Today I went with Mohaned and his mother to a pulmonary appointment at Sheba Hospital. We had a lot of fun while we were waiting, and also during the conversation with the doctor Mohaned was very active and enthusiastic. After the conversation with the doctor which was very positive, because Mohaned is doing very well at the moment, we had another appointment with a physiotherapist.
Here Mohaned’s mother learned some exercises she can do to help Mohaned to make his lungs stronger. He did not have fun with all the exercises, but it was all good again when he was allowed to blow up a plastic glove.
We praise God that Mohaned is doing so well and that we could have a very nice and exciting day today.
This morning, coworker Luke and I picked up our good friends Mohaned and his mother at the Gaza border crossing and brought them to Sheba Medical Center for Mohaned’s echo appointment.
Mohaned is a happy little guy (as long as he’s not buckled into a car seat or having an ECG) so we had a good time in the waiting room. He was pretty fascinated by my volunteer badge, and insisted on fastening it to his own shirt. He then spent the rest of the waiting time strutting around the waiting room, patting his badge and informing all of us that he’s a big doctor.
Mohaned’s echo looks alright, and he’s feeling well. He’s nearly ready for the Fontan surgery, the last of the three operations needed to treat his single-ventricle heart, and his cardiologist wants to perform a diagnostic catheterization soon to collect more information before surgery.
At the end of the day, we drove back to the Gaza border with Mohaned and his mom. We’re looking forward to seeing them again soon.
After spending the night in our Ashdod house, Mohaned was taken to Sheba Medical Center pretty early this morning to prepare for his MRI scan. Thank God we didn’t have long to wait at that hour, and Mohaned was promptly called in for his scan.
First, his doctor wanted to place an IV for the anesthesia. Unfortunately that was really difficult to do and it took the doctors really long to find a good vein. Mohaned was screaming the whole time and had to be held by several people. Bad day for this poor guy!
After the MRI scan, Mohaned slept for another hour and soon started eating and drinking again after waking up. Mohaned’s doctors saw in the MRI scan that there is a problem with his pulmonary artery, so he will need a catheterisation soon.
Soon after the MRI we were ready to go and drove together back to Ashdod. Us volunteers always enjoy having Mohaned and his mom around. He is a really fun little boy and it’s so easy to make him laugh, thank God for this young boy and his overwhelming happiness.
They’re now back home in Gaza waiting for news about a date for Mohaned’s catheterisation.
Our cute Mohaned is discharged to go home. He feels so much better now. He is laughing and running around which is so much better than the last time I saw him when he only cried. His mother is also very happy that she can go home.
I pray that Mohaned will be stable until his next follow-up appointment in a couple of months.
Today I visited Mohaned at Sheba Medical Center. Two days ago he was admitted because of a high fever and now the doctors want to find out what the cause of the fever is. That’s why they are doing tests, like blood cultures now. No result so far, but Mohaned is doing a little better.
In his room we looked at pictures together on my cell phone and when I took the cell phone out of his hands for a moment to take a picture of him, he was very outraged. You can see his outrage in the picture.
Overall, however, the joy that Mohaned is on the mend, prevailed. Thank God!
Mohaned is still not feeling well the day after his surprise admission to Sheba. His oxygen saturations are better than yesterday, and he wasn’t running a fever this morning. The doctors still aren’t quite sure why he’s struggling so much. The tests done in the emergency room yesterday showed no virus, but when his temperature spiked again this afternoon, his doctor took more blood tests to confirm this.
When we asked Mohaned’s mother how she is doing, she laughed and shrugged. “I thought we’d be here just for two or three days for his appointments and then go home,” she told us in Arabic, “but I guess Mohaned likes the hospital.” It’s definitely been a more difficult and exhausting week than she’s expected. Please continue in prayer for both her and Mohaned as they wait for answers.
After spending half a week with us in our community home in Ashdod, Mohaned finally had his last appointment at Sheba Hospital today for dietary concerns. After the appointment, the plan was to bring him back to Gaza.
The reason Mohaned needed to go to the dietician is that he is not gaining enough weight. The dietician recommended a special milk with extra nutrition for him. Before the appointment, Mohaned’s mother told me that he developed a fever in the car. After the appointment, it became a little concerning to listen to his breathing, so we stopped by the ER to have him checked out. After regular testing, the doctor told me Mohaned’s sodium level is too low. This can be very dangerous, so they decided to admit him to the hospital.
I was able to spend some time with Mohaned and his mother who are loved by former members of the Shevet community. Please pray for Mohaned, for his mother due to have another baby soon, and for God’s continued blessings upon them.
After a few days with Mohaned in our house, we finally took him today to Sheba Hospital for his echo and the postponed dietary appointment. However, we had to wait several hours for his echo as his doctor was very busy. In the end, Mohaned was really tired and cried a few times but still it was easy to make him laugh again by playing with him.
Once the doctor was finally able to see him, she started making fun with Mohaned and he enjoyed the visit to the doctor so much better. He is doing really fine and will hopefully come back in four months for another echo. He will also get an MRI in the future as a preparation for the Fontan surgery. Because we saw the doctor so late, Mohaned wasn’t able to see his other doctor at the dietary. For this reason, it had to be postponed again.
After a long day, we finally reached Ashdod again where Mohaned and his mother will stay with us until tomorrow. Then he will finally have his dietary appointment and can hopefully go home with his mother. Even so we are happy to have them in our house and are always enjoying our time with Mohaned, we are glad that they can go home soon. Please pray for him and his mother and the appointment tomorrow.
Our good Shevet friend Mohaned came today to Israel with his mother for some follow-up appointments. The appointments were for pulmonology, endocrinology and dietary. We had to reschedule the last one because all the appointments took place later then planned.
In summary Mohaned is doing well. He is not growing enough in height, so this is something for the doctors to pay attention to. But in general Mohaned is doing well. He develops in the way he should.
He will be with us in Ashdod this weekend for an echo on Sunday. It is nice to have him and his mother in our house. The mother feels at home with us, since she spent a lot of time in the community last year.
Please pray for Mohaned’s condition. He is doing so well, so we can thank the Lord for that.
Today was a very long day for our little friend Mohaned. When we picked him up from Gaza, he was very tired and agitated, which lasted until we were in the Echo room at Sheba Hospital. But we managed to calm him down a little so he wouldn‘t be that scared of the Echo-machine. He was even kind of happy when he got the chance to play a bit with it.
When we were done with Mohaned’s appointments, his doctor told us that everything is fine and he just has to come back for a check-up-Echo in four months. When we heard that, we were very relieved and could enjoy the playtime in the waiting area. We will definitely miss cute Mohaned and are looking forward to seeing him again in four months!
Heavenly father, we want to thank you so much for little Mohaned and that we got to know him. Thank you, that he does so well, that he could go home today.
Today was a very long day for little Mohaned. He had a pulmonary and endocrinology appointment, because his breathing isn’t sounding that good.
We had to see some doctors and with that, an abundance of waiting time. But I was very impressed with the patient behavior of Mohaned’s mother and how joyful Mohaned can be. In every little thing, he saw something that made him happy. He was smiling at everyone who just happened to pass by. It was great to see how he spreads happiness throughout his surroundings.
