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.