Yes, Ali returned home to Hebron today, and tonight is safely home with his family. His father gives thanks to God, and also to us.

Today we greeted Ali, a two-year-old boy from Hebron born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, who has been through two surgeries with us in the past two years.He is a very active and happy boy with a lot of endurance. He came in today to be admited for catheterization which will take place tomorrow morning. As preparation he received an echo and an EKG.

Cheerful, chubby Ali was back in Sheba Hospital today, and as rosy-cheeked as ever. He arrived for an Echo and check-up.

On examination his cardiologist determined that he’ll need interventional catheterization again, and he’s already booked in for September, right between Yom Kippur and the start of Tabernacles.

I ran into Ali and his mother in an elevator and it looked like he needed a rest. Thank God for this precious life, and for allowing us to be part of it.

Ali had his interventional catheterization early this morning at Sheba Medical Center in a huge bomb shelter which was designated as an operating area and which was very valuable today because we had many missile alerts.

A few times during Ali’s procedure, we needed to take refuge in that bomb shelter area. I waited with Ali’s mother who seemed to be rather calm and not too nervous considering the multiple difficulties and challenging circumstances. She is a very kind woman, she even brought me a cup of coffee. It was so nice of her, Arab hospitality is unrivaled.

When Ali’s procedure was completed, he was wheeled out in his bed and the doctor gave us the wonderful news that Ali was doing well and the catheterization was a success. Then he was transferred by ambulance and we rode together to the underground war-time hospital in the parking garage.

Please pray for Ali to recover quickly without complications and would be able to return home soon.

Ali was scheduled for catheterization today, but when we caught up with him after a morning full of missile alerts he was still in the massive, makeshift underground ICU. His intervention will be delayed until tomorrow due to the wartime circumstance.

It is a challenging place for his mother to wait due to the constant noise and lack of privacy; but we found Ali himself to be full of joy and energy.

As we left Ali’s mother encouraged him to blow us a kiss, a prompting which, as inevitable with small children, he initially resisted.

But he relented as we turned away. Please pray with us for blessing and healing for Ali tomorrow.

We are thanking God that Ali from Hebron was able to return to Sheba Medical Center early this morning in preparation for a catheterization tomorrow morning, a catheterization we thought would be postponed until a later unknown date.

Ali was looking very stylish in his matching sweatsuit and was very happy, his bright smile lit up the room as he walked over towards me holding his mother’s hand.

Ali had an X-ray in preparation for his procedure tomorrow morning. Please pray for Ali to have a good night’s rest, that his catheterization goes well, and that he heals quickly.

Little year-and-half-old Ali from Hebron returned again this month for a tentatively scheduled catheterization.

Unfortunately, we were told that he cannot have the procedure at this time with the war, the many missiles make it difficult to find a safe place to perform the procedure without interruption. He will have to wait a little while longer until this conflict subsides. However, we are thankful that just like his last visit on March 1st, Ali was not turned away. He received excellent care from the doctor and nurses. He was very uncomfortable and he cried and squirmed throughout his procedures, but we all felt compassion for this cute little guy with his red cheeks and cold, bluish fingers from poor circulation due to his congenital heart defects.

Please pray for Ali to have an opportunity to have the catheterization that he needs, and pray that the war ends soon so that he is able to receive it.

I met Ali early this morning at the Children’s Heart Hospital at Sheba Medical Center. The hospital sent out messages to the parents’ phones telling them not to come today for their scheduled appointment because of the war with Iran, the problem of having everyone to shelter, and only a few doctors working today.

It was a challenging situation for everyone. Despite the fact that Ali was not meant to come today, he was treated with such special care by the head doctors. I was so blessed to witness this. Even though the cardiac ward was under-staffed and we all had to run to the bomb shelter three times, they noticed that Ali was really in need of help. The head doctors came in and took over the echocardiogram from the technician and worked extra hard to find answers on how best to treat this eighteen month old boy. Ali has blueness on his fingers and near his chin from lack of oxygen and poor circulation.

Ali will return in a month for a follow up appointment. Please pray for Ali to heal from his cold and to be stronger, and for the doctors to understand how to best treat his heart condition. We want to thank the great doctors of Sheba that give exemplary care to all children, and embody the great Torah commandment to love your neighbor as yourself. Thank you!

It’s not yet two weeks since Ali’s surgery at Sheba Medical Center, and today the doctors discharged him. Praise God for his recovery!

While waiting for the discharge papers, coworker Ruth got to hang out with his family and become friends with this ceaselessly cute boy who is once more full of smiles.

He needs to return for a follow-up in a month, and he will probably need a cardiac catheterization in the near future. Until then, we pray for Ali’s health and well-being.

Ali was all smiles today, maybe because he knows he could be going home soon! But of course when I took my camera out he wouldn’t smile no matter how hard his mum and I tried to coax him into it.