After a few hours and with the help of coworker Doro, everything was done. Mohaned will have an ENT in six months, but he has to come back earlier for some check-ups. God, I thank you so much for this joyful little boy. Please keep Mohaned safe with you.
Today, coworkers Joanne, Hanna and I drove with a happy Mohaned and his mother from Ashdod to Sheba.
In the hospital, we had to wait some time for the doctor. Mohaned used the waiting time well by painting. He was feeling like a real artist.
And posed for some nice pictures.
Finally, the doctor examined at him. She explained to us that Mohaned is in a good condition, but because he had a fever and a cough, he needs antibiotics. Furthermore, he needs to do all the time his inhalations to put away the sputum in his lungs. The sputum could cause an infection, so it’s important that he takes his inhalations.
Also today, a physiotherapist took a sample to see if Mohaned has bacteria. If something isn’t right, they said they would call us.
Afterwards Mohaned was really tired and slept in the arms of his mother.
In their short time in Ashdod, we spent some time together. I sent a former coworker, Sabrina, a picture of Mohaned and his mother, because Joanne told me they had a special relationship. Sabrina responded with a voice message for Mohaned’s mother and together we listened to it. I could see how her smile grew bigger and bigger. She was so, so happy. We responded to Sabrina and I could see all the happiness and thankfulness in her smile and words. Also afterwards, she thanked me again for showing her the voice message. She was happy the whole evening. It was also good to hear from Sabrina that also Mohaned’s mother had an impact on her life, “She is like a sister for me and her son like my son.”
Also on our way back to Gaza, Mohaned’s mother showed Mohaned videos of Sabrina of the time they spent together in Jaffa. What a special place Shevet is to build such special relationships. I was very thankful to be a witness of this.
Mohaned also used the time in Ashdod to be friends with some of our Kurdish children.
In three months, Mohaned and his mother will come back for a pulmonologist follow up, together with an endocrinology appointment, because he is quite tiny for his age. Until then, he should take his inhalations and we can pray for him and his mother.
Today, coworker Joanne and I picked up a very happy Mohaned and his mother at Erez Border Crossing. Mohaned was smiling the whole drive, including every time I turned around to look back at him.
During his echo, Mohaned was very skeptical and screaming a lot. When it was done, his mother gave him some crackers and he was happy again.
The doctor looked at the echo and the ECG, which showed that Mohaned’s heart is in a generally good condition. But his right lung doesn’t look very good. So, we organized a pulmonology appointment for tomorrow. Mohaned and his mother will stay over night in our home in Ashdod for this appointment.
Each time I’m in the echo room with a child, I’m impressed by the methods used by mothers in calming down their children.
Especially with Mohaned’s mother, I was impressed. She was so loving and patient while at his side and gave him comfort, so he finally really stopped crying.
I’m sure we will enjoy the short time with cute Mohaned and his lovely mother in Ashdod. Hopefully his pulmonologist follow-up tomorrow will go well and they can help him. Thank you for your prayers.
After we missed little Mohaned’s appointment at Sheba Hospital’s Pulmonary clinic yesterday due to late permission to enter Israel at the Erez Border crossing, Mohaned and his lovely mother stayed with us in our Jaffa guesthouse.
So today was his follow up with the doctor in the Pulmonary Clinic.
After some time it turned out that Mohaned is in a very good condition. The doctor sent us to respiratory physical therapy and little Mohaned got an inhalation and some other assessments.
After two months there will be a check-up again. Please pray that his condition keeps going so well.
Our special boy Mohaned came from Gaza to Sheba for a check-up today.
It was, as always, a wonderful pleasure to see him and his mother. She is so friendly, and helped the other Gaza mothers whom we collected, to feel at ease with the daunting task of coming out of their home, and assimilating into Israel.
Mohaned, as usual, hated the echo and all assessments, despite the technician’s best efforts to coax him with bubbles and a Spiderman video to watch. A video call with his father helped him to calm down so that the assessment could go ahead.
Thankfully, the cardiologist found him to be in a relatively good condition, and she reminded the mother that his health is not only impacted by his heart condition, but also his respiratory system abnormality, so encouraged her to be doing the chest physio exercises very often.
We waited together for another family to be ready before returning to Gaza; Mohaned and his mother never expressing a hint of complaint about the long wait. It is so good to be in the company of someone with such a sweet and gentle spirit.
Please keep praying for God’s blessing over Mohaned and his family.
Today our lovely “Schlingel” and his mother where discharged from Sheba Hospital. Mohaned’s condition is well enough for now for both or them to return to Gaza.
As you can see in the picture above, Mohaned was very happy about that. Well, the cheeky boy is almost happy all the time. We love to visit Mohaned because he brings a lot of joy to us.
Co-worker Georgia and I brought them back to the Erez border crossing. We had a nice drive together and enjoyed talking to each other on our way. Mohaned and his mother, who is always taking loving care of her beloved son, are like family for us.
So for now, they are reunited with their family in Gaza, but as Mohaned is supposed to have follow-up cardiac appointments, and he has to see the pulmonologist in two months, we will see them again. Even though we’ll miss them during that time, we are very happy for them to be back home and are looking forward to seeing them again in two months.
Your prayers for little Mohaned are much appreciated.
Mohaned underwent a bronchoscopy at Sheba hospital to help in the treatment of an existing chronic pulmonary disorder. The procedure was quite short. Mohaned’s mother said she knew this procedure wouldn’t turn into anything big like an open-heart surgery, nonetheless she was anxious when the doctors started the bronchoscopy and she had to leave the room.
When they came for a cath two weeks ago, Mohaned’s mother thought she would be returning home in a matter of days, but Mohaned has stayed in the hospital because of the complex issues with his lungs.
As we’ve all written before, Mohaned’s mom is one incredible lady; she’s competent, confident, and caring. She is like a sister to many of us, and of course Mohaned is our ‘schlingel’ (German for rascal).
After the procedure, he was at it again, looking for things to play with like a small foam ball and at one point his inhaler. He is so precious; I can’t help but think of the long months when he was a newborn, and all of the work required to keep him alive even after he left the hospital. Now he is almost walking! His face, while older, is still reminiscent of the small baby who loved being held.
He still needs much care for his heart and lungs, and it is always a joy to do it. Please continue to pray for his life. Mohaned is so very loved.
I have loved his smile since he was only a few months old.
It is a blessing to see how much he has grown. He conquers various developmental milestones every time he returns.
Please pray for Mohaned as he continues respiratory treatment in the hospital. In the future, he will also require another cardiac surgery, so we also continue to pray for him as he grows.
Our “Schlingel” is going to stay in Sheba Hospital for some more time, as one of the sides of his lungs is not working properly and they want to try to treat it with physio-therapy and another Inhalation.
We are happy that we will be able to see him and his lovely mother whenever we want at the hospital. We’ve known them now for such a long time and we love them.
The most important thing for Mohaned is to get better and we all are hoping that the therapy will help him. They are also considering to make a CT scan for him in the next few days.
Please continue to pray for lovely ‘Schlingel’ Mohaned and for his mother who is so good at caring for her beloved Mohaned.
Mohaned’s catheterisation today showed that the heart is doing well, and one of his lungs. The other of his lungs however is not in such a good condition. There are still some unanswered questions about what needs to happen for Mohaned following today’s assessment.
