.
Then we got called in for the Echo and Maryam smiled through almost the whole Echo (as she did the whole day long). Also the ECG went well and then we had to wait for the doctor.
This took actually a long time, but Maryam’s grandmother seemed to be fine with that, since she could talk some more with her friends. But then we got called into the doctors office.
He said that Maryam’s heart condition was fine and she even can stop taking Fusid! Her next follow-up appointment is in two months. But then we also talked about the PEG-tube. It needs to be renewed since it is very old and not nice anymore. So Maryam will also have an appointment for that as soon as possible. After a long day full of examinations, waiting and meeting friends, we could drive Maryam and her grandmother back to Erez. I really enjoyed spending this day with them and making Maryam smile. May the Lord bless this wonderful family. They are such lovely people and we are all looking forward to the next time where they will come back to Sheba!
After staying in Sheba Hospital to gain weight and get her PEG tube repaired, Maryam was being discharged today. Her grandmother was really happy to finally return home after being away from her family for a while and she proudly showed us how well Maryam is doing. In their recent stay here, Maryam celebrated her first birthday and gained enough weight to go home.
Maryam wasn’t breathing well in the past, so a machine was procured to support her breathing in the night. After some explaining to Maryam’s grandmother as to how the breathing device works, the doctors gave confirmation that Maryam can return home to her family. In the afternoon, we brought cute Maryam to Erez Crossing where we had to say goodbye to her and her grandmother.
Thank God Maryam is finally well enough to go home. We are so thankful for the doctors who did such an amazing job caring for her and for the work they do for the children every day.
Today is a big day for little Maryam– her first birthday! Even though she can’t be at home today, her grandmother and Joanne and I had a little celebration for her in her hospital to, complete with gifts and a birthday balloon.
It’s hard to believe that this tiny girl is already a year old! She’s come a long way since we first met her, and we’re so thankful to be a little part of her life.
Today I visited Maryam at Sheba Medical Center. When I entered her room, she was sleeping peacefully. Meanwhile, a nurse administered her medication. We were both impressed that Maryam didn’t let that bother her.
She still has low oxygen events sometimes – especially during sleeping. To get more information about her situation, the doctors will do a sleep lab test and an ENT assessment tomorrow. Most recently, Maryam had had an MRI appointment. Here the doctors were confirmed in their diagnoses about Maryam’s brain.
May God continue to be there for Maryam through the many tests! All the investigations are really challenging for her.
I met Maryam and her grandmother today at the Imaging clinic for Maryam’s Video-fluoroscopy. It was an interesting experience. The grandmother had to take Maryam on her lap and hold her still, while I was feeding Maryam some milk and other food on the command of the technician. The reason Maryam had this test is that the doctors want to see what happens when she swallows and if the food actually goes to her stomach. Maryam still has trouble gaining weight. She is already eleven months old, but she fits the clothes of a two month old. After the test, a nurse took her back to the room in this big bed. Please pray for wisdom and for healing for this precious child.
Before I entered Maryam’s room at Sheba Medical Center today, her doctor approached to tell me about his plans for Maryam. Not only that her hearing test will take place tomorrow as planned, but on Tuesday morning the doctors also plan to do a video fluoroscopy because Maryam still has problems swallowing. A coworker from Shevet Achim will accompany her.
In addition to this, one day later, on Wednesday, an MRI will probably take place for Maryam and the doctors want to do a sleep test on Maryam. In the last few days, Maryam’s oxygen level has often dropped while sleeping and when Maryam woke up afterwards, her oxygen level rose again. However, the date for this particular test has not yet been set – the doctors are in the process of organizing it.
We ask the Lord to be with Maryam during the many examinations. At the same time, we are grateful that the doctors are doing their best to help Maryam. What a blessing!
What a joy to see Maryam smiling like that! When I walked into her room still in Sheba Hospital today, she grinned brightly at me. She opened and closed her eyes again and again. Her grandmother and I were very happy about it. Especially because this little girl has gone through so much and spent most of her life in the hospital, it’s nice to see her like this.
