I was so happy to run into Sami and his parents today while I was in the respiratory clinic area Sheba Medicl Center. It was unexpected, but a great turn of events, because I thought I would have to leave another child and her mom to go find them, but they found us. Sami needed to get blood taken and be given some immunizations today.

Every time I see Sami he is bigger and bigger. It is a good sign that the cardiac interventions have been successful and that he is well cared for by his loving mother and father.

Please pray for Sami to continue to grow strong and healthy.

Little Sami from Tulkarm arrived early this morning with his loving parents for a check-up with the doctor, including an echocardiogram and electrocardiogram. When I found him, he was sleeping peacefully after drinking a large bottle of milk. His parents greeted me warmly and it was great to see them all again. We are glad that Sami is growing so big and looking very healthy since he had a catheterization back in March during the war.

Pray for Sami to continue to grow strong and healthy, and for the doctors to have wisdom on the best possible treatment for him.

Nine-month-old Sami from Tulkarm was all smiles today when he came into Sheba Medical Center for his echocardiogram and EKG. He had a catheterization back in March during the war. Sami will have another echo in a few weeks to prepare for his next treatment. Please pray for Sami to be strong and healthy for his next procedure. 

Sami was looking very healthy and strong today at Sheba Hospital. It was only last month that Sami had a catheterization and was in the ICU wartime hospital in one of Sheba’s parking garages.

After the catheterization Sami had some issues with a weaker pulse on his right leg and coldness due to weak blood flow. His parents were concerned about that today and hoped to find some answers.

The doctor was very happy to see Sami looking in such good health and spirits. The issues of weaker pulse and coldness in his foot were not detected and Sami was given a good report. Sami’s Batman shirt was a great choice because Sami looked super strong.

We give thanks to God for Sami’s improvement and strength, and pray that he continues to grow stronger and healthier everyday.

We rejoice in Sami being discharged from Sheba Hospital today! Sami has made improvements and his doctor felt confident that he was able to return home. Sami received a catheterization and an aortic valve dilation was performed, which involves ballooning the valve to improve the valve function by enlarging the opening. The poor little guy also had a fever and Rhino virus while he was hospitalized. Sami’s father and mother were anxious to return home to their young daughter and to celebrate the holiday feast for them that happens soon.

Though I did not arrive in time to see them off, I was glad to hear that they were able to return home because it has been a difficult week for them in the underground parking lot bomb shelter turned hospital. It is not an ideal place, but we thank God for the amazing people of Israel, we appreciate their love of life, and resilience in the face of opposition.

Please pray for Sami to increase in strength and health and that his narrow valve would enlarge. Pray for God’s provision for Sami’s parents, especially in the area of secure employment for his dad.

At Sheba’s underground Hospital today, I was relieved to see that little Sami is doing better. His heart rate is lower, his oxygen level is very good, and when I pointed these things out to Sami’s father, he was happy and grateful to God for his little son’s improvement.

It has been a difficult week for Sami and his parents, who also have a young daughter at home, during this holiday season. Thank you to everyone who has been praying for him. We see those prayers working on Sami’s behalf, and we thank God for his care for these children in need.

We ask that you continue to pray for Sami’s recovery, that his arteries would widen and his circulation would improve, that his heart valve would heal, and work properly. Also, pray for God’s provision for Sami’s parents, and that his father would have employment. Our Heavenly Father is able to provide healing and meet our every need, let’s lift up this family together to His throne of grace.

I caught up with Sami’s father this morning as he was passing through the Children’s Heart wing of Sheba Hospital. He reported that Sami is doing okay, but the doctors are trying to assess his condition and better understand how to treat him.

Sami now has a weaker pulse in his right leg and his right foot is colder than the left after his catheterization two days ago. When I visited Sami in the underground parking garage turned into the war-time hospital, he was sleeping peacefully, his mom also was napping.

I didn’t want to stay long because Sami and his weary parents have been through a lot the last few days, and on top of these troubles we are in a war zone. None of us have been getting very good sleep.

Pray for Sami and his family, that Sami’s condition would improve and that his parents would have stamina through their little son’s treatment.

Yesterday at Sheba Hospital, Sami had his interventional catheterization.

Today his parents brought him from the underground parking garage, turned wartime hospital, to have an echocardiogram, so that the doctors can make an assessment of his current condition. Sami has a narrowed valve that restricts the blood flow and a narrowing in an artery that makes his heart work harder to pump the blood. Also today Sami has a bit of a fever, and the doctors found that his right leg is colder and has a weaker pulse.

After the echocardiogram, Sami was transported back to the temporary wartime pediatric cardiac ICU in the underground parking garage.

Pray for little Sami to be healed of his fever, and that his heart valve would allow more blood flow. Pray for the doctors to have wisdom, knowledge, and understanding on how to best treat Sami. At this point, they are planning another catheterization in the near future.