As he has the heart condition and the respiratory illness as well, it is necessary for him to see the relevant doctors to check-up fully on his health, and decide what might be the best treatment for him.
His mother was a pleasure to be with during the day, of course. We continued to reminisce about the time she lived with us, and spoke about her family in Gaza too.
Mohaned spent much of the afternoon sleeping and recovering from the anesthesia. We hope to know more next week about what should be done next for Mohaned.
Our dear Mohaned returned today from Gaza, as he is scheduled to have a catheterisation tomorrow at Sheba hospital. He is now one year and three months old, and has just started to walk.
He is still beautiful, smiley and interactive, and seems to be doing well in every way.
It was a wonderful treat to see again his mother, who became like a sister to many of us during her stay here with us for the time of Mohaned’s surgery earlier in the year.
He was admitted to the general children’s ward this afternoon, and we look forward to spending some time with his mother tomorrow for the catheterisation.
A few times in the past, there have been problems with the Erez Border crossing allowing Mohaned and a guardian to enter Israel, and therefore his echo-cardiograms have had to be rescheduled.
So today, I did not feel too hopeful that I would be receiving Mohaned at the border. I also expected that he would be coming with his grandmother, as last time Mohaned came for surgery, it had been difficult for his mother to leave her three daughters and her husband at home. However, today at Sheba hospital, it was a wonderful surprise to see Mohaned, clutched in the arms of his mother! “You!” I exclaimed as I told her what a big surprise it was. I really thought that after the time she entered the gate of Erez in February, I would never see this lovely friend ever again.
The doctor found that Mohaned’s heart is looking good today! He will need to have a catheterisation in a few months’ time to help improve some of his blood vessels, but for today, he was able to return to Gaza with his mother.
Thank God for the gift of seeing this mom again and Mohaned was wonderful. He has had his first birthday party last week, and he has grown up so much. He is more aware of his surroundings, and can do a lot more with his hands, always reaching out and trying to clap. He has grown strong enough to sit, and to weight bear on his feet. Still he is the same smiley, cheeky boy, and it was so good to see him today and enjoy his company.
Thank God for a lovely day being able to see these very special two, and for Mohaned’s good health
Mohaned had an echo today at Sheba Hospital. The doctor found that his heart is recovering well, but preferred that he stay another week for a follow-up appointment, to be sure that he doesn’t develop any other problems.
Mohaned and his mum have been away from home for exactly two months now, and it’s taking a strain on the family back in Gaza. Because of this, and at the father’s request, Mohaned and his mother returned to Gaza today, with mixed emotions.
It has been a beautiful time getting to know the mother of Mohaned, and during these days, her family’s lack has been our rich gain. We have been truly blessed to know her. Still, it is good when we think of her being reunited with her three daughters.
Please pray for this family, and for God to protect Mohaned, as he is now away from the specialised hospital access of Israel.
We are all very happy to have our little Schlingel and his loving mother back with us, because we missed them very much.
However, we aren’t happy as much as we are concerned that Mohaned is not doing very well since he came back from the hospital. In the last few days, he has been crying almost all the time and has hardly been quiet for a minute. That’s why we took him to the hospital today for an Echo and an ECG so that the doctors can check if everything is all right with him. The result was that nothing was abnormal.
During the examinations Mohaned cried a lot, but his loving mum took care of him and tried to calm him down with milk and a dummy. This worked reasonably well. The nurses and doctors also lovingly took care of him and tried to distract him during the examinations.
Our whole team in Jaffa agrees that Mohaned is a completely different boy in the hospital. When he is not in the examinations, he is always totally quiet and you hardly notice that he is there. The little rascal seems to love the hospital. The friendly doctor, who also speaks Arabic, patiently answered all the mother’s questions and encouraged her that Mohaned is no worse off than the day he was discharged.
She suspects that Mohaned probably has post-operative pain, headaches and toothaches because he is getting his teeth at the moment. To alleviate this, it is important that the mother continues physiotherapy for him and that little precious Mohaned sleeps in a higher position. This should alleviate his headaches.
On Sunday, Mohaned is due to come to the hospital for another Echo and ECG. Please pray that his loving mother will do the physiotherapy by then, and the little rascal can rest a little.
Today co-worker Sabrina and I were visiting our happy boy Mohaned and his wonderful mother in Sheba Hospital. His mother is always so pleased to see all of us when we come to the hospital ward. It was the same way today. She welcomed us, embraced us, and said in English, “I miss you!” Such lovely greetings for our coming.
Our sweet boy Mohaned was sleeping peacefully during this time. But not for long. After some time, he woke and did not want to stay in his bed. My co-worker Sabrina took him in her arms. He loved it and stayed quiet for a long time. It is unusual for him not to cry a lot. Thank God for healing our sweet boy. Yes, the general condition of Mohaned is very good and his recovery after surgery is complete. What a blessing.
Mohaned’s mother was waiting to find out if Mohaned would be discharged from the hospital today and I discovered that he was being disharged to the Jaffa house, which made his mother very happy. Plus the hospital gifted Mohaned and his mother with a brand new stroller. What a blessing.
Everyone at the community house was happy to see Schlingel back home! He and his mother will stay with us one week more at which time he will have a cardio check-up at Sheba centre.
Thank you so much for all your prayers and support! We see a miracle story where Mohaned is concerned. We are so thankful.
“Marhaba-Al Hamdullalah” (Arabic for ‘Hello, thank the God’) were the words of Mohaned’s mother as she greeted me when I went to visit her and Mohaned at Sheba Hospital today. The results of the examinations yesterday were good, which is why Mohaned has now been moved to the general Pediatric Ward.
When I went into their hospital room today, Mohaned wasn’t in a good mood at all because two doctors where in the middle of doing something on him that took a very long time, but they of course were just doing their jobs. They want to make sure that our little “Schlingel” is doing well.
They took some blood from him and did some other things which caused Mohaned to cry a lot. His lovely mother took great care of him as always, and tried to calm him down with his dummy. Sadly, that didn’t work out so well, but after the doctors where finally finished, the mother offered for me to take Mohaned into my arms. How can you say no to such an offering? Of course I took him with a pleasure into my arms.
He immediatedly stopped crying and I started to talk to him in a high-pitched voice, saying, “Schlingel,” which caused him to laugh. It made my day seeing his lovely and happy smile. He also made me laugh by taking my mask down with his tiny little hands because he doesn’t like it when I’m wearing it.
Our whole staff is missing both of them a lot back in Jaffa communiuty house, and are looking forward to having them back with us soon. I and everyone in our community are still very pleased that he is doing so well after his risky surgery, and that he is recovering so well.
Please lift them and their whole family back in Gaza up in your prayers. Probably the family is missing them more then we do. If it is in God’s will, Mohaned will continue to recover so well so that they can be reunited with their familiy soon. The mother is always taking so much care for Mohaned. Today she told me that she is very tired but thankful as well for Mohaned’s great recovery so far.
When I went to Sheba hospital this morning, knowing that one of my tasks would be to visit our little “Schlingel” and his loving mum, I was already looking forward to it. We all miss the little “happy boy” and his mum with her humour and her sometimes funny crazy way with us, very much .
