Little Malak is doing very well. Yesterday afternoon at Sheba Hospital, the doctors removed her central line and urinary catheter. They are continuing to monitor her breathing, but they are very happy with the progress she’s making. They even hope to remove her arterial line sometime in the next few days.
Malak’s mom is also very happy, and we laughed together as little Malak stuck out her tongue at us. Regarding a discharge from the hospital, her mother said, “Inshallah (God willing) soon Malak.”
Praise God for this amazing recovery! Please pray that Malak continues to improve.
Today at Sheba Hospital, I saw Malak extubated for the first time. Seeing her awake and looking around, led me into a state of so much gratitude.“Thank you God for answering our prayer for little Malak.” Coworker Elise and I prayed for Malak, gave thanks and blessed her. It was a special moment we had in her room.
Malak is doing pretty well. Today the doctors removed some medication she was receiving through her central line. Because she doesn’t need the central line anymore, they planned to remove it today in the afternoon, as well as her urinary catheter. They also started to give her milk through the tube for the first time. She seems to be tolerating it well.
With the following bible verse, I want to invite you to give thanks to the Lord for what he’s doing in Malak’s life:
“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever.” 1 Chronicles 16:34
At Sheba Hospital today, our sweet Malak is holding her mother’s hand right after her extubation.
She doesn’t have a fever today, which is very good news. Her mom is very happy about Malak’s extubation, and was raising her little hand to wave at us when we came in to the room.
Please pray that Malak will remain stable, and not have to be intubated again.
When I stepped into Malak’s hospital room last Friday for a short time, I saw our little Malak had been reintubated.
I talked to her doctor. She said that on Friday morning, Malak struggled with her breathing and they had to intubate her again. Since then, Malak has been stable, but she still has a little fever.
Despite of all of the struggles, the doctors are considering an extubation attempt again tomorrow. Thanks for praying for our little girl and her amazing mother! It is not easy for her to be that long in the hospital.
Our little Malak is recovering little by little in Sheba Children’s Hospital.
After having her extubation yesterday, she is doing well. She still has a bit of fever though. Her mom is very happy about the progress that she is making. Today she kept saying she was very happy because Malak is a strong baby.
The doctors will be watching Malak’s progress over the next weeks. Please pray that Malak will recover from her fever and continue to respond well to being off the ECMO and off oxygen.
When I visited little Malak today, her mother told me directly that she is concerned about her daughter because she is running a little fever today. But during the day, Malak was improving more and more.
First they removed the chest drain and later in the day they successfully extubated her. I’m so amazed how good this little girl looks after being on the ECMO for 8 days! His mom was very happy that she didn’t have to be alone while waiting for the extubation and even happier after the doctors told her that everything went well.
Thank you God that she is so well now! Thank you for protecting her so far! Please give her enough strength to continue breathing and improving!
At Sheba Hospital, Malak was successfully disconnected from the ECMO yesterday. Today was her first day without the machine and the doctor said that she is stable for right now. Maybe tomorrow she will be extubated if she does well this night. The doctors want to keep watching her reaction to this new change.
When coworker Margarita and I entered Malak’s hospital room, she was sleeping. We prayed for her and blessed her in the name of the Lord. Hopefully we will see her do a lot of improvement!
After having two big surgeries last week at Sheba Medical Center, she had to be connected to the ECMO because she was really critical after having two surgeries.
Today she has been successfully removed from the ECMO. Directly afterwards, her condition was stable.
Please pray for Malak as the hours afterwards are always very critical. And we give our thanks to the Sheba staff who are doing really their best and are hoping for this little girl to get better.
For the first time in quite a while, the nurses caring for Malak in the ICU had a great report to share. “She’s very good today!” one of them told me with a smile. The support from the ECMO machine has been decreased and Malak is still doing well. If she continues to do well overnight, she will go to the operating room tomorrow to come off the machine completely.
When I shared this news with Malak’s mother, her face broke into the biggest grin. “Really? Tomorrow? Oh thank God!”
Please pray for Malak to continue to improve throughout the night and for a smooth and successful procedure tomorrow.