Unfortunately, the nurse didn’t have such good news to report this time. Recently, Maryam’s oxygen levels have partially dropped. Therefore, some tests should be carried out soon.
Also, a hearing test is to be carried out next Monday in order to find solutions for Maryam’s hearing ability.
God bless Maryam on her journey and be with her when the tests come. Please also give strength to the family that supports Maryam so faithfully on her way.
Today I visited precious Maryam and her grandmother. Little Maryam is slowly receiving small Portions of food through her mouth. She is also slowly gaining some weight. This is wonderful to hear from her doctor. Please pray she continues to gain weight and will soon be able to go back to her family. We would pray for strength and courage for her family in Gaza.
After the PEG tube was placed right last week Maryam is finally gaining a little bit of weight and her doctors are happy about that. They still want to keep her at least until next week cause they want to get sure that she is really getting better and she is also getting a couple of other tests in that time for her eyes and ears. Please keep praying that she will gain more weight and grows.
After Maryam had been admitted yesterday, the doctors were able to get a clear picture of the situation today. Yesterday they found out that Maryam is still severely underweight. Although she is already a year old, she is not much heavier than when she was born. One of the reasons for this is that Maryam’s feeding tube kept slipping. The doctors have now fixed that. They also discuss how to deal with Maryam’s deafness. She might get a hearing aid for that. Only then will she be able to speak. When I got to Maryam’s room, a genetics doctor was there, also running some tests on Maryam.
All of these investigations do not allow an early discharge. Maryam will have to stay at Sheba Medical Center for at least seven days. Then the doctors will decide on the next steps. We pray for Maryam and her grandmother who stands so faithfully by her side. May God bless them and show them His goodness.
Today I finally got to meet the enchanting Maryam. Before I came to Israel, I followed her medical progress on the Shevet Blog. She is a warrior and a miracle of God.
I accompanied her and her lovely grandmother to an Echo at Sheba Hospital. The doctor then said that the echo report looks fine, but Maryam’s enormous underweight makes him worried. Maryam just won’t gain any weight.
The doctor said he would rather keep her in the hospital for a few days. Not gaining weight is not due to anything cardiological, so he wants to have a dietician see her soon to help her gain the weight she needs.
Maryam is in the hospital now but hopefully only for a few days. I would be very happy for her if Maryam could go home soon. Let us pray specifically for this time in the hospital that the cause of her not gaining weight is found out quickly so that this sweet and so brave little girl can be helped quickly.
Our cute Maryam finally had her discharge from Sheba Hospital today! Her grandmother could barely make it through an hour without asking me when we will leave. The doctors already had everything ready at 9 AM, explained everything to Maryam’s grandmother and told her what to do when there’s a problem with Maryam’s PEG, but we had to wait until the afternoon for the hospital in Gaza to make sure there is enough space in the two days she will stay there.
In that time, Maryam had seen the whole hospital at least five times and made about ten photo shoots. When the message came that the Gaza hospital will have space and Maryam and her grandmother will be picked up at 5 pm, they were so fast with packing all their things together.
Finally, the ambulance didn’t come at 5pm but at 7pm. The waiting time wasn’t that boring though. There were always some other mums who came and sat with us, talking to Maryam’s grandmother for the last time after having spent so much time together in hospital.
Our little Maryam will come back in the middle of December for an echo and some other follow-up appointments. The two of them sure will he missed, although it was easy to share their joy of heading back home.
Thank you, Lord, so much for Maryam and her grandmother, that they can go home and meet their family and friends again. They had a wonderful day today with all the other mums and it was great to see them so happy! Please stay with them during their time in Gaza, that Maryam does well and they don’t have any complications with her PEG!
