Kenan has been recovering well from his surgery last week. Therefore, he has been discharged from the hospital. His mother is very happy about this. He has to continue with some of his medicine but is doing well for now.
We enjoyed them staying with us in Jaffa, but as a request from Kenan’s mother, they have been discharged to some extended family living near the hospital. It is very nice that she and Kenan can stay with them for a bit of time, because they don’t see their family living here often.
Erez border is remaining closed for now, so please pray for Kenan’s lovely mother and for Kenan himself to have a nice time with their family here, but also that they can return soon to their family back in Gaza. Especially to his grandmother, whom we all know is missing them a lot. Thank you for your prayers.
This past weekend, Sheba hospital decided to move the whole ICU and some of the other wards to an underground parking garage because of the given circumstances in Israel. One of the children that I visited today is the handsome Kenan.
After his surgery, he was intubated and it was quite difficult for his lovely young mother to see her cute son in this condition. Intubated and sleeping.
When I saw them today she was very happy because Kenan is already extubated and doing very well. He was crying a bit, but of course his lovely mother took loving care of him, holding him in her arms.
When I went to the underground ICU today, I didn’t expect it to be so nice. I am thankful to know that even if it’s not nice, the hospital has to be prepared for situations like this. You could definitely tell that they have been prepared for this, which is good. We have a few families from Gaza in the ICU at the moment, and all of them are happy to have each other and to spend time with each other because it makes their time in the hospital easier and also the whole situation.
When I asked Kenan’s mother how her husband is doing back in Gaza, she said he is ok. I’m glad to hear that, but he and all the people and families that we know back in Gaza need our prayers for this whole situation, as do the people of Israel. Please join me in prayer for both these things, and also for a continuing recovery for little Kenan.
Today was Kenan’s surgery. He had to fast since 3:00 a.m. This was difficult for him since he went into surgery at 2:00 p.m. today. The surgery took four hours and was successful. Co-worker Georgia and I spent the waiting time together with Kenan’s mom, she was doing very well during the waiting time.
When Kenan came out of surgery and a nurse told us everything went well, Kenan’s mother was extremely happy and wore a bright smile on her face. She almost ran to get her bags to be with her son as soon as possible which was the ICU for now.
When we went to the ICU, she still had to wait for a short time because they had to stabilize Kenan. When she could go to him, he was sleeping peacefully. Mom was a little bit shocked and probably afraid because she cried a little bit at the sight of him. I told her that he is fine and I know that it must be difficult to see him with all the tubes and everything but he is doing fine, that everything went well and almost every child that is coming out of surgery looks like this. This helped to calm her down.
In the last few days, I witnessed how much she loves her Kenan. She is always taking loving care of him and is happy when he is happy. It is lovely to see that even though Kenan is so small, he seems to understand who his mother is. Please pray for a good recovery now for Kenan and for peace and strength for his mother and her whole family also back in Gaza.
In the last few days, Kenan and his mom had to be very patient with all the circumstances of getting admitted for surgery, waiting for a room, being discharged without a surgery, and coming back today to be admitted for surgery tomorrow.
Today, Kenan’s mom demonstrated her patience as she waited for a room to be made ready, and so did little cute Kenan. They have been admitted to the intermediate ICU at Sheba hospital.
Today they did some tests for Kenan, during which he cried. Tomorrow is finally the big day of surgery. In the waiting time today, he was sleeping peacefully in the arms of his mother and also in my arms since we took turns holding the tiny little man. He is very cute and patient.
Please pray for wisdom for the doctors for Kenan’s surgery tomorrow, and for patience and peace for his lovely mother.
Last evening, Sheba Hospital told us the surgery for Kenan won’t be tomorrow because there is another child who is more urgent then the he. We were asked to please come collect him but because it was already late in the afternoon, they agreed that we could collect him the next morning.
So today, early in the morning, co-worker Georgia and I brought them back to our community house in Jaffa. Hospital staff does not yet know when Kenan is having his surgery, but for now surgery is postponed.
Kenan’s lovely mother didn’t complain about this delay at all, she is a patient woman. Please join me in prayer that she continues to be patient for some days to come, and that doctors will do the surgery for little Kenan soon.
Kenan and his lovely mother spent a nice time at our community home in Jaffa with us and our other Kurdish families. Today, Kenan and his mom had to come to Sheba hospital to do a Corona test because of a possible surgery tomorrow.
Only Kenan had to have the Corona test, during which he was a brave little boy. He only cried a little bit. After the test, we waited for their hospital room to be made ready. We spent the waiting time together taking turns holding little Kenan.
In the time in between, he was also sleeping and hungry. His lovely mother of course took care of him. After a few hours, they finally were admitted to the ICU of the hospital and the surgery is scheduled for tomorrow. Thank you for your prayers.