When I came to their room in the Secondary Pediatric ICU today, little Mohaned was not in a good mood. His loving mother told me that he has a fever and is difficult to calm down at the moment; he hardly sleeps. When I took him in my arms, even his crying was nice for me because it was the first time I visited him and his mum after his risky operation.
I tried to calm him down by feeding him milk and giving him his dummy. He drank the milk, but after a few minutes, he threw up and couldn’t keep it down. Only when his mother, who always looks after him lovingly, took him in her arms, did he calm down and fall asleep. There is no better comfort than that of a mother. “As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; And you will be comforted in Jerusalem.” Isaiah 66:13 After some time, two nurses came to his room to perform examinations on him, hoping to find out why Mohaned has a fever and what could be wrong with him.
They asked me and Mohaned’s mother to leave the room because it is not nice to see. So I went to visit some other children who are in hospital at the moment. When I came back, this adorable smile was beaming at me. When I was still in the hospital, no results were visible through the examinations.
Let us all support this young mother, who gets so much patience and strength from God, and her little Mohaned in prayer.
As co-worker Alena and I were in Sheba hospital today, we chatted with Mohaned’s mum who happily told us that he is recovering well, and had his chest drains removed. We are really missing having them both at our home, and of course even more so are her husband and three daughters back in Gaza.
A few minutes after we had left, Mohaned’s mum came dashing down the hospital hallway, calling my name. She told me that Mohaned was not well, and that the doctor had asked her to wait outside whilst they did some intervention for him. Speaking so quickly, it was hard for me to understand very much from what she said. I tried to piece together the words she was saying, “Mohaned…chest…air…not good…blood…doctors.” What was clear was that her demeanour had changed abruptly. She was extremely worried about Mohaned.
We walked back to the department where he was being treated and stood at the doors as we watched the calm doctor put on a gown and hair net, swing the curtain around his bed and then be joined by many nurses. The echo device was wheeled past us quickly by two cardiologists. Co-worker Alena and I brought Mohaned’s mother outside from the ward to sit down away from all of the action. We saw the head surgeon appear and then two doctors from the upstairs ICU, followed by a nurse carrying a bottle of oxygen and another technician wheeling in an X-ray machine.
The overall drama of the situation was worrying for Mohaned’s mum, and also for Alena and I. It brought back some unhappy memories of other children who have sharply deteriorated and even died after seeming to recover well.
Thank God that Mohaned’s life was safe this afternoon, and that the busy drama of the situation was due to the need to insert a balloon through a hole in his chest to release some air and blood. Thank God for an alert team of medical professionals at Sheba, catching problems before it’s too late, applying their expertise and saving a life.
Mohaned, the sweet boy, seemed none the wiser when we visited him later, wanting just to play with the dangling cannula or a toy.
Praise God for his safety and for the medical staff at Sheba. Please pray for God’s blessing on him and his whole family.
After a big surgery on his small heart, Mohaned was moved today from the Pediatric ICU Depotament to the Secondary ICU at Sheba Medical Centre.
The lovely baby boy had a fever last night. But praise the Lord, he is getting better. Also he was extubated. He still needs oxygen via his nose however, and he doesn’t like it at all. When the baby is awake, he takes it away. The nurses have enough to do with him. Also his mother, who is at all times by his side, is a pleasant person throughout all of it. She is always so thankful and she is happy to see her beloved son’s recovery.
Please keep praying for this wonderful child and his mother.
When I arrived this morning at Sheba hospital, Mohaned had been just that moment taken into surgery, so I waited for his mother to reappear out of the surgery-room area. As she came outside, she hugged me and told me that she was very afraid. The doctors had warned her that this could be a very high-risk surgery for our sweet boy, and the news had been received solemnly by us all, not just Mohaned’s mum.
Still, we have hope. I assured her that there were many, many people praying for Mohaned. She was happy to hear it and appreciated that there are so many people who love him.
We took a walk outside, and despite the early hour of the morning, drank an entire bottle of Coke together (her favourite) as we sat in the sun, away from the severity of the waiting-area outside the OR. Mohaned’s mum said she was pretending that Mohaned was just with Carina or Sebastian, or any of our other Co-workers who adore little Mohaned. This is how she coped with missing him.
She described how happy Mohaned had been before the surgery, even when having a cannula put in his hand, and how friendly and happy he was with all the nurses and doctors. It was a really lovely way to pass the time with her.
As the hours rolled on, we returned to the waiting area, and were joined by another mother whose child was in a catheterization. When the doctors emerged from the OR pushing a large bed, they announced that all had gone well. We all thought they were referring to the child from the catheterization, which caused some confusion amongst everyone. The doctor then made it more clear that it was little Mohaned’s surgery which had finished and that all had gone well, praise God. Mohaned’s mother squeaked in excitement, unable for a few moments to process what to do. When it all clicked for her, she ran after the bed, and went up to the ICU.
As she needed to wait another hour approximately until she was permitted to enter the room, we sat together in the upstairs waiting room. As we were quite hidden behind the walls, and after two men left the room, she couldn’t contain her joy any longer, and ecstatically jumped up and down, (quietly) shouting “MOHANED!! MOHANED!!” then jumped up on the chairs looking out of the big windows announcing to the whole world, but only observed by me, “MOHANED MOHANED KOL BESEDER!!!” (‘All is well!’ in Hebrew). It was a big privilege to share the joyful moment with her.
Thank God for bringing sweet Mohaned through this surgery, and please continue to pray for his good recovery.
Our little “Schlingel” (German for rascal) went back to Sheba hospital today. We very much enjoyed the days in our community house in Jaffa with our little happy boy and his loving and very friendly mother and had a great time together. Each one of us has taken them both into our hearts and it’s as if they are part of the family. How can you not fall in love with that happy smile?
When I took them to Sheba hospital today they had to have a Corona test and wait a long time for the results. However, the wait was worth it because the Corona test was negative.
Tomorrow will be a big day for our precious little Mohaned and his mother. A complicated operation will be performed, which is associated with high risk for Mohaned. But we can know with confidence that everything is in God’s hands and we know that He has the best plan for this little boy’s life.
Your prayers for his worried mother, and for precious Mohaned’s surgery day tomorrow, are very much appreciated. Please pray that God will provide the doctors with wisdom and patience and strength and that the surgery will go as God has planned. For there is no better plan for our lives than His.
Mohaned was discharged from Sheba Hospital to our community home today after his Catheterization yesterday. Thankfully, the recovery was easy for him, and he could delight all the nurses and doctors in the department with his engaging smile.
We hear that the doctors have decided that they can go ahead to plan a surgery for Mohaned, a Glenn surgery. He and his mum are going to wait at our home in Jaffa until the time comes, which could be as soon as next week.
It is all in God’s timing, and we are happy to enjoy his company for these precious days of waiting.
Mohaned was not a happy boy when I first saw him this morning, as he was fasting in preparation for his Catheteriaztion. His beautiful mum was trying her best to distract him, but it was difficult.
He was taken into the Catheterization in the afternoon. Mum was happy to meet many other mothers who passed by, and wished her son well. She is often commenting that there are many “good people,” and I think she is one of them herself. She has been so helpful to welcome new Gaza families stopping over at our house, translating my scraping attempts at Arabic words into welcoming orientation speeches from her heart. It is lovely to get to know her, to see her devoted love towards Mohaned, always trying her best not to feel too sad about missing her three older daughters back home.