When we arrived to Maryam’s room this morning at Sheba her grandmother lit up with joy to see Jakob and immediately greeted and welcomed the new Shevet volunteer Grant. We talked and talked with broken English, broken Arabic and broken Google Translate! Maryam was wide awake – noticing everything with her beautiful bright eyes and was grasping for anything within reach with her delicate long fingers. Maryam looks like she is feeling good today, but a bit fussy with hunger as she awaits her planned swallow study this morning – still very tiny and needing to gain more weight and strength.
We all crowded into a transport van to be driven to the radiology building and Grant & Grandmother gowned up in lead covering to be able to hold and to feed Maryam during the imaging study. Such a tiny delicate miracle child to hold. The grandmother fed Maryam first a soft food with a spoon, and then a bottle – to be able to test Maryam’s swallow ability with both types of substances. Both foods were mixed with Barium to allow for the moving X-ray to capture the image of her swallow ability. Maryam was a perfect little subject for the testing – pleased to eat the soft food, but then very eager for the bottle. When we were done, it was difficult to explain to the grandmother why Maryam couldn’t finish the bottle mixed with Barium that she was enjoying so much. But eventually the grandmother, who is so gracious and patient was able to understand. With a full tummy, sweet tiny Maryam immediately fell sound asleep – unphased by the loud and bouncy drive back to the children’s hospital.
We will wait until tomorrow for the results of this study and are eager to hear answered prayers that this last barrier has been cleared so that Maryam can return to Gaza. The news is that Maryam will be transported by ambulance to the hospital in Gaza tomorrow. The grandmother expressed relief to think about having Maryam closer to her family, and closer to her mother. We are rejoicing with the grandmother and praising the Lord for his steadfast love and faithfulness that has brought this tiny child thus far. Still a long road ahead for Maryam, but we trust and rejoice at the same time.
This morning at Sheba Hospital, I saw Maryam first, as I do almost every day. Her grandmother was taking her in her stroller almost everywhere and it’s so great to see how curious Maryam is. With all the duvets and toys inside the stroller it doesn’t just look like a stroller, but a portable hospital bed!
After some fun-time with Maryam and her grandmother, a doctor told me they have worked out a whole plan for Maryam until Wednesday. On Monday, Maryam will have an echo follow-up appointment to make sure everything is good with the cardiologists. On Tuesday, she will have another fluoroscopy. On Wednesday, she can finally return to her family in Gaza, however at first Maryam will go to a hospital in Gaza to make sure everything is good with her PEG, but after two days she will be able to really go home.
Her grandmother was so joyful and relieved. She is looking forward to seeing all their family again. Let’s pray together for little Maryam, that her next examinations will go well so they can go home at last without any difficulties.
Today, after the holidays of Sukkot, we came back to visit our sweet Maryam and her grandmother. It was good to hear that Maryam no longer has a fever or antibiotics. Right now the doctors are in the process of deciding on transferring her to a hospital in Gaza since they still would like for her to gain some more weight. So today they will consult with a gastroenterologist and do an upper GI test before making a further decision.
Please join us in prayer for a good outcome for little Maryam and that she will be able to gain some weight and get stronger! Our Lord is faithful to bring strength and restoration to frail bodies!
Yesterday at Sheba Hospital, our sweet little Maryam once again had her PEG re-inserted to her stomach. All went well and it’s now securely in place. Her grandmother has also been taught how to work Maryam’s feedings so when they return to Gaza, there should be no problem concerning her nutrition.
Unfortunately, little Maryam will still have to wait a couple more days in hospital since she is now experiencing a high fever and has been put on antibiotics. She will also have an echo tomorrow, as well as one more before going home. Let’s pray a blessing on Maryam, we know that His plans for her are to prosper and to give her a hope and a future.
Our little Maryam was doing well on her PEG feeding tube – but she doesn’t seem to like it very much. After the weekend, she dislodged her tube four times, and right now she has a temporary Foley catheter to her stomach.