This lovely boy was discharged after his catheterization yesterday! Based on this procedure’s results, the doctors have decided Kenan is ready for the Glenn operation this week.
Until then, Kenan and his mum are staying with us in our community home in sunny Jaffa until he gets called in for surgery.
Kenan underwent a successful catheterization today at Sheba hospital. His mother told me he’d already eaten after the procedure, so he’s doing very well.
Doctors want to do a surgery next for him but they have to discuss this with each other and schedule it.
Kenan’s mother is a very friendly person, She expressed to me that she is glad she has accompanied Kenan this time to hospital because she wants to be with Kenan on his upcoming surgery day. His grandmother had come with Kenan last time he needed to come to Sheba.
Thank you for your prayers for little Kenan and his mother.
The two previous times Kenan was in Israel for cardiac treatment, he was with his grandmother. When Kenan came to Sheba today, I went to look for his grandmother’s familiar face but was surprised to find a young woman holding him in her arms; it was his mother!
Often times when a newborn comes urgently from Gaza, it is a grandmother who is the accompanying guardian, but as in many cases now, after a child comes many times to Sheba, we get to meet the child’s mother. With every urgent newborn, and Kenan was one of them, my mind goes to the mother. I wonder what it must have been like to have her baby, then find out he needs urgent surgery and within a few days, have to give them up to a different and even an enemy country for treatment. We see many urgent children and yet they remain individuals. Still, the reality is, for each of these babies, there is a mother somewhere in Gaza who is agonizing over the fate of her own little one. So, like I said, the joyful occasion of these returning Gaza babies is that you meet more of their families, particularly the mothers whom we think so much about.
This time, Kenan was hospitalized for a catheterization tomorrow, they will be able to gauge when he will be ready for the next step in his treatment of open-heart surgery. Up until now, his heart was treated with a stent placed in a catheterization, so they will also be able to check how this is functioning tomorrow.
Basically everyone who saw Kenan today at Sheba hospital thought he was adorable. His mother has never been to Sheba hospital before and yet was poised and confident. As we waited for his room to be made ready, she video-called Kenan’s grandmother who was his previous guardian both times Kenan came to Sheba, and she is always a good one to talk to, encouraging Kenan’s mum and doting on her grandson.
Getting to know these families is truly a joy. Please pray for them as catheterizations are not new for Kenan, but this will be the first one his mum will be here for.
Despite his dramatic arrival from Gaza on Thursday evening via ambulance, Kenan spent the weekend at our community house in Jaffa, in a stable condition with his oxygen saturation at around 90%.
Kenan’s mother has been in contact with his grandma frequently, as she is missing her only grandson and is worried about him. Thankfully today in the echo, the doctor saw that Kenan’s stent is functioning well, which was an original concern. It was also confirmed that Kenan’s oxygen saturation remains in a good condition.
However, Kenan’s doctor saw that one of his pulmonary arteries is looking narrow. They have scheduled Kenan for a catheterisation next month. For the mean time, he was free to return to Gaza today.
Tonight, an ambulance took Kenan from Erez border to our Jaffa community house. The Sheba cardiologists were aware of his case because he has a stent and a recent report from Gaza shows his oxygen levels were dropping, so they wanted to see him as soon as possible. He will go to the clinic on Sunday, God willing.
We really thank God that Kenan could exit Gaza after there were permission troubles with the border. But now he is here with us in Jaffa, and his vital signs are very good.
Baby Kenan slept soundly amidst his chaotic discharge from Sheba Hospital. The late afternoon quickly turned into evening before we were on the road to Erez Border Crossing which closed at seven.
Kenan and his grandmother shared a hospital room with another Arab family who assisted in almost every aspect of his discharge. When they heard me speaking Arabic to Kenan’s grandmother, the father of this family came over to see what was going on, and then enlisted his wife to write down the directions for how to prepare the medications in Arabic. Once she understood the medicines, Kenan’s grandmother quickly packed up her bags. Then this kind father even helped us bring all of her luggage downstairs and packed it into the Shevet van for us. The last thing he did before saying goodbye, was to make sure I saw the time, it was 5:55 p.m. The border closes at 7 and it takes about an hour to get there from Sheba without traffic. It seemed like ‘mission impossible’ to get sweet Kenan home tonight.
But the Lord really did allow for us to make it just in time. We arrived five minutes before Erez closed. Somehow, during rush-hour, there were no major traffic jams on the highway. Another blessing from God was the guard at the border allowed me to assist Kenan and his grandmother all the way into the security building on the Israeli side. Since Corona emerged back in March, they’ve taken the precaution that no one who isn’t crossing into Gaza is allowed to go that far. But I was particularly thankful that on this one occasion, I could accompany them in. Kenan’s grandmother has said since this morning, when she found out they could go home today, that it was very scary for her to cross the border when she initially arrived with Kenan. It was her first time ever crossing Erez. She asked me this morning to please take care of her because there is so much that she doesn’t know. I told her as we waited at Erez, God was indeed with us, and recounted to her that previously I was never allowed to come inside with anyone else!