Our little Malak had a successful catheterization today. It was a rather dangerous procedure for her, since she is in such a critical condition already, but thank God all went well. She was in the cath lab for over four hours as the doctors widened several arteries and placed stents in her pulmonary artery. They hope that this will increase her oxygen levels and give her a better chance of coming off the ECMO machine safely as soon as possible. Depending on how she recovers from the cath, the doctors may even try to take her off the ECMO tomorrow.
Her mom was so happy about her success that she was dancing in the hallway of the hospital! Please pray that sweet Malam will be able to safely come off of the ECMO without any complications. May God bless this beautiful baby and her lovely mother.
Today the doctors at Sheba Hospital decided that Malak will have her cath tomorrow morning. The catheterization will widen her pulmonary artery.
Malak is still kind of stable on the ECMO and at the same time in a dangerous situation. Let us pray that the cath tomorrow will go well, and the doctors will have success, and for peace for her mother.
Today we visited our little Malak in the Sheba MedicaI Pediatric ICU; she had her surgeries two days ago. As you can see in the picture above, she‘s still in a critical situation – she’s still on the ECMO. Because of her very small pulmonary artery, the doctors are thinking about scheduling her for a catheterization on Thursday in order to dilate her pulmonary artery.
Seeing Malak in such a condition, led us into prayer: “Lord, please hold your mighty hands above Malak.”
I want to invite you to stand with us in prayer for Malak in these days which are very critical for her – especially the catheter intervention. Let us hold on to God, who is in control of everything, including the life of Malak.
Today was the long-awaited surgery day for our little Malak in Sheba Hospital. After a wonderful weekend together with her and her mother in Jerusalem, we brought her last night to the hospital for her admission.
This morning at eight, they took her into the OR and the long waiting time for her mother began. After seven and a half hours, she was back in her room, but as it was a long and very complicated surgery. The doctors decided to put her on the ECMO. They found out during surgery that her pulmonary artery is too small and so enough blood cannot get to her lungs. This was very hard news for Malak’s mother, she was crying and kept saying, “I just want her to live. She is such a beautiful girl!”
After only one hour in her room – her mother wasn’t even allowed yet to go to her daughter – the open chest started uncontrolled bleeding, her heart rate was very high and the doctors decided that she has to go right back into surgery. And again, a long waiting time started. I was totally impressed by Malak’s mother though. From the worries she had at first about her beloved daughter, she now told us over google translate, “If it is better for her to go, it is that she doesn’t have to suffer on this earth. Death is very difficult. I’m very afraid that I will never see her smile again, but we wish mercy for her. She is a very weak and beautiful being at the same time.” To have this trust in God in such a difficult situation, amazed me absolutely.
Again three hours later, Malak was back in her room. The doctors were able to stop her bleeding and to kind of stabilize her, but she is still in the most critical situation to be in. Her heart still has a lot of problems, and the next hours are the most dangerous for little Malak. But we want to trust God that he will make it right.
And so as this long day ends for all of us, including the surgeons who came back in the late afternoon, only for Malak’s surgery. We want to thank God for everything he did today. He is good and he has the best plan for Malak and her family!
Today Malak had an echo. Before we went into the echo room, I took her in my arms and she took a small nap.
After that, the nurses took her weight and registered her oxygen level. Malak was very quiet and didn´t complain at all.
When the nurse was doing the echo, Malak cried a little bit at the end, but she was still very peaceful.
While we waited for the doctors, Malak drank some milk and fell asleep again in my arms. Her mother was very grateful that I made her fall asleep. The doctor said that Malak has gained enough weight for her surgery. Her oxygen level is too low though, so that she is going to stay with us in our community home for a couple of days. The doctors will decide what the next steps are for Malak, which will probably be to do the surgery next week.
This morning, I met a sweet baby girl, Malak and her grandmother at the Gaza border for her first cardiology appointments at Sheba Medical Centre. While Bria and Quinlan helped Malak into the car seat, her grandmother blew kisses at us, repeating the phrase “Praise be to God.”