Today the surgeons will replace her PEG tube. They are still hoping that she will be doing well enough to discharge this week. Her grandmother is definitely looking forward to going home, but she wants to make sure that her beloved granddaughter gets the best possible care, whatever it takes.
Today little Maryam was a bit tired, but she enjoyed playing with coworker Elise for a few minutes. Please pray that her new PEG tube works well, and that our sweet girl will be able to return to her mother soon. Her life is a miracle, and we pray that God will continue to grant her a special blessing throughout her life.
Maryam’s grandmother was waiting for the eyes and ears test today at Sheba Hospital. The doctor indicated that given the progress, he does not think it is necessary to test now. Any surgery is now neither necessary nor useful.
The doctor considers it quite possible that recovery will take place. Maryam has a clear look and also follows movements. There is a chance that Maryam will be discharged from the hospital next week. Thank God for this wonderful recovery thus far, and let’s pray for further recovery. It’s nice to see and talk to a grateful grandmother.
On our way to floor five to visit Maryam we had to wait in front of the elevators. To our surprise Maryam grandmother met us while waiting there with little Maryam in her arms. She told us that Maryam was so good that she could take her out of the pediatric ward to discover the halls of Sheba a bit. When I went upstairs to ask the doctors about any updates they could tell me that Maryam will be discharged on Sunday. The discharge is depending on some equipment we have to organise but then she’s good to go home.
“Lord please bless Maryam in the following days so she can gain enough strength for her discharge. Thank you for all the things you already did for her.”
Today the doctors at Sheba Medical, shared with us the news that sweet Maryam is not gaining as much weight as they would want her to. They weigh her every Monday and Thursday and so they are waiting now for next week to see if her weight is improving.
For now they are not concerned about the situation and just want to give her more time. Maryam was nearly falling asleep when I visited her and so I left the room together with her lovely grandmother again.
Please pray that Maryam will gain weight and grow!
Today is the Rosh Hashana, the Feast of Trumpets and the new year in Israel. In our morning studies, we talked about how to show the love of God to the people around us. Often it could be such simple things like giving a smile.
Later in the day, when we went to Sheba Hospital to the Pediatric ICU, we got good good news that little Maryam was no longer in the ICU, but on a pediatric ward. When we arrived at the ward, Maryam’s grandmother recognized me right away. She said with a big smile, “Oh, it is you who made Maryam smile last time you were here!” I realized how much these visits mean for the parents and relatives that can spend weeks and sometimes months in the hospital.
When we talked with Maryam’s doctor, we were assured that Maryam was on the right track. Her grandmother told us that the previous night had been a rough one with not so much sleep, as Maryam had been awake. We had a good time talking via Google translate, with some laughter, some tears.
Coworker Tineke joined me on the visit and asked Maryam’s grandmother how she was feeling; you could see that our caring for her well-being touched her heart. So this compels me to ask that you please pray for the well-being both of the children and their relatives when you consider praying for this unique work.
For Maryam in particular, please pray that she will continue to gain weight.
Little Maryam is recovering very well from her PEG placement surgery at Sheba Hospital a few days ago.
Today Maryam was moved to the intermediate ICU and doctors are even planning to move her directly to the pediatric ward soon. That’s a good step for Maryam and we are very happy to see her improving.
Maryam’s grandmother can be found everywhere around the hospital, always very kind and caring for other people. We’re praying Maryam will gain weight now and ask for blessings on her amazing grandmother!
After her surgery at Sheba Hospital yesterday, Maryam is doing really well and remains stable. As I entered her room, I saw already that she was extubated. The doctor said she is recovering well.
When I visited her today, Maryam was sleeping peacefully. I wondered again how God is working on this tiny little child through the expertise of the medical staff. He cares for this precious baby and has done so many great things, which we have seen in the last few weeks.
Coworker Lena visited Maryam earlier today, and said that Maryam had problems falling asleep even though she was really tired, I was grateful to see her finally sleeping when I arrived.