Thankfully, the Catheterization went well. It took a couple of hours to complete. Afterwards, Mohaned’s mum happily hugged me in relief that Mohaned was safely out of the procedure. The doctors came shortly after and told her that Mohaned’s situation is complicated, and they need to discuss his suitability for a surgery. It is a big discussion and decision, and as Mohaned’s mother says, his life is in the hands of God.
Please pray for peace for this family, especially for Mohaned’s mother as she considers his future.
Our Mohaned had today a few appointments in the Sheba Hospital. The day started early then we could complete the schedule of the day.
As always at Sheba Hospital, there are many people and they are all waiting. Thank God, for Mohaned’s first appointment, we did not wait too long ourselves. It was the physiotherapy appointment. Mohaned doesn’t like physiotherapy at all. But the therapist explained to us how important this particular therapy is for his lungs and breathing. He became so tired after this appointment, he fell asleep directly. So we had to wait a bit for Mohaned’s next examination.
Before his Echo-cardiogram, Mohaned’s vital parameters were checked and an ECG written. While he was on the examination couch , Mohaned was crying. His mother had to comfort him a lot and had to stay by his side. He was peaceful only when in her arms.
A Cardiac doctor inspected Mohaned. She found his condition to be better than before and his Echo results confirmed it. The doctor is therefore planning a Catheterization for this beloved boy at some point in the near future. Thanks for keeping him in your prayers.
Since Mohaned’s last blog, you learned the German word for rascal or cheeky monkey, that is, the word ‘Schlingel.’ Ever since our newest volunteer Carina joined our community and met Mohaned, this word has been lovingly assigned to Mohaned at every opportunity due to his cheeky smile and happy personality and rascally habits. Of course with great joy, we received the news that Mohaned and his mum would be returning to our home in Jaffa.
I’m happy to report that the hospital staff found his symptoms have improved, but there was no clear explanation as to why he had experienced a fever.
We will check with the doctors tomorrow about what the next steps for Mohaned will be, but for now our “Schlingel” is happily back with us, and feeling better again. Thank you for praying for Mohaned’s health.
It is the day after little Mohaned gave us so much worry and we rushed him to the ER at Sheba Hospital. I am happy to report that he was smiling today during our visit, he didn’t look so ill. I could take Mohaned in my arms. We played with each other. He loved it and was laughing.
But sometimes his mood changed. When he started to cry , he chucked his pacifier to the floor. In German, we have a word for such a rascal, it is “Schlingel!” Our little Mohaned is a bit of a Schlingel, but precious just the same.
We could get a lot of information about Mohaned’s condition. The doctors said his lungs are not doing well. He will stay in the hospital over the weekend and they will discuss a possible new Catheterization for him.
When I woke up this morning I had a feeling that this day was not going to go as originally planned. Many days at Shevet Achim don’t go as planned (at least from a human perspective), which makes each day exciting and varied in its own right. But God knows exactly what tasks we will face during the day and how we can accomplish them with Him.
Co-worker Carina and I were cleaning our refrigerator and Mohaned’s mother was making a dessert when precious little Mohaned woke up from his sleep and cried. Since his loving mom was in the middle of doing, I took the little one to calm him down. I gave him his bottle of milk, he calmed down and rested in my arms.
While doing so, I noticed that his head was unusually warm and I asked Co-worker Carina to please check his temperature. My suspicion that he might have a fever was confirmed. Because he had a temperature of 38.1°. Co-worker Carina then gave him Paracetamol, but unfortunately that didn’t help much, because the little man just spit it out. After a while he threw up and there was blood in the vomit, so we decided to take him to the Emergency Room.
I drove him and his mother there and on the way Mohaned was thankfully calm and didn’t throw up again. His loving mother and this precious sweet boy have to stay in the hospital now and the doctors are trying to find out what is wrong with him.
Please pray for the otherwise happy boy, that it can be found out what is wrong and he can be helped. Also please pray for his loving and concerned mommy, for peace about the situation.
Mohaned’s mother is keen to learn English, and some of the phrases that she has picked up from us are “lovely boy” and “happy boy.” Of course, there are a hundred ways to describe this beloved baby, but lovely and happy are the words which she hears the most.
He is a joy for everyone who spends time with him, and is so sociable, which makes it ever so sad to see him upset. Today’s hospital trip was firstly to the Cardiology Department, later to the Pulmonary Department, and finally for a quick Physiotherapy session.
Mohaned’s complex heart condition required a detailed, and therefore long Echocardiogram. He hated every second of it, crying non-stop until it was over and his mother gathered him into her arms. Thankfully, the cardiologist found him to be in a reasonable condition, and Mohaned will see the Doctor again in two weeks, just before his next Catheterization.
The pulmonologist was a different person from the appointment last fortnight, although she has known Mohaned from his first hospitalization period. She was amazed to see how he had grown, and was pleased to observe how he is developing; he is starting to wave, clap and reach out to take and explore objects. She explained his condition to the mother, and was very optimistic that with the continued inhalations and physiotherapy, they could expect a normal future for his health.
Physiotherapy is a tough one for Mohaned, who fights against it every time. Sadly, when the physiotherapist puts pressure on his chest to help him clear his lungs, it is very distressing for Mohaned. He cries ever so much, and his mum leant into me and clutched onto my hand as she watched her baby’s face turn dark in colour as he cried. She bravely stepped up to the therapy task and will continue to attend the physiotherapy sessions to learn how to do this.
Of course, it has been an enjoyable time in the company of Mohaned and his mum. She is a kind-hearted person, and like Mohaned, is very sociable, and friendly to all. She comforts other mums when they are distressed about their children, she helps wherever she can, and invites our staff to eat meals with them in the Shevet half-way house.
She puts action to Psalm 133: Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity.
Thank God that we are seeing the truth of this verse, through the beautiful heart of the mother of Mohaned. It is very encouraging. May she too see God revealed, as we see more of Him revealed through knowing her.
After Mohaned had his catherization last Thursday, he thankfully was discharged to our home in Jaffa the next day. The precious boy and his lovely mother enjoyed their time with us a lot. They went out to the beach together with some of us and with some of the waiting or convalescing Kurdish families that are in our Jaffa coastal home right now.
Mohaned is a lovely, happy boy who smiles almost all the time and he really loves it when you talk to him or smile at him and you’ll definitely receive the cutest-ever smile back.
Today he needed to return to Sheba Hospital to receive some physiotherapy. Two hours before this however, he sadly wasn’t allowed to eat anything which caused him to be very upset and to cry after waiting for about an hour until his treatment began.
During the physiotherapy, he cried because of course he didn’t liked it at all, but it needed to be done. The physiotherapist showed Mohaned’s mother how to do the physiotherapy with Mohaned as well, which is good. Happy boy Mohaned (most of the time) and his gentle mother, need to come to the hospital around three times a week for the physiotherapy so that his mother becomes accustomed to it.
Tomorrow, Mohaned will receive an Echo and an appointment will be made with his pulmonary doctor. Thank God that slowly, slowly, Mohaned is improving. Thank you for your prayers.
After an interventional Catheterization yesterday, Mohaned returned to our Jaffa house today where he will be for another month before his next Catheterization.