Our visit to the hospital was later than we had hoped because of some delays at border control, but we were still able to get Malak to her first echo appointment and EKG. The doctors will have Malak return for another appointment in a month to continue monitoring her situation, waiting for the best time to admit her for surgery. There is a comfort and relief in knowing this child’s situation is being monitored well in advance.
Coworker Bria left to bring the car around, while coworker Quinlan and I stayed in the lobby with Malak and her grandmother. In the Lord’s perfect timing, another grandmother from Gaza walked into the lobby and the two united, embracing in tears. An Arabic-speaking woman beside me explained that Malak’s grandmother and this woman are neighbors in Gaza. After a long, tiring day of navigating borders, hospital wards, and foreign languages, Malak’s grandmother was still full of hope as we pulled away from Sheba toward the border.
“You should all come with me to Gaza,” she said as we gave our goodbyes. Pray for a safe return home for Malak and her grandmother and for Malak’s continued stable condition as they wait for the optimal surgery date. Also pray for her mother who was kept from crossing the border for this visit, that she might be permitted to cross next time Malak journeys to Israel.
Today is a very happy day for Malak and her family. Malak’s oxygen was good for the last days and she gained so much weight, so she was discharged from Sheba Hospital today!
It’s a happy day for all the Muslim people today, because of the end of Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr holiday. So it is even more special for them that Malak and her grandmother can go home. Beautiful Malak (which means “Angel” in Arabic) was also dressed very nicely.
Malak’s grandmother was so, so happy to go home and greeted coworkers Hanna, Tatiana and me with a big smile and many kisses. Also all the other women from Gaza have been very happy for them and escorted them to the door. She made a lot of friends during her time in the hospital.
Malak, diagnosed with Down Syndrome and the heart defect of Tetralogy of Fallot, spent one month at Sheba. She had a diagnostic cath and several CT scans. The doctors decided that she needs heart surgery at the age of 3 – 6 months. Until then, she will stay at home in Gaza, but with a checkup appointment at Sheba in one month.
Thank you for all prayers for Malak. We can thank God and continue praying for her, that she will be alright until her surgery.
Little Malak is doing well in the Secondary Pediatric ICU of Sheba Medical Center. She is off oxygen support and stable. She was scheduled for a CT this morning, but because of another emergency child, it had to be postponed.
Malak’s grandmother is tired of waiting all the time and it is hard for her to stay in the hospital such a long time. But still she is waiting very patiently and just wants the best for her grandchild. When I left her today, I told her that I am praying for her and she was very thankful for that. Thank you for joining me in prayer for cute Malak and her wonderful grandma!
Today, coworker Amelie and I went to Sheba Medical Center to visit little Malak.
When we came into the hospital, the doctor said that Malak can be discharged today, but while we were in the hospital, Malak’s oxygen dropped and she needed oxygen support again. Because of this, she couldn’t be discharged today.
Malak’s grandma was very happy at first, that she and Malak could finally go home to their family. Then when they told her that it’s not possible, she was disappointed, but still really happy and in a good mood.
Please pray and bless Malak and her grandma, that they can go home soon.
Malak is getting bigger and stronger. She is doing so well for now, that she might be discharged tomorrow! Her grandmother is so happy with this news. She is thanking God constantly and she gave me a big hug and kiss.
We ask for your prayer for Malak, that she will soon be stable enough to return home to her family.
Today, coworker Ben and I visited little Malak and her grandmother at Sheba Hospital. Malak is doing well, but in the night she still needs oxygen support. The doctors discuss now if she might need surgery right away or if they can wait some months.
Otherwise she is doing well and gaining weight. Malak’s grandmother was also very thankful for coworker Ben who speaks Arabic. We prayed for all the little children in the ICU.
Please join in these prayers and also for Malak, that the doctors may have wisdom about the next steps for her.
After Malak’s oxygen dropped quite low last week, doctors at Sheba Hospital put her on oxygen support. Today they tried to remove the oxygen support again and they will watch how she is dealing with it.
If she is doing okay without oxygen support, she can go home in the next days. If not, then she needs a cath and the doctors will decide then if she needs also a surgery.