We continue to pray for this little child and her improvement as her treatment goes on.
Today at noon, our little Maryam went into a surgery at Sheba Medical Center to insert a PEG tube to her stomach. The surgery finished successfully two hours later.
When coworker Gustav and I visited her room after the surgery, she was already awake, moved her tiny hands and legs, and stared at us with her big eyes as usual. “Maryam is strong,” whispered her grandma by the bedside to us in English, and indeed God has given Maryam strength to go through a series of the surgeries. She was intubated to sedate the pain after the surgery, but otherwise she is doing well.
We give thanks to our good Lord for the skilled medical staff who performed a successful surgery and for Maryam’s strength. We pray that she may recover from the surgery, be extubated soon, and gain some more weight. Thank you for your prayers with us.
We visited little Maryam today at Sheba Hospital. She was awake but alone in her room. We could tell that she was glad somebody was there for her. She had a cute pink mobile hanging above her which we turned on and as soon as the music started she moved her head in the rhythm of “twinkle twinkle little star.” She even gave us a sweet little smile! We really enjoyed seeing Maryam this happy and so full of life.
When we asked a doctor how Maryam is doing, we were told that Maryam will get a PEG tube in her stomach so she can gain more weight. They are hoping Maryam will be able to eat by herself someday soon, a very big step.
We are so thankful for the liveliness of little Maryam. Please pray for her and that everything the doctors have planned will work for the best for Maryam.
Today, when I was in Sheba Hospital, waiting for another child’s surgery, I came across Maryam in her stroller accompanied by her grandma. Maryam started at me with her big eyes, crying because of hunger. I was happy to see her outside of her room and having an appetite.
Later I talked with the doctors and they are planning to have her gastronomic surgery on Tuesday next week, to insert a feeding tube directly to her stomach.
Let’s pray and keep asking our good Lord for Maryam’s continuous improvement, and for a good preparation for the surgery next week. Thank you for being with us in prayer.
Today Maryam‘s grandma and I went to the dentist at Sheba hospital because she was experiencing pain from her teeth. The dentists found that one of the teeth had an inflammation. She needs to extract it in the future, but for now they opened it to reduce her pain. After the treatment, she was very grateful for us taking her to the dentist, repeatedly said, “Shukran,” which means thank you in Arabic. She happily offered us cups of juice, some snacks and food.
Afterwards, back in the children’s wing of the hospital, I visited Maryam’s room in the intermediate ICU. The doctors explained to me that she is going to have a gastronomic surgery soon to insert a tube to her stomach as a nutrition port. Currently she has a tube in her nose as you see in the picture, but they want to change it so that she can receive nutrient directly to her stomach. The date for the surgery has not been decided, but hopefully next week sometime.
Also the doctors are planning to give Maryam a neurological examination to check her hearing, as she didn’t pass the screening test; doctors want to do a more detailed examination of her. There is a possibility that she is hard of hearing.
Let’s keep giving thanks and praying for Maryam’s condition. Our good Lord is a merciful Father to everyone. Let’s thank Him for keeping Maryam stable in her recovery. We’re also praying for weight gain and some growth, and for her ability to hear. Also we pray for for Maryam’s grandmother’s tooth, that she would have no pain anymore. Thank you for being with us in prayer.
Today was a day of only good news for Maryam, so said her kind nurse. She told me that Maryam is much better than yesterday. Maryam doesn’t get oxygen support anymore and even with breathing only room air, her saturations are still good.
Also Maryam is slowly starting to drink milk from her own bottle again and is very slowly gaining weight. I’m so thankful to see her improving as she was so critical before her surgery and then had two very dangerous and big surgeries.
Thank you Lord for Maryam and how you’ve worked in her life! Please bless her and her lovely grandmother!
We visited Maryam at Sheba Hospital today and were full of joy to see her doing so well. She was moved to the intermediate ICU, where children that are out of critical condition are treated.