During the time he is with us, Mohaned’s mum will be learning how to do the physiotherapy that is so important for his lungs. She’s said that as long as Mohaned is okay, it doesn’t matter the time that they are here.
His mother is not alone in her commitment to him. The doctors who are treating him are truly incredible and are doing everything they can to help him. So many people are contributing to saving his life.
Tonight, the three Gaza families staying in Jaffa, including Mohaned and his mum, ate dinner with our modest number of Shevet staff. It was a good way to end the day, and even though Mohaned still has a long road ahead, it is all worth it for him.
Mohaned was the first to have a Catheterization at Sheba Medical today. When co-worker Sabrina and I went to visit, he was already in the intervention. His mother was so worried about him, which caused her a sleepless night. The young mother looked very tired. But she wanted to wait for her lovely son there, where she had to leave him with the doctors.
She needed some diversion. So we decided go outside in the fresh air for a walk. It was still morning , the weather was sunny but not so warm – refreshing. His mother was pleased to be outside, to take a deep breath and enjoyed seeing the park on the hospital grounds. After we went back to the waiting area on the fourth floor, we drank coffee together and even if I don’t speak Arabic and she doesn’t speak English, thank God, we were able to talk together at least a little bit with hand and feet.
We were waiting for three hours and then Mohaned came back from his cath. At first he was peacefully sleeping, but after a short while, he started crying; his pacifier didn’t calm him down, sadly. He needed the inhalation after the intervention, which quieted for a short time.
His vital signs were good and he didn’t need oxygen. The doctors said it was a difficult but effective cath. Please pray for our precious little Mohaned and his lovely mother for the next 24 hours, that there won’t be any complications and he can be discharged tomorrow.
Mohaned’s catheterization has been rescheduled for tomorrow. So today, he and his mum had another corona test (both negative), and after some time waiting, settled into their room in Sheba hospital.
Mohaned’s mum is quite worried about the catheterization, as although it’s not his first intervention, it is the first one which she will be there with him for. She is a little nervous about the hospital also, but is growing in confidence, and has a fun sense of humour, happily congratulating herself on carrying out some tasks independently. It has been so good to enjoy her company at our Jaffa community house over the past few days, and we hope and pray that Mohaned’s catheterization will be successful tomorrow.
Mohaned was scheduled to have a catheterization today, but it was re-booked for next week. Today was the first time I saw him face to face since he left Shevet’s care in August! Within a few minutes of meeting him, I got to hold him, and he settled into my arms like he had last summer. His mother was very good-natured about the change of date of the Cath, and is staying at our Jaffa house until their is a new Cath day.
Tonight, we enjoyed a New Year’s Eve meal as a community, which Mohaned and his mother were a part of. This small hafla (‘hafla’ is Arabic for ‘party’) ended with each of us saying something we were thankful for in 2020 and Mohaned’s mother expressed her gratitude for her beautiful son and the treatment he is getting. Though it isn’t easy, it has all been worth it for him.
Mohaned and his mother spent a couple of days with us at the Shevet halfway house in Jaffa. His mother was open-minded and helpful with cooking or cleaning up.
Mohaned is a very lovely boy. He has a beautiful smile. Everyone was excited to see him. But he was crying a lot. We gave his mother some rest by holding Mohaned in our arms or playing with him.
Mohaned and his mother went to the hospital today, ahead of a catheterization tomorrow. It was a long day for them, because they had to wait for quite some time for their Corona Test, and then get to their room.
We bless Mohaned and his mother with good rest and patience!
It has taken many months, but finally, Mohaned and his mother were granted permission to enter Israel, returning from Gaza to hospital for a follow-up appointment. Their appointment was yesterday, but they were only able to arrive in Israel today, late in the evening. Thankfully, the Cardiac and Pulmonary Departments both agreed to reschedule his appointments for today.
Mohaned’s mother stayed at our Jerusalem Guest House last night, which was very exciting for me and co-worker Alena, who both called in for a video-chat to see Mohaned again and meet his mum.
Today, Mohaned, mum and co-worker Berith, all traveled to Sheba hospital. Berith told me that this is Mohaned’s mum’s first time out of Gaza, and the first time she has been somewhere without her family or husband, so this is a big day for her as well, and a reminder of the privilege we have to be entrusted with the care of not only Mohaned, but also his mother, away from home. She is a very brave and positive lady, attentive to Mohaned and keen to learn about his condition from the doctors.
The cardiologist (and I) was shocked to learn that Mohaned has only visited the cardiologist in Gaza once since his return, and only had his oxygen saturation checked once. He has not been receiving any medications or physiotherapy treatment for at least one month. The cardiologist deemed it to be an act of divine intervention that he is finally here and a miracle that he is alive. Mohaned’s mum also was shocked to hear how serious a problem it could be for him continuing as he has without medication. She says that it was difficult to get his medications in Gaza; this includes Aspirin, and blue inhalers.
It was a difficult day for his mum, which didn’t end there. She learnt at the pulmonary clinic, that he will need the physiotherapy possibly for his whole life, really compounding and driving home the message of the severity of his condition.
The doctors decided that he needs to have a catheterisation, and hope this can be arranged for this week or next, and therefore he must stay with us at our Shevet home in Jaffa, also so we can get him set up again with medications, inhalations and bring him for physiotherapy sessions.
By the end of the day, mum was tired and overwhelmed, as we made our way home to Jaffa. I feel for her so strongly, and I am so happy to be able to welcome her into our home. The mother of Leen, another family from Gaza, is also at our home and she cooked a beautiful dinner of maqlubeh (an Middle Eastern dish of chicken, vegetables and rice), followed by doughnuts and cake to celebrate her own daughter’s time in Israel, Mohaned’s arrival, and the end of quarantine for our new nurse volunteer, Carina. I think it was a sweet ending to a difficult day for this mum, and I hope that she feels like this can be her home for a time.
Please pray that she will feel loved and valued. Thank God for keeping Mohaned safe during these months back in Gaza despite his circumstances, and please continue to pray for his health. We are so happy to have him back!
In the last blog I wrote for Mohaned, I prayed for his flourishing and this remains the prayer of my heart. After days of discussion, the Sheba medical staff decided he is well enough to go back to Gaza. One particular doctor from the fifth floor went above and beyond for him, securing two months worth of medication which will last him until his next appointment at Sheba; she was willing to do any and everything in his best interest. That the Lord gave Mohaned such a doctor was a blessing. He has grown in strength and wellness because of her and the other medical staff who trained his grandmother on how to do his physical therapy, medicines, and nebuliser treatments.
In all honesty, I feel very close to Mohaned. And not only I, but co-workers Colin and Georgia also lived with him and his grandmother when they were staying with us in our Jaffa home. We took part in his day to day care and bonded with him by the many hours spent with him.
While he is a lot better than where he started, which was to have come urgently by ambulance back in April, he still is very susceptible to deterioration if anything goes wrong. For this reason, as I held him for the last time before he crossed into Gaza, I treasured those minutes and prayed that God would protect him from anything that might threaten his well-being.
In his four months of life, he only recently learned how to smile, and when I was saying his name and telling him he was going to leave us to meet his mum, he smiled his big toothless grin. God willing, in two months, we will see his smile again.