The doctor told me that as of last night they are trialing him off oxygen for 24 hours to see how he will do. So good so far. If he maintains a good level he could be discharged.

On the other hand, despite the improvement of coming off oxygen Ali has a little cough, and the doctors noticed weak movement on the right side of his diaphragm, we pray this is minor! They therefore performed an ultrasound of which we await the report. All in all, Ali is looking healthy, he has good colour and is much happier.

Praise God for this little cherub. Please pray that he maintains his oxygen level, that the ultrasound is normal and that he continues to go from strength to strength. God Bless him and his parents.

Ali is doing good after his surgery at Sheba Hospital yesterday. I was surprised that he was already extubated, and though very tired, was able to open his eyes and sneak a peek at us. It is a blessing to see a child doing so well after surgery.

Please pray for Ali that he will continue to improve after this major surgery. The doctors are pleased with his progress and we pray that it will continue.

Coworker Beth and I arrived early at Sheba Hospital hoping to catch Ali before his long-awaited open-heart surgery, but we missed him by a couple of minutes; disappointing because we wanted to see his handsome, smiley face and pray him off into theatre.

Little Ali is sitting up in his secondary ICU room at Sheba Hospital, in good spirits and smiling. He is still scheduled for his surgery tomorrow morning.

His parents seem a bit aprehensive but they’re doing well.

Thank you for your prayers for Ali. He sure is a beautiful baby. God bless tomorrow’s surgery and bring him through it strong and improved via the skillful hands of the doctors and nurses.

When I walked in to Ali’s room today at Sheba Medical, i was greeted by a little boy full of smiles and deep belly giggles. It was completely wonderful to see and was easy to tell that he is clearly feeling better-praise God! His hand still has some wounded looking areas from where his IV cannula infiltrated, but other than that he is doing great.

We were so pleased that he was cleared to go home. Please pray for Ali, as he will have his next Open Heart Surgery on April 9th.

Ali had his long-awaited catheterization at Sheba Hospital today.

Coworkers and I waited for three long hours with his mother and father. Praise God, everything went well and the doctor told us that Ali was in good condition.

He was still very sleepy when we went to see him, the anesthesia had not entirely worn off, but he was breathing well and was very peaceful.

Ali will likely be discharged tomorrow and Ali’s long stay in the hospital will be over soon. He and his family are looking forward to being back home.

When I reached Ali’s room in Sheba Hospital, I was greeted by big smiles and laughter from little Ali. He is doing very well today and has been removed from oxygen-support.

He is well enough to go home and was almost discharged, but the doctors opted to keep him until next week when he will hopefully have a catheterization. For now, he is content to stay in the hospital and continue healing from his infection. We praise God for his healing of Ali and sustaining him through this infection and we pray that his body will become strong so that he responds to the catheterization well.

I was also pleased to see that a little lamb I gave to Ali for his very first surgery is still with him, keeping him company and bringing him smiles!

I met beautiful five month old baby Ali and his Mum for the first time this morning at Sheba Medical Center. They left Hebron in the West Bank at 5am to be admitted for Ali’s catheterization tomorrow.

The doctor took Ali’s vitals and was satisfied with Ali’s oxygen level and heart rate. After many hours of waiting to be admitted, however, the doctor gave Mum the unfortunate news that Ali’s catheterization would be canceled tomorrow due to too many emergency cases. I felt very bad for Ali’s mother as I understand now the lengths one has to go through to get from the West Bank to Sheba Hospital – it’s not a simple drive across town!

Written by Yedidyah and Ruth:

This was my first time meeting baby Ali and his quiet parents. While Ali slept most of the time I was there, he was awake at one point, during which his mother handed him to me to hold for a couple minutes. Ali smiled the whole time I held him and appears to be a very peaceful, happy baby!

This was a big day for little Ali, because he finally got discharged after 4 days in the hospital for a suspected gastrointestinal disease and desaturation. They had taken a blood culture, which had come back positive for the aforementioned disease. Suspecting the culture was contaminated, the doctors wanted to do another one. Since this second culture was negative, he was discharged, praise God! He will be coming back for a catheterization in one month, a bit before originally planned due to his minor deterioration, God willing. Please pray that in the meantime he remains healthy and happy and also that his catheterization will go well!

Today baby Ali returned to the hospital for a neurology appointment. Whenever very young children have extended times of treatment and unconsciousness, like Ali had, there is risk of brain damage; but the doctor who assessed him was very comfortable with his progress and standing, praise God! And indeed, I was so pleased to see Ali smiling and yawning and cooing and crying, vibrant with health. It’s such a wonderful transformation after seeing him lying on a hospital bed for so very long.