Knowing that little Maryam struggled a lot in the past few weeks, it is very surprising to see her extubated and without major support from machines. Her grandmother proudly showed us pictures of her big brown eyes and told us she is very happy that her granddaughter is doing so well. She still has to gain weight and grow stronger because she is very tiny for a seven month old, as you can see in the pictures.
We thank God for Maryam and the evidence of healing in her tiny frame and that she is with us even after weeks of not knowing if she would make it. We pray for continued work in her life, building health and growing more to be a strong young girl.
Beautiful Maryam was finally extubated on the weekend at Sheba Hospital, and is doing well and is stable. She is now receiving only the oxygen support. The doctors are planning to take it from her soon.
Let’s pray that our good Lord may keep His loving hand on little Maryam and in her healing, that she may stay stable and can be off from the oxygen support soon. Thank you for being with us in prayer.
Today at Sheba Hospital, little Maryam was awake and looking at me curiously after I walked into her room. As I looked into her big dark eyes, I thought about how beautiful she is, created by God. Even so, she is still very small, God thinks about her and cares for her like he does for every little child.
A doctor told me later that they thought in the morning about extubating, but they are still not sure if she is ready yet. If possible, they will maybe still extubate her today or maybe tomorrow. But for now she is still stable.
Join us in prayer for Maryam and her health as well as her extubation process, which again, we don’t know yet when that will happen. We know she is in the hands of God. Please also pray for the doctors, for wisdom and right choices at right times.
When we visited Maryam at Sheba Hospital today, the doctors joyfully told us they were able to close Maryam’s chest yesterday and that she is stable. They plan to remove her intubation tube tomorrow also. After this great news, the head doctor of the ICU told me a short anecdote that his grandfather shared with him, “If you want to make God laugh, you just have to make plans for the future.”
Even though we can’t make plans for the future, God exactly knows what is going to happen, so join us in prayer for Maryam. We pray that she remains stable and the extubation tomorrow will be successful.
One of the few Arabic words I know so far is, “Inshallah.” It means “God willing,” which fits perfectly in Maryam’s situation.
When we visited little Maryam in the Sheba Hospital ICU today, we were met with an exciting surprise– her chest has been closed since yesterday! This is a good step for her. She is stable and the doctors hope to take her off the ventilator in a day or two.
Maryam’s journey has not been an easy one, and we are so grateful for each step she takes toward recovery. Please continue in prayer for her and the doctors and nurses caring for her.
At our visits to Sheba Hospital today, we could see Maryam in the Pediatric ICU, laying in her big bed with a steril cloth on top of her chest. I asked the nurse when they will close her chest, and she said tomorrow.
This is not just a good sign that shows Maryam is finally stable enough, but it also enables us to be with little Maryam in her room and not just in front of the big glass ICU door. Today I still had to wait outside, but I’m looking forward to spending some time with Maryam and communicating to her that she’s not alone.
May the Lord be with the doctors tomorrow and give them the concentration they need for this procedure, and bless Maryam with strength and a sense of His presence with her.
At Sheba Hospital today, tiny Maryam had mitral valve repair surgery. Before the surgery, her grandmother told me the doctors had said it would be a very long surgery, probably six or seven hours.
Maryam’s grandmother was very worried and sad as they wheeled Maryam into the OR; she sat and cried for several minutes after that. Co-worker Luisa and I sat and prayed with her, and she calmed down. Maryam is her only grandchild, and very dear to her.
Thank God, after only four hours, Maryam was wheeled out. The doctors said the surgery went very well. Maryam’s chest is still open, though they say this is routine practice for a baby as small as she is.
So far, the repaired valve is functioning well, with no backwash. The doctors want to keep her chest open till Sunday so that they can easily intervene if needed. If Maryam is still stable on Sunday, they hope to close her chest then. Praise God for this successful surgery!
Please pray Maryam will continue to recover and thrive beyond even our greatest hopes. God has done amazing work in her tiny body, and we pray He will continue.