Now, thank God, Kenan is back with his mum and dad after his first weeks of life were spent away from them. He will return in three weeks for doctors to check how his heart is working with the stent they placed to treat his Pulmonary Atresia. Thank you for praying for this sweet boy!
Step by step, our little friend gets better. This was confirmed by the results of Kenan’s Echo-cardiogram given today at Sheba Medical Center.
Today’s Echo also shows that his heart is working well. In addition, I discovered his antibiotics-therapy is completed. He is still receiving some fluid via vein. Nutrition for Kenan also goes slowly forward.
Kenan’s very lovely grandmother is so skilled with her grandson! She is caring well about the cute baby boy. She also takes time to help her neighbor in the room. So nice to see!
The small Kenan looks so cute in his sleep! When I came to Sheba Hospital today to visit him, he was sleeping so peacefully. His grandmother was so pleased about that, but then last night was difficult for both of them.
We discovered that little Kenan was fasting over the weekend because it was discovered that he has an abdominal infection. He was receiving nutrition via his vein.
Starting today, he can again receive milk but in small quantities. Also he is receiving an antibiotics-therapy for a while to combat the infection. We hope it will help him.
Our Lord is with peaceful little Kenan und his grandmother. Thank you so much for blessing him with your prayers.
I met Kenan and his wonderful Grandmother at the Secondary Pediatric ICU in Sheba Hospital. Both of them were doing pretty well. Kenan’s Grandmother was very open and pleased. Vital signs on the monitor above Kenan were good. But as I approached his bed, I woke him and he wasn’t too happy about that. Grandmother knew what she needed to do for her lovely grandson however. She had a syringe with glucose in it so she gave him a little bit to help him stop crying.
His doctors believe that Kenan has an abdominal infection and that it is better if he stays in hospital and be supervised
A discharge date for our little boy has to wait. Please pray for this blessed boy, that he will soon be reunited with his family in Gaza.
As I was in the Sheba Medical Center Pediatric Secondary ICU, I was delighted to see Kenan’s grandmother. She ushered me into her hospital room which she had been transferred to late last night. As we spoke about Kenan and the possibility of him returning to Gaza tomorrow or early next week, she repeated many times in Arabic that the most important thing is Kenan’s health.
“Two months… [I am here now],” she said. “As long as he goes back healthy.”
The same tender love that I saw in her expression while talking with her yesterday, is present whenever she is speaking about her grandson. She also expressed her gratitude for the excellent care of the doctors at Sheba.
Please pray for their road ahead, that in God’s timing, Kenan would be healthy enough to return to his family in Gaza.
As I left them for the evening, I thought about all the circumstances that must be just right in the order of the work of Shevet, not just on our part, but on the part of the doctors who are among the best in the world. They daily take incredible care of their patients, devote countless hours to their health, often sacrificing their own comforts to conduct surgeries and give the care their patients need.
I’m also touched by the willingness of each appointed guardian, chaperone or parent, who sacrifices much of their life and time, sometimes expense, for an unknown period of time so that a child in their family might live.
God bless the family of Kenan, his grandmother, and those waiting for their return to their home in Gaza.
At just over one week of age, Kenan had an Interventional Catheterization today. He came urgently last Friday to Sheba and has been in the Pediatric ICU waiting for a decision on the course of treatment he’d need.
His grandmother faithfully waited for the duration of the Catheterization and was so joyful after it was finished. She was beaming as she repeated “Thank God,” over and over again in Arabic.
She told co-worker Georgia and I that this was her son’s first child, and that Kenan is her very first grandchild. When we asked about how Kenan’s mother was, she said that she is crying very much over the separation from her son, so please keep this family in your prayers and for Kenan’s future.
Kenan was transferred from a hospital in Gaza to Sheba Medical Centre in Israel, arriving on Friday.
He was born only last week, on 11th January. He came to us in the care of his grandma, traveling by ambulance.
His diagnosis from the doctors in Gaza is Pulmonary Atresia. He was seen by a doctor in Gaza when he was three days old. He presented as blue, with dangerously low oxygen saturation. He was also intubated.
Thankfully, he made it safely to the Pediatric Cardiac ICU at Sheba Medical Center. He had a CT scan today, which will be discussed by the doctors tomorrow. They will then make a decision about what should be the best treatment plan for him.
Kenan has been recovering well from his surgery last week. Therefore, he has been discharged from the hospital. His mother is very happy about this. He has to continue with some of his medicine but is doing well for now.
Erez border is remaining closed for now, so please pray for Kenan’s lovely mother and for Kenan himself to have a nice time with their family here, but also that they can return soon to their family back in Gaza. Especially to his grandmother, whom we all know is missing them a lot. Thank you for your prayers.