As I’ve written, please pray for his protection and for his grandma as she goes into quarantine with him, that God would give her strength and wisdom. May God bless Mohaned and his family.
This picture of Mohaned is one of my favorites because it is a milestone for him: he is on his belly and able to hold up his head! Thanks be to God.
He has been working with a physical therapist. His progress is remarkable when I think about the fragile little baby who couldn’t hold his head up even when you held him upright. When I came back to the Jaffa home base, I showed coworkers Colin and Georgia this photograph and we all said, “Who is this baby?!” He looks so good.
Please pray for him, that there will be a resolution to the situation of his guardianship when returned to his own home, which will be critical for his continued progress, and ultimate flourishing. We love this sweet boy so much.
Mohaned has been gaining weight in the hospital! When co-worker Julio and I visited him and his grandmother today, Julio said he looks ‘Xapa,’ which is an endearing way of saying “chubby” in Kurdish.
During our visit, Mohaned had some blood drawn. Then I held him for some time and he eventually fell asleep in my arms. We held him quite a bit when he was in Jaffa so it was very easy for him to settle because he’s known me and it felt totally natural to hold this lovely boy again.
Please keep him in prayer as he is stable in the hospital. The doctors have recommended a guardianship switch before he returns to Gaza, so please pray for expediency and favor with the border to grant the permission for Mohaned’s mother to come.
And please pray for wisdom for the road ahead; he will be a candidate for the Glenn procedure in three months time, God willing.
We visited Mohaned at Sheba Medical Center. He was awake and thrilled to see us again. We had a delightful little talk with him. He looks so happy and well. His grandmother was happy to see us too.
She shared with us that yesterday’s value for Mohaned’s potassium level was a bit higher. The doctors are waiting till next week to decide when the next surgery will be. Please pray for him that his potassium comes back to its normal value and that he can have his next surgery at the ideal time!
Our dear Mohaned presented with a fever last Thursday evening. We had to take him to the Pediatric Emergency Room to be able to determine the cause of the fever.
We visited him today and he looked very well and happy! He was able to recognize us and was smiling and communicating to us in his unique style. He hasn’t had a fever in all this time at the hospital but he still needs to undergo more tests before being discharged. We wait a few days more for him to be discharged if all goes well.He is having a bit of difficulty eating so please join us in prayer for him, that he will learn to eat well again. He continues his pulmonary physiotherapy.
We were able to talk with his grandmother. She is doing well and is happy that Mohaned is without fever. We hope to have him back at our Shevet home in Jaffa within the next few days.
Mohaned has returned to the hospital only a week after his last discharge. We often say that this is Mohaned’s home, as this is the environment he has been immersed in since the age of 10 days.
Mohaned’s temperature rose slightly throughout the day. Something was not right, many of us could sense this as we see him every day…if not almost every hour. In the evening his temperature rose to a low fever and would not respond to fever medication. We took him to the hospital with the expectation that his condition would worsen soon, if it was consistent with his last fever episode. When he was in the emergency room, his fever temperature was high. His little body, despite his growth, cannot handle much stress.
After waiting multiple hours with Mohaned, he was finally admitted to the hospital for observation. Please continue to pray for Mohaned as the healthcare team investigates the cause of his fever.
We were happy to welcome Mohaned back home to the Shevet House inJaffa with his grandmother after spending almost a week in hospital.
The doctor was happy today that Mohaned has improved over the course of his stay in Sheba Hospital. Mohaned needs to see the pulmonary and cardiology doctors again after a few weeks, and continue with his physiotherapy.
Hopefully, he will feel better settling back at our house. We are pleased to have them both with us, and praying that God will strengthen them both.
Little Mohaned is continuing his time in hospital. Today he saw the genetic doctor. She was able to explain his condition in further detail.
He will continue to see specialist doctors in Gaza until they ‘all clear’ him to return to us here in Israel for the next treatment steps.
Meanwhile, Mohaned’s grandmother learns to carry out his physiotherapy ‘exercises.’ Thankfully, he seems to be in a good condition again and is without fever.
It was lovely to see Mohaned and his grandma in Sheba hospital today. These two are firmly a part of our Shevet family now.
He seems to be feeling a lot better, and he slept very well. It seems like he is well-acquainted with the hospital almost like a second home as he has spent almost his entire life there. The beeping of the machines even seemed to settle him.
The doctor explained that they still need to find out the cause of his fever from yesterday. And on a good note, Mohaned had an echo today which showed that his heart was looking good without additional problems. Hopefully his time in the hospital won’t be for much longer.
Thank God Mohaned is resting well there with his grandma; a real answer to prayer.
This morning Mohaned had developed a high fever. He responded well to medicine for his fever, but his temperature was still high. Due to both his heart and lung diagnoses, Mohaned is at high risk for developing other illnesses. We brought him to the hospital because if he was battling an infection, we were not sure if he could fight it himself.
Due to his reported symptoms, we were brought to the pediatric respiratory emergency hospital. He received several tests, including a corona virus test. Praise God that he tested negative. It is truly God’s protection that none of our children have tested positive for the virus.
Mohaned was admitted to the hospital. His kidney function was not well according to the blood test, and we hope that this will improve with some hydration. Thankfully his fever resolved and he slept peacefully in between many tests.
Mohaned is not fighting this alone. His sweet grandmother is by his side. We all love him like our own son. And of course, God is with him. His condition is frail by nature, but his strength comes from God. We are all weak, in need of divine love and strength.
Please continue to pray for Mohaned and his grandmother. May they know that they are not alone.
Mohaned was quite comfortable in the hospital, where he has been for most of his life. He was sleeping peacefully in his stroller. He loves placing his hand on his head, and his grandmother showed me many photos of him in this position previously.
Though later, when the physiotherapy started, it was not as much of a pleasant experience. However, the therapy was very helpful for his lungs. It helped clear mucus from his lungs as he struggles clearing it himself, and we could all feel the improvement. Mohaned’s grandmother bravely attempted helping with the physiotherapy. She will most likely be in the place of instructing the family with his physiotherapy back in Gaza. Mohaned’s family will eventually be full-time physiotherapists for Mohaned.
Please continue to pray for sweet Mohaned and his grandmother. It’s been a blessing to see him learn to smile and also to grow. Mohaned is a beautiful gift from God.
Sweet little Mohaned had his first physiotherapy session today. The therapist started to teach his grandma how to carry out a few exercises which his family will need to learn how to do for the rest of his life.
It was quite difficult in the beginning, and also Mohaned was very upset with the equipment over his face, and the pressure on his chest. Still, he and his grandma must persevere!
We will continue to attend the therapy sessions next week.
Little Mohaned is resting peacefully in the photo above. I thank God for arranging these physiotherapy appointments, as with previous children, it has been extremely difficult to be able to organise anything without the kind help from the receptionist of the cardiology department. But in this instance, God has opened the door with ease to be able to come every other day, without any appointment, at a time which is convenient for us. It is a huge blessing! Praise God for his favour with Mohaned.
The physiotherapist was very kind to explain that the purpose of today’s appointment is to carry out some assessments to see which type of therapy Mohaned will require. With his diagnosis of PCD, it has been determined that he does not have functioning cilia which should move mucus from the airways. Therapy will help him. He will need therapy for his whole life, but it is very possible for the family to carry it out once they know how.
Baby Mohaned is already receiving inhalations at home every day, and of course having a mask placed onto his face does not get any easier, so the session today was very upsetting for him. It required the use of a machine with a mask, and pressure onto his chest, so it was quite a distressing time.
The therapist quickly decided on a good plan for Mohaned, and he will order a piece of equipment to use in the coming sessions.
We will be going many times a week, and so please pray for strength for his beautiful kind grandma.
It has been a long day for this tiny baby and his beautiful grandma at the hospital today, but a very fruitful time.
We found out some nice news: he is gaining weight nicely, and is now 3.7kg!
He saw the pulmonary doctor who took the time to explain his new genetic diagnosis of Primary Ciliary Dyskenesia in detail. The outcome is predominantly that he needs to start chest physiotherapy, and thank God that the doctor was so kind to put us into contact with the physiotherapist straight away, who in turn kindly opened his schedule for Mohaned to visit him on any day.
His echo was also very good, and he will continue to stay with us for some more time to train the Grandma in how to give his chest physio, as he waits for his next surgery.
Before we went to his blood test today, Mohaned’s grandma told me he’s had many blood tests before when he was hospitalized. And like today, it was also challenging to draw blood from his tiny veins. After trying to vary places in his hand, they were successful with drawing blood from his forearm.
As we waited for the results, Mohaned was content to rest in his stroller or in my arms. Thankfully his blood results were good and the doctor also said that he was looking better. Thank God for this wonderful news!
It has been a blessing to see Mohaned and his grandmother everyday here at our home in Jaffa. It’s an unusual and unexpected blessing to have this extra time with these Gaza families outside of the hospital and busy schedules. Mohaned and his grandmother are both very sweet.
Today, Mohaned had an echo and a respiratory checkup. The echo was good and as they expected. However, the doctors have discovered a new genetic condition for Mohaned that makes him susceptible to many different respiratory illnesses throughout his life. Because of this, they think that he will need respiratory therapy for most of his life, as well as antibiotics.
Even though this is difficult news to receive we know that we serve a God who is able to heal and restore these earthly bodies. He created us and knows us all from each hair to each vein. So we pray for the Lord to give Mohaned’s body strength and to respond well to this therapy. We praise God that Mohaned will be able to continue to stay with us here in Jaffa while the doctors work out this new plan for him. Please pray for wisdom and understanding in how to walk forward and for the Lord to continue to provide for all his needs. Mohaned knows who is watching over him:
We welcomed Mohaned and his grandma to our home in Jaffa today!
It was especially sweet as Maryam, one of our Kurdish children, was also discharged today. Both Mohaned’s grandmum and Maryam’s mum have been sharing a room at hospital for some time now, and are very good friends.
Due to all the gifts given in the hospital during Ramadan, this pair brought with them the most bags I have ever seen! It was so funny trying to squeeze everything into our van; we laughed together a lot!
Due to the corona virus, there are some restrictions about families coming in and out of Gaza, except for emergencies. Mohaned will need a follow up echo in 1 week, and so it is better for him to stay with us for this time, which us a great joy for us.
Please pray that they will feel welcome and settled during these days.
Beautiful Mohaned underwent a bronchoscopy yesterday to try to open his right lung. They weren’t entirely successful, but his function has improved.
His lovely grandmother and I sat and talked at Sheba hospital today. I really love her. She said, “Mohaned is inside my heart!”
Please pray that he continues to grow stronger and to continue to improve. And please bless his beautiful grandmother who is one of the kindest women I’ve ever met.
Mohaned’s last heart echo showed that the heart function was well. The concern now is that as one of his lungs collapsed, he has been requiring oxygen support intermittently. He is also still not feeding well, which is important for him as he is now one-month-old, but still incredibly small.
When the doctors see that Mohaned’s respiratory status is stable, then they will hopefully be able to send him home to Gaza. His grandmother, who herself has nine children, was so gentle with Mohaned as she patted him to sleep. She has a beautiful heart of joy and gratitude. His grandmother later said, “thank you to all for bringing Mohaned to Israel for surgery.”
She also said something in Arabic like, “I love Mohaned. I love you because you love Mohaned.” The truth is that we are only able to love, because God loved us first!
Mohaned is looking great, but some concern from his doctors today over a drop in his oxygen saturation. His heart is functioning well, so they’ll be checking out his lungs thoroughly before deciding that he is well enough to return to Gaza.
Who could this beautiful baby be, now breathing on his own and out of the ICU at Sheba? Compare these two pictures to the condition Mohaned was in two weeks ago–glory to God!
I found Mohaned on the fifth floor today! This was my first time meeting them as before they’ve been in the ICU, and meeting them made me realize how much I’ve missed doing visits! His grandmother was a thoroughly beautiful woman. She has lived her whole life in the south of Gaza in the city of Rafah.
As we spoke Mohaned was very awake and alert, his big eyes were glued to his grandmother’s face and then to mine as I was a stranger to him, he looked like he was thinking ‘who is she?’ Mohaned continues to recover, today when I was there they had stopped supplementary oxygen to see how he was without it. He needs to be eating more, but this is complicated by his lungs collapsing after surgery which have been opened again, and little by little are improving, but nonetheless they are not normal yet so feeding alot at one time is a very laborious endeavour for him. Please pray for this precious boy, thank God for this gift of life and the care of his grandma!
It’s been just a week since Mohaned was rushed into surgery in desperate condition. Glory to God, here is the picture sent from his mother today! (We’ve not been able to visit him in the ICU ourselves due to coronavirus restrictions).
Thank God, the dedicated team at the Sheba Medical Center prioritized Mohaned’s critical condition above all others and rushed him into surgery today to repair his heart defect. Tonight he is stable and on mechanical ventilation in the ICU.
Mohaned came urgently Friday to Sheba. He is just two weeks old! He has three older sisters and one of them also has a heart problem. He’s spent most of his short life in an ICU in Gaza before being brought to the ICU at Sheba.
He will first have a CT to decide whether to take him into surgery or cath.
Thank God for bringing him safely to Sheba and for our Gaza team who work around the clock to bring urgent children out for medical treatment. Please pray for his precious life as he undergoes treatment here.
Due to multiple heart defects Mohaned was blue immediately after his birth on April 13, and rushed to the neonatal ICU where an intravenous drip of prostaglandin kept him alive. His doctors contacted us for help getting him into Israel–his only chance to live.
Thank God, despite the coronavirus crisis the team at Sheba Medical Center went the extra mile, including coronavirus tests in both Gaza and on arrival in Israel, to make it possible for Mohaned to reach Sheba Friday evening as the Sabbath was starting:
It is so good to see him in an advanced center with the resources to help him; Abraham and his seed were chosen for this reason, to be a blessing to all the families of the earth.
Today I went with Mohaned and his mother to a pulmonary appointment at Sheba Hospital. We had a lot of fun while we were waiting, and also during the conversation with the doctor Mohaned was very active and enthusiastic. After the conversation with the doctor which was very positive, because Mohaned is doing very well at the moment, we had another appointment with a physiotherapist.
Here Mohaned’s mother learned some exercises she can do to help Mohaned to make his lungs stronger. He did not have fun with all the exercises, but it was all good again when he was allowed to blow up a plastic glove.