Maryam’s condition has been getting more difficult every day. The valve between the two left chambers of her heart isn’t closing properly and so the blood coming from the lungs is not able to flow back to the lungs. The doctors tried to resolve this problem with some medication, but still she is deteriorating.
This is why doctors have decided they want to fix this valve, the mitral valve, in a surgery tomorrow. Valve surgeries are always very complicated and dangerous, but for a child in Maryam’s condition, it is even harder.
Please pray for her as she goes into such a dangerous surgery tomorrow morning! God please give the doctors success and heal Maryam!
As we entered Maryam’s room in Sheba Hospital, her Grandmother was really happy to see us. We talked shortly to her and we all could see how strong Maryam is fighting.
Since yesterday, Maryam is reintubated again as she had problems with breathing on her own. Thank God she is stable today. The doctors want her to gain a little more weight and get stronger before they can extubate her again.
We pray Maryam keeps growing as she is still very small for a seven month old, and needs the weight and strength to better receive being extubated.
When coworker Lena and I visited Maryam at Sheba Hospital today, we were stunned at how weak she looked, but also amazed how she tries very hard to breathe on her own.
The doctors extubated her today to see how she will be doing by herself. Because she is still very weak, she got some help with medication. They also want to keep an eye on her and decide in the next hours if they have to intubate her again.
Please pray for her that she will be well and able to breath on her own. Will you also include the doctors in your prayers? We ask for God to bless them. They work hard.
We were all happy to hear this morning that Maryam is still stable two days after her complicated surgery at Sheba Hospital. She is even doing so well, that they wanted to extubate her today. But her temperature was a little high, so they decided to wait and maybe extubate her tomorrow.
She is occasionally waking up, moving her tiny arms and making faces.
Please continue praying for this cute little girl, that she may recover well and become a big and strong girl.
Praise God, Maryam is still stable on the first day after her big and difficult surgery at Sheba Hospital. The staff in the ICU is very satisfied with her condition. We‘re so thankful to God for answering our prayers for Maryam.
Maryam is still intubated, but she already showed signs of waking up. Her eyes were open when we entered the room and she even moved her arm a little bit.
Her medicamentous heart support also could be reduced to a minimum today. God willing, Maryam can be extubated soon. Let us in the first days after surgery especially, pray for Maryam to remain stabile.
Today was finally the big surgery day for our tiny Maryam at Sheba Hospital. Everyone, including the doctors, felt some fear of the outcome of this surgery. So we were very surprised and happy, as after only a little more than five hours, Maryam was back in her room.
Her surgery went the best way they could have expected it to. They placed a patch over her AV-canal, that is, the hole between the four chambers of her heart, and were able to repair her valve instead of placing a mechanical one.
When Maryam was back in her room, she was bleeding a little bit and they had problems stabilizing her for a while, but by the time we left the hospital, Maryam was stable. We need to see how she recovers, especially the first hours are very critical.
Further in her future, Maryam may need another surgery, but this depends on the success of this surgery and how she is recovering after it. So please pray for a good recovery for little Maryam and for strength for her grandmother!
Tomorrow at Sheba Hospital, Maryam will be in surgery. She is still very small, but as she has pulmonary hypertension, an oversupply of blood flowing to her lungs, and has an AV canal, she really needs to have surgery soon.
This will be a very complicated surgery. Please pray for the doctors for wisdom during the surgery and for strength for Maryam to get through it.
Maryam is still stable and intubated after her catheterization at Sheba Hospital on Thursday. She will need surgery as soon as possible and the doctors want to do it this week, though they haven’t scheduled it yet.
This surgery will be very complicated and not straight forward as Maryam doesn’t only have pulmonary hypertension and too much blood flowing to the lungs, but she also has problems with her valves.
There isn’t an easy solution for her; the surgery will be dangerous for her. Please pray for wisdom for the doctors, that they will know what to do best in this surgery and how to help Maryam in the best way possible.