Ali has been continuing down the path of progress slowly but steadily. He was moved into the secondary ICU today, and doctors say the only thing they are waiting for before discharging him is an MRI to try and do more tests on his neurological status and find an explanation for the seizures he was experiencing.

His father is back in the hospital with him, meaning both parents are staying with him, lending more support to each other, and their young child. We are continuing to pray for Ali’s healing and God had continued to answer it.

Ali has slowly but surely been getting better and growing stronger since his surgery at Sheba Medical. The sepsis he was diagnosed with last week is no longer a major factor in his healing, praise God, and he is looking better each day we see him!

Today he was found in his mothers arms happily eating from a bottle, no IV medications, oxygen support, or anything. His color is slowly returning to him, and it is a blessing to see him get better by the day. It is always difficult to see children in the state he was in, but a blessing to watch him get better.

Today at Sheba Hospital, I found Ali extubated once again, and even awake! He was very tired and confused, but I got to speak with our newborn friend for the first time so far.

His parents were encouraged but wary, cautious of a repeat of the events of the last couple days, and indeed the risk remains. We now have to see once again if his body will endure the weight of extubating.

We pray for him!

Today I found Ali reintubated when I returned to Sheba Hospital. One of his lungs developed a bad infection and his body had begun to weaken after the procedure, and so they hooked him up again to give his body a chance to strengthen. Although this is not uncommon after surgery, and his heart still looks good, it is nevertheless hard and disappointing news, especially for his tired parents.

We pray for his healing and restoration, and that he will quickly be strengthened and extubated successfully.

Today at Sheba Medical Center, I found Ali extubated and sleeping on his own.

Although the extubation was not unexpected, I was surprised at how quickly and seamlessly it was performed. His vital signs all looked good and he was peacefully resting.

I realized last night that Ali hasn’t been able to really wake up since he was born due to all his sedatives; but his father told me that this morning he opened his eyes and looked around. “He was very confused,” his father said, laughing.

We praise God for the life of little Ali! He’s spent his first few weeks of life in an unconscious state, so he has some catching up to do. But it looks like he has an upward trajectory from here.

We pray all the same for his healing, and we trust our Lord to carry him through to safety.

Today at Sheba Medical Center, after several days without seeing him, I found little Ali in much better condition.

Although he’s still blue, he’s not so swollen, and he’s beginning to show signs of waking up. Praise God! After over a week of hovering, it’s welcome forward progress. This little boy has spent his entire life asleep so far, and we’re eager for him to awake and meet his parents.

Tomorrow the doctors will try extubating him, and, if that’s very successful, he will be spared further treatment for now. If not, or if poorly successful, he will likely need a catheterization. We pray for his success!

Ali’s gentle parents have been in the hospital tired but without complaint for some weeks now, and we’re eager for them to go home to their daughters alongside their beautiful baby boy.

Today we found Ali’s parents in the hallway outside the ICU, worried and weary as Ali’s chest was still open now six days after his surgery. Ali’s mother took me in to see him, and I prayed for him in the name of Messiah who brought down miracles of healing from God. As we emerged, the anesthesiologist unexpectedly called Ali’s mother over to sign a consent form–it was time to attempt the closure of his chest.

The ICU head walked past and commented what a complex case this is. Chest closure might work, and might not he said. Coworker Zech waited with Ali’s parents outside the OR, and within half an hour came news that the closure was completed and Ali was stable.

Tonight Ali’s relieved father reports that his son remains stable, and we together gave praise to God.

Ali continues to endure after his surgery. He is still presently very weak, and his chest remains open. He is proving more difficult than expected to stabilize.

His parents remain anxiously awaiting his healing; they fear entering his room because of the open chest and risk of infecting him. We pray and wait for his restoration.

Today newborn Ali had his emergency Norwood surgery at Sheba Medical Center. This complicated procedure lasted several hours, and throughout it his parents (and grandmother) waited anxiously and largely silently, stressed and worried for their firstborn son. We sat with them for much of it, waiting with them to hear news from the operation.

And praise God, the operation was successfully completed, and all that the doctors aimed to do they accomplished. However, they decided to leave his chest open for some days in order to make sure they could access any potential complications, and to relieve the excess pressure on the body from this new functioning heart.

We rejoiced at Ali’s successful surgery. Now we wait for his healing.

Ali is a five day old baby from Hebron who was emergently transferred to Sheba Medical Center today. He has been diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

When I arrived at the hospital he had been there for about one hour and the doctors and nurses were working quickly to stabilize him and his breathing. He is having difficulty breathing and they are helping him breathe with machines. The doctor said Ali is having a hard time and is very sick. He will need surgery, likely next week, and as the days progress they will do more tests and scans to determine the best plan forward for him.

Please lift up Ali in your prayers over the weekend, for his family as they wait with him, and pray for the nurses and doctors as they care for this little baby.