Today we said goodbye to Onaees and his mother. They are returning along with a few other families to Kurdistan. It was such a joyful day filled with happy tears.
All of the families gathered outside to bid them farewell in celebration of the time they were able to spend with these lovely mothers and children.
We are so thankful for how quickly Onaees recovered, it is a true blessing. He and his mother were always guaranteed to make me smile.
May God continue to be with them, and may his light shine in to their hearts and lives. Thank you for the prayers and support you have offered this special family.
With the expectations of being told they are cleared to return to Kurdistan, Onaees and his mother went in to the Echocardiogram at Sheba hospital today in high spirits. Thankfully they were not disappointed. Onaees has been given the green light to return to Kurdistan! It has been a true blessing to spend time with his mother whom all of us volunteers describe as a ray of sunshine, and with little Onaees, who has so much life and vigor in all that he does.
After the Echo, Onaees’ mother wanted to visit with the mother of Aurfa, the little one to the right in above photo. It’s beautiful to watch the mothers encourage each other, and to see the children playing together.
Please be praying as Onaees and his mother travel back to Kurdistan tomorrow.
Onaees’ echo was wonderfully completed at Sheba hospital today; he was initially very scared to see the hospital again, but after some time, he settled into his normal self again, running around, exploring, and charming everyone with his mischievous smile.
His mum and I laughed about how he has one leg crossed over the other during the echo; he did this in his first appointment and now this has become his signature move. I told his mum he is like a little adult, especially in his button down shirt and waistcoat.
The echo itself showed really good surgical results. His scar is healing well from surgery, and if no problems develop in the next week, he’ll be able to go to Kurdistan after his next echo.
Today Onaees had an Echocardiogram at Sheba hospital that cleared him to be discharged to Jaffa.
Onaees and his mother were in high spirits at this news. While we were waiting at the hospital, Onaees gave me a few of his ornery grins, as he was munching on potato chips.
We are all so thankful for the smoothness of his recovery after surgery so far.
Yesterday, doctors at Sheba hospital discovered Onaees doesn’t have a spleen. It is not uncommon for children with heart defects to have a spleen missing. Doctors plan to take immediate action and give Onaees some vaccinations to help protect him from certain issues that can arise because of this. Doctors ordered an X-ray for Onaees to better assist their research.
Overall, Onaees is improving. He had some fluid around his lungs, but that is also improving. His mother is a lovely woman and Onaees is a lively boy. We hope that Onaees will improve further.
Thank you for your prayers for Onaees and for wisdom for his doctors and their decision on how to proceed.
Onaees is one of those children that seeing him now, you wouldn’t know he had open heart surgery three days ago. He was relaxing and watching TV on his mom’s phone, and his mother said that soon after the surgery, Onaees was extubated and drinking milk. Praise God for this sweet boy’s recovery.
Onaees’ mother speaks Kurdish, but a specific dialect. As of tonight, there are two other Kurdish moms in the ICU with their children who also speak this dialect, which she was excited for. She was overall so joyful for her boy, her new neighbors in the hospital, and thankful that Onaees has come through his first surgery so well.
After September, a month of the Jewish holidays, the first day of October brought Onaees his surgery. When Co-worker Bria, Tabea and I went to Sheba hospital this morning to see Onaees, he was about to enter into his surgery.
He loves his mother a lot and enjoyed the cuddles he got before going into the surgery room. She enjoyed it as well, and kissed and hugged him deeply when she had to give her beloved son to the nurses, knowing that she had to trust them now.
After around four hours, Onaees’ surgeon exited the surgery and told us that everything went well. Shortly after that, Onaees was rolled out of surgery. He is still intubated but was already waking up after a few hours.
Some of the other Kurdish parents who were also in hospital with their little ones, joined us during our waiting time. It was nice for Onaees’ mother to get at least a bit of distraction from her thoughts.
When I saw Onaees’ mother looking at him with love and concern in her eyes, and trying to comfort him, Isaiah 66,13 came into my mind: “As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.” Isaiah 66:13 ESV
Today, after many days of waiting, Onaees was called in to Sheba Medical hospital for surgery. His mom couldn’t believe it.
While waiting for their hospital room to be prepared, Onaees played in the ‘train’ situated in the waiting area along with some wooden toys. It was just a fun time for him, thank God.
We hope and pray for Onaees’ surgery tomorrow. Soon we will rejoice with them for a new season in Onaees’ life!!
Onaees had a quick stay in Sheba hospital after his catheterization; he was discharged this afternoon.
As Onaees’s mother got him ready to go, she repeated, “Onaees, we are going home!” Although this isn’t ‘home’ in the way Kurdistan is to them, I was encouraged that she would think of our home as hers while she is here. I pray she finds it a place of security and love.
We are really happy for her as she received the wonderful news that her son will be able to have the Glenn procedure in the coming weeks. Please pray for both of them as they wait.
Onaees had a diagnostic catheterization today at Sheba Medical Center, which found him to be suitable for surgery. During the cath, Onaees’s mother was very worried. She cried when we arrived to the waiting room, but co-worker Alena was able to console her. It showed me how important and helpful our work is. Our visits change these mothers and often lifts their sadness.
Onaees is in the ICU now and his condition is well. I was impressed about the caring and effort of the doctors and nurses in the ICU. As soon as Onaees arrived there, about six hospital staff members came together in his room to talk about him, his condition and the next steps. Please pray for a good surgery, and the worries of his mother about her child to be abated. How blessed to know, that God is in control.
Onaees had his first appointment at Sheba hospital today. He has a very complicated heart with many anomalies, and in the end, the decision from many of the doctors today was to hospitalise him and have a diagnostic catheterisation tomorrow.
This is going to be his first ever major procedure at two years and three months old. Since the heart defect was diagnosed in Kurdistan, Onaees has been managed just with medication, rather than intervention such as catheterisation or surgery. His oxygen saturation is very low, around 60-75%, although his colouring is not too much of a deep-blue purple as with other children whom we meet with such low oxygen levels.
Thankfully, he seems to be developing in many ways well despite the low oxygen levels; he can walk and talk.
His mother was well-prepared for the day, and it was nice to meet her, as she has otherwise been in quarantine. Please pray for this beautiful boy.
Onaees arrived in Israel yesterday along with his mother and a group of other Kurdish families also requiring medical care for their children. We welcome them all.
Onaees is a two year old boy from Iraqi Kurdistan. He was diagnosed with a rare cardiac condition called tricuspid atresia with double outlet right ventricle. His organs are also reversed, on the opposite side of his body from where they should be. Onaees also has a reactive airway disease and is frequently hospitalized for this. He is a sweet-natured boy and playful. It is evident how much he loves his family. We welcome Onaees and his mother to Israel, and hope they can find the health care Onaees needs while here. Please pray for Onaees and his mother.