Maryam had a diagnostic catheterization today at Sheba Hospital. She is still stable and intubated, but the doctor said that she has pulmonary hypertension and oversupply of blood to her lungs.
Her sweet grandmother is happy to be with her, though it’s very hard for her to see her beloved granddaughter like this. Hopefully the doctors will meet on Sunday to discuss the next steps for her.
Please pray that they will find a good solution for beautiful little Maryam.
Little Maryam is still in the pediatric ICU of Sheba Medical, where she was moved a few days ago because her condition worsened and she had to be intubated. Today she had an ECHO and will be having a diagnostic catheterization tomorrow.
Also today, her escort switched out and Maryam’s grandmother will be with her from today on. When we visited Maryam, her mother was really worried about her and about her being in the normal ICU now. Please pray that her mom can have peace leaving her daughter with her grandmother in the hospital. We also hope and pray for the doctors to have wisdom on how to treat Maryam effectively.
Today we visited Maryam at Sheba Medical Center. She was moved from the secondary ICU to the normal ICU yesterday. She is having some trouble gaining more weight and the doctors want to watch her more.
When we entered Maryam’s hospital room, she was sleeping and her mother was very tired too. We really hope for Maryam to get better and to successfully gain more weight!
Little Maryam and her lovely mother are still in the Secondary Pediatric ICU of Sheba Medical. Her doctor told me today the disappointing news that she is still not gaining weight. They are giving her everything they can and feeding her via tube, but she is not improving.
For now, the doctors just want to give her more time and wait for another week in the hope that she will gain weight during this time.
Today Maryam’s mum wasn’t feeling well, so we had to go to the Ob-Gyn emergency department. She is 14 weeks pregnant and had a side pain on her belly and was very worried about the baby.
The medical staff was so kind to her, that they even looked for an Arabic-speaking doctor. He told her that everything is normal and that the baby is doing fine. Maryam’s mom was then relaxed and not worried anymore about her baby.
Regarding Maryam herself, there isn’t any news. She still has to grow and gain more weight to proceed with the next steps.
Little Maryam is our latest urgent arrival from Gaza. She’s six months old but due to her heart defect has been slipping backwards in recent weeks; her weight was just 2.7 kg (less than 6 pounds) when she arrived in Israel on Friday.
Doctors are giving her nutrition through a nasal tube to help her gain enough weight to go to surgery. As of today she is up to 3 kg. Have a listen to her plaintive little voice:
When I was looking for new arrival Maryam today in the Sheba Hospital Pediatric ICU, I couldn’t find her but only her mom talking with another mother from Gaza. She told me that Maryam is doing well and is moved to the secondary ICU.
The doctors did some genetic tests today, and now we are waiting for the results. For now Maryam is well and they think to even move her to the pediatric ward until she can have her surgery.
Let us pray for this tiny little girl and her sweet mother!
On Friday, six month old Maryam W. from Gaza, arrived to Sheba Hospital via ambulance. She needs an AV canal repair surgery, but before a surgery can take place, the doctors need Maryam to get bigger and stronger.
Maryam is such a little precious baby and looked really cute sleeping during our first visit, while we talked to her mom. Please pray for her to gain some weight and for the doctors, that they would have extra wisdom for this case, and will have a surgery date soon.
Little Maryam came to Sheba Hospital today after a while back home in Gaza. It was amazing to see how much this tiny baby we knew grew into a little girl though she’s still very small for her age. Her echo went very well and she was calm throughout most of it. Although she grew a lot in this time away, her aorta is really narrow so she needs another surgery soon. Her heart worsened but her eating is so much better now that she probably doesn’t need the PEG tube anymore. Maryam was in the hospital for a big amount of her time and therefore is less physically developed than a normal one year old. Her family is a little bit worried about her neurological state because she doesn’t move her legs on her own, nor tries to walk.