There have been recent changes at Sheba Medical Center due to the war with Iran, one of which is that the catheterization for Sami was not in the usual cath labs, but at the adult heart hospital across campus. I needed to find Sami’s family early this morning, but Sami’s father was nice enough to help me. I sat with him and his wife while we waited during the catheterization. The procedure was moved to this other area because it is a large area in a protected facility.

During Sami’s catheterization an alarm for Iranian missiles sounded on our phones. I was sitting and talking to Sami’s father outside when the siren sounded. We went into the large shelter area with many other people. After the incident passed, we left the protected area and returned to the seating area. Shortly afterwards, the doctor came out of the lab and informed Sami’s parents about his procedure.

The doctors used a balloon to expand a heart valve opening, however the valve was rather stubborn. They then used a larger balloon, but it is not yet understood how much of a success this catheterization was at this stage. On the bright side, we were very happy to see little six-month-old Sami come out and wake up looking healthy and aware. He opened his large brown eyes and stared at me.

I was very pleased that he was doing so well. Sami was transported in the back of the ambulance. His parents jumped into the back and I was invited to ride along in the front of the ambulance with the “nurse” as the ambulance driver wrongly labeled Sami’s doctor (she and I assumed because she is a woman). The ambulance delivered us into the underground parking garage that was converted into the ICU to keep people safe during these times of war.

We have had children in this area before during the war in Gaza, after October 7th, because of all the rocket fire. Please pray for Sami to recover quickly, and for the doctors to understand the best step in his treatment.

Our brief visit to Sheba Hospital with Sami and his parents was interrupted by sirens warning of an imminent Iranian ballistic missile attack today. We led them to the bomb shelter behind the receptionist area in the lobby.

After the missiles were intercepted and the threat was eliminated, we exited the bomb shelter and a doctor examined Sami in a small quiet room. Sami seems to be doing well, praise God, and the doctor gave the go ahead for his procedure tomorrow.

Sami’s parents had brought him early this morning before coworker Berith and I arrived. He had an echocardiogram, and an electrocardiogram, after which, the doctor analyzed the results in preparation for his interventional catheterization.

Sami has a little sickness, just a small cough, but no fever. He is well enough for his procedure tomorrow morning. Please pray for Sami, that his catheterization will go well, and his health will improve, and he will be strong and healthy.

Little baby Sami came to Sheba Medical Center today for an Echocardiogram. He has a surgery in a couple of weeks and his doctors are getting an understanding of how to best treat this sweet child.

Please pray for Sami’s upcoming surgery to be successful and for Sami to be healthy and to heal.

Sami was back to Sheba Hospital for an echo today, and his cardiologist Dr Khalid believes he will need another surgery soon. The next step is a CT, and based on the results scheduling him for hospitalization.

Sami was discharged from Sheba Hospital today after having a successful catheterization. It was a blessing to see and talk to his parents who were happy to take their three-month-old boy home.

Sami will need additional surgery in the future, but we thank God for this win. Pray for Sami to heal and be strengthened in the meantime.

Today, three-month-old Sami received a catheterization at Sheba Medical Center. The catheterization helped to reveal to doctors that his ascending aorta has a narrow passage, this issue will need surgery in the future, but right now Sami is doing well. He was looking healthy and moving around in his bed after the procedure.

Please pray for Sami to continue to grow stronger, and that the doctors would have wisdom for his next procedure in the future.

Baby Sami from Tulkarm returned to Sheba Medical Center for an ECHO and an EKG. His peered out of his cozy blanket he was wrapped in. His tan skin and bright eyes gave him a healthy appearance. The doctors confirmed that Sami has the genetic disorder called DiGeorges Syndrome. He needs an interventional catheterization for dilation of his aortic valve due to stenosis. He has another appointment for another ECHO in a week and the results will help the medical team to determine the next steps in his treatment.

Please pray for wisdom for the doctors to determine the best treatment, and for continued healing.

Sami from the West Bank has recovered remarkably well. Early this week he was able to be moved into the secondary ICU at Sheba Medical center, and then discharged on Thursday! Sami has been with us for almost three weeks, and had his surgery shortly after that.

Please join us in thanking God for Sami’s quick recovery, and that he will have a good and safe time of growing while at home.

When we went to see Sami at Sheba Hospital today, he was extubated and awake! He even held my coworker’s finger.

He is still on positive pressure oxygen, and upon our inquiring, the doctor told us that his chest X-ray looked much better. We are always grateful for good news.

It’s the day after Sami’s surgery, and as Ruth and I looked in at him resting in his bed in Sheba Hospital, we marveled at how delightfully pink he looked! The doctors had wanted to extubate him today, but decided they will wait a little longer yet. He has some fluid in his left lung. God willing, it will be treated quickly.

Pray it is so.

Baby Sami was born with a nearly-blocked aorta, and kept alive in hospital in the West Bank through medication that kept open a ductus which normally closes after birth. So it was urgent to get him to an advanced medical center in Israel as soon as possible; one ambulance this afternoon brought him to the border crossing, and a back-to-back transfer took place to an Israeli ambulance, which then rushed him into the Sheba pediatric cardiac ICU where he was stabilized and evaluations began: