Today we could welcome Fatoum to Israel because a Neurology appointment at Sheba Hospital was on her schedule. First, the doctor asked many questions about her current situation. Her mother reported that Fatoum repeatedly had problems walking or climbing stairs and that she had a limp. Then the doctor did some tests on Fatoum. Among other things, he let Fatoum draw something. It was a fantastic task because Fatoum is very passionate about drawing. When the task was already over, Fatoum took a pencil case from her small backpack and completed her picture with colors. You can see the result in the photo.

Following the tests, the doctor reported that they showed generally good results. He believes that the limp originally came from the 2017 surgery. It came back because of her surgery a few weeks ago. Now a physical therapist will be required to treat it. Fatoum will visit him in Gaza and with his help, the problem will be solved, God willing.

In the evening we drove back to the Gaza border and took a quick break at the pharmacy where Fatoum got chewing gum as a reward for her patience today. God bless the physical therapist who will be treating our dear Fatoum.

I visited Fatoum in the intensive care unit today after her surgery, which took place a few days before. A doctor told me that there is still air trapped in the lungs. That’s why they use a tube to drain air from the chest now. Fatoum is doing better today than yesterday, but she still has to stay for another monitoring.

Lord, please help Fatoum and her mother at this challenging time. The mother told me that Fatoum has been depressed and sad since her surgery. Please give her new strength and recovery. It was even more beautiful to see Fatoum smiling for a photo today. Her mother was also very happy to see her daughter happy after days of sadness. And when I left the hospital at the end of a long day, I even saw Fatoum take the first small steps with her mother. How nice to see that. That makes optimistic about progress!

Fatima was operated on today at Sheba Hospital, she had her Fontan Surgery and it is the last of three stages of surgeries for her. What has been done today was to reroute
blood from the lower half of her body to go straight to the lungs instead of to the heart first.

While Fatima was being operated on, I took care of her mom who was very nervous and worried about her daughter. While we waited, she showed me proudly the pictures of Fatoum. Then she read the Koran and when she cried I hugged her and shared her tears to show her that I share her pain.

After a few hours, the doctor came with the good news that Fatoum is fine. The operation went well and the chest could be closed immediately.  The attempt to remove the tube went also well.  Fatoum is stable and now recovering in the ICU.

Fatoum’s mother couldn’t wait to see her daughter safely returned to the ICU room. She is very thankful to have her daughter back but still strained and overwhelmed from the last few hours of extreme anxiety and fear for her daughter. As we hugged goodbye, we both had tears in our eyes. Please pray for Fatoum’s recovery but also for strength and comfort for her mom.

Today I was able to spend my whole day with our little Fatoum. She stayed the last night with us in our beautiful Ashdod house named ‘Revayah,’ which she was so happy about. But because she loves Ashdod so much, it was very hard for us to maneuver her departure from the house. Her mother even said to me that Fatoum would like to go to school for two days and to Ashdod for two days each week. It made me so happy to hear that the families like our place!

When we arrived at Sheba Medical Center and walked through the admissions process, we had a lot of time together in the waiting area running, painting and chilling. Then came her ECG.

Then her X-Ray, where the radiologist was so kind.

He even gave Fatoum some stickers afterwards for her bravery!

It seemed like she liked them, at least she immediately stuck them on her face.

After the X-Ray, we brought Fatoum and her mother to their prepared hospital room.

At first she didn’t want to stay in the hospital, she cried and didn’t want to lay on her bed, but when her doctor entered the room and did first examinations, she was very calm and seemed to be interested in what was happening. It was really great to see her ending her long day in a calm and peaceful way.

Please pray for Fatoum and her mother, that they can make themselves at home and feel comfortable in the hospital. Please also pray for her surgery which will hopefully be on Thursday.

Today we had to go to Sheba Hospital very early for Fatoum’s CT appointment. After waiting patiently for over three hours, Fatoum was very calm while preparing for the CT.

During the imaging, we sat with Fatoum’s mother who was very kind to us. While waiting for another child of ours, I played with Fatima and we even learned a clapping game and tried to figure out how the vending machines work.

The doctors don’t know when Fatoum’s Fontan surgery will be, so we were able to bring them back to Gaza in the late afternoon, but we had much fun today.

We pray for beautiful Fatoum and her recovery; we bless her family and their time in Gaza until we will meet again for her surgery.

Meeting Fatoum dancing and playing with other Gaza kids in Sheba Hospital’s hallways was a great joy, after she was just the weekend before, brought to an ER at the same hospital.

On the weekend, Fatoum had to be taken to Sheba Hospital unexpectedly with an increased fever. We were all concerned about her condition, but today we were reassured because, thank God, she feels better. This morning the fever had already gone down significantly and her mother reported that a doctor had told her if this continues, Fatoum could come back to our community home in Ashdod tomorrow.

Her surgery is scheduled for next week – when exactly, we will find out soon. Please pray that Fatoum’s health will continue to get better and that she can spend some carefree days in Ashdod before her upcoming surgery.

At Sheba Hospital today, the Pediatric ICU staff confirmed Fatoum was ready to be discharged. After her cath two days ago, Fatoum was stable enough and ready to go to our community home in Ashdod and wait their for her planned surgery in the next few days.

Three hours later however, we had to go to the ER because Fatoum was shaking with fever, and was experiencing some chest pain. Once in the ER, doctors made an ECG, an X-Ray, a blood test, and also gave her some medication.

After the results a few hours later, an ER doctor decided to re-admit her and keep an eye on her. Fatoum’s fever wasn’t low as they expected and she had already had a fever the night before too. Her normal oxygen levels are lower than the regular rate as well, so the doctors wanted to make more tests and see how she reacts.

Please pray for Fatoum and the next steps for her.

Today Fatoum had her cath in the morning at Sheba Hospital. When coworker Elisa and I arrived at the hospital, Fatoum had already went into it. Later we found her concerned mother in Fatoum’s room.