Malak’s grandmother hopes very much that all will be well and showed me again and again how high Malak’s oxygen level was at the moment. Let’s pray for the doctors’ decision regarding a cath or if little Malak is well enough to go home for now. Please pray also for strength for her grandmother.
Today coworker Lilly and I visited cute little Malak and his wonderful grandmother. The doctor said that she is doing very well. She eats well, and only needs a little bit oxygen support now. If she doesn’t need the oxygen support anymore, she is probably going to be discharged to Gaza, but they don’t know yet, when it’s going to happen.
Malak is a beautiful and calm baby girl and it’s nice to see how she is improving. Let’s pray that she can go soon back to Gaza to her family.
Little Malak’s weight is getting better, but sadly her blood saturation is a little low and gets lower. The doctors at Sheba Hospital watch this now carefully and have to make a new plan for Malak.
How Mala’s grandmother is caring for her grandchild touched our hearts today. She cares that she eats and sleeps, it’s so cute.
Please pray for Malak and for wisdom for the doctors as to what to do next in her treatment. And also for continued patience for Malak’s grandmother.
Malak and her grandmother are still patiently waiting in Sheba Hospital until Malak gains enough weight to be able to go home safely. It takes a while, but hopefully soon they can go back to Gaza.
In the meantime, Malak’s grandmother has a lot of mothers and grandmothers waiting in the hospital who are also from Gaza; she spends time with them, supports them as they support her and shares some meal with them also.
Please pray for this patient grandmother and little Malak.
When Amelie and I visited Malak and her grandmother at Sheba Hospital today, she was being fed. She was really calm and sleepy.
The nurse told us that Malak has already gained weight. They want to keep watching her, but if she keeps gaining weight she may be discharged on Wednesday or Thursday. Malak’s grandmother is really thankful for that!
Please keep on praying for Malak’s recovery and for her whole family!
Today I visited little Malak and her grandmother at Sheba Medical Center. Last Thursday the doctors mentioned that she might be discharged today, but unfortunately this was not possible. Right now, Malak has to gain weight first, after this and if she’s still stable, she can then go home.
Malak is a very beautiful, cute little girl. Please continue praying for her.
Today, coworker Amelie and I visited little Malak at Sheba Medical Center.
The doctor told us that for the moment, Malak is pretty stable and does not need surgery immediately. If everything stays the same over the weekend, she will probably be discharged on Sunday.
I’m very happy to see how quickly she’s improved, thank the Lord.
Please keep praying that Malak stays in such a good condition.
Malak had her diagnostic catheterization today at Sheba Hospital. This is a step further in the process to make a decision for the next steps for her. The catheterization went well, and now the doctors will discuss with each other what the next steps will be for Malak’s treatment.
Malak and her grandmother were sound asleep when we visited them; it is good they could take some rest after this procedure.
Please pray for Malak’s condition and for the building of strength for her body to help in the upcoming procedures.
Cute little Malak is stable and doing well so far in Sheba Children’s Hospital ICU. Tomorrow she will have a diagnostic and possibly interventional cath. The surgeons might decide to repair a hole in the heart (VSD).
She is such a cute girl! Her grandmother loves her, but is also very worried. Let’s pray that everything is going well tomorrow and that doctors can help Malak by way of the cath.
This afternoon at Sheba Medical, I met little Malak and her grandmother for the first time. Malak was sleeping peacefully in her room in the ICU. She’s such a beautiful little girl.
Malak had a CT scan today and tomorrow the doctors will discuss a plan of treatment for her, including what surgery may be a good option.
Pray for wisdom for them as they decide what to do for Malak.
Malak (Arabic for “angel”) was born in the southern Gaza Strip with Down syndrome and a combination of heart defects which would have shortly ended her life. Doctors in Gaza gave her a special medication to keep her alive until she could be rushed to Israel this afternoon. Thank God she arrived safely and is now stable and undergoing assessment in preparation for surgery.
Little Malak is doing very well. Yesterday afternoon at Sheba Hospital, the doctors removed her central line and urinary catheter. They are continuing to monitor her breathing, but they are very happy with the progress she’s making. They even hope to remove her arterial line sometime in the next few days.
