Ali's Heart Surgery - Page Two
Monday,
September 29, 2008 A New Chance
Filed
by 
Today
we visited our children in the ICU at Wolfson Medical Center, and
comforted their relatives there. We had
the opportunity to see Ali. The doctors told us that he's
getting a bit better.
We keep on praying for him and for his father, a strong man who is
facing those difficulties in such a noble and humble way. Far from home
and often alone, Ali's father keeps fighting for life with his child
without losing the hope. He's such a good and thankful man, who
appreciates every little bit of help and every silent moment shared
together--smiles, hugs and nice words.
We ask you all to pray for them. We praise the Lord to bless them with
a wonderful new year full of joy and serenity. Shana tova! [Jewish
New Year greeting.]
Ethan
adds:
The doctor said, "Yesterday we didn't think he would make it. Today we
can say that he has a very real chance, especially if his fluid
retention reduces and his lungs improve a bit." This bit of
light sprinkled the day with optimism for everyone, including Shanaw who was also concerned about
Ali. While Shanaw's aunt prayed outside (since it is the day before the
end of Ramadan), we sat in the I.C.U. and thanked the Lord for mercy He
has shown so far, and asked for continued healing.
More
from Donna:
The news as well as the attitudes from the ICU staff today were most
encouraging. When we entered, Dr. Houri was attending Ali, and told us
that for the first time they now feel hope that Ali has a chance. He
spoke to me about this again later when I was with Shanaw and he made
rounds for her case. I responded at how thankful all of us are for
this, and he said they are as much or more thankful because it was very
difficult for them too that Ali was so sick. I felt privileged to spend
time in the ICU rejoicing and thanking God that both of these children
for whom we'd interceded yesterday and last night were markedly
improved today. Ali still has a long way to go, but how wonderful that
with God's help, he has a new chance. Join us in thanking God as you
continue to pray for Ali, and his father.
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Sunday,
September 28, 2008 Emergency Late-Night
Catheterization for Ali
Filed
by
Ali
went in for a rare, late-night catheterization tonight as doctors
attempted to open up a closed artery by the placing of a stent.
This was an emergency procedure, as evidenced by the hour it
was
done. Our staff at the hospital report that the procedure was
successful, but Ali is still in critical condition. God's grace is
needed at this hour; please continue with us in prayer for Ali and his
tired and frightened father.
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 Thursday
September 25, 2008 Hope Grows Along With
Oxygen Levels
Filed
by
I
was able to see Ali
today for the first time in about a week because I've had a cold and
would not go into the ICU. The visit held some encouraging news as the
doctors have seen a slight improvement since yesterday -- actually I
was encouraged before I went into the ICU when I saw Abu Ali. He shared
with me that Ali's oxygenation was at 76-77% today. As I visited him,
the monitor by his bedside went as high as 79%. However it also dropped
again to about 60% for a time. I spoke to the doctor on duty who
explained that they have increased the dosage of a medication which is
both a bronchodialator and a diuretic, and it seems to be helping.
Please keep praying!
Abu Ali was perhaps
ever-so-slightly encouraged with the rising oxygen levels, but still
very tired, and aware of the long road ahead for his son. He is such a
devoted father, and has been here for so long caring for his precious
son. Please keep both of them in your prayers.
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 Monday,
September 22, 2008 Low Oxygen Levels; Chest
Closed
Filed
by
Ali
remains
under constant observation and is still having low oxygen saturations.
There appears to still be a problem with Ali's lungs making it
impossible to breathe on his own. Yesterday he experienced a crisis as
his oxygen dropped down to 30+ percent of normal. Today his
readings were in the mid-50s.
On the positive side, Ali’s chest was closed Sunday night,
meaning doctors believe it less likely they’ll have to go
back in
on an emergency basis.
Prayer has been an important factor and I would ask that we continue to
hold Ali up before the throne of grace. He is still in danger but with
the hand of God all things are possible. Click to
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message to Ali and his father.
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Thursday,
September 18, 2008 Your Words of Encouragement
for Ali's Father
Filed
by Today,
Erica and I sat
outside of the ICU with Ali’s father for a few
hours. Erica had the opportunity to read all of the letters
that people have sent to him via the link on this page. He
was very interested in what people had to say and overwhelmed by
everyone’s interest and concern ("just about moved to
tears," according to Ethan). He is slowly catching a cold,
which, if it gets worse could prevent him from seeing Ali.
All
day the doctors were telling me that there was no change in Ali's
condition, however as we were getting ready to leave this evening the
surgeon walked by and informed us that he saw a very small improvement
and that they are hoping to close his chest in two or three days if
things continue to improve. Please pray for his
father’s health and continue to pray for Ali as he remains in
great danger.
Yesterday three of the
Iraqi
parents staying in Jerusalem asked to go to the hospital to visit
Ali’s
father. Once we arrived to the hospital it seemed that they
would sit
in silence for the entire visit, but eventually the chatter started up
amongst them (mixed with a few tears) and didn’t stop until
they drove
away. When I left the hospital that evening it seemed that
Ali’s
father’s spirits were up ever so slightly.
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 Wednesday,
September 17, 2008 A Matter of Waiting
Filed
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Ali’s
father shared some laughs with us outside the
Wolfson ICU today. He
had found a
postcard of a rabbi who was advertising his “mohel”
services (one who performs
circumcisions). When
our co-worker Ethan
explained to him who the man was, everyone in earshot gave a sheepish
grin and
hearty chuckle. Talk
of circumcision in
every culture draws either very serious responses or ones of great
humor. Inside
the ICU Ali lay quietly in his chemically induced
coma. The
ventilator softly fed him
oxygen. Even as he
lay there his body
was fighting to accept the new physiology of his heart.
Today during lunch with the pediatric
surgeon, Dr. Sasson,
we received an update on his condition:
“When we began the surgery all
our data told
us that Ali’s body would receive his corrective heart surgery. Still his lungs will not
take blood flow
needed to sustain his life. It
is just a
matter of waiting, there is no surgery that we can do to correct this
condition.”
It would seem that
prayerful intervention is what is
continually needed for Ali. Please take
the time to take this little boy’s life before the Lord and
pray specifically
that his lungs would begin receiving the needed oxygenated blood.
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Tuesday,
September 16, 2008 Ali Stable, Doctors Sound
More Hopeful
Filed
by
Today
as I
stood by Ali's bedside I once again was in awe of the amount of work,
skill, technology, machines, dedicated doctors, medical staff..... it
takes to make one sick little child well. As ICU head Dr. Houry
explained about
the catheterization he seemed confident that there was nothing that had
been overlooked. He told me that Ali is doing better and that it would
be possible to do another operation in several months if they decide it
is necessary.
He
scrubbed his hands and very
carefully pulled back Ali's covering so I could see what this little
man has been through. I was simply amazed at what I saw, to some degree
you could see his little heart beating through its sterile covering.
------------
More
from Keleigh who's been staying near Ali at the hospital:
Saturday
evening I took Ali and his father to the hospital. Following
our
arrival Ali’s father noticed that they had a large crib in
their
room for Ali and a narrow fold out chair for him to sleep on.
Since Ali has slept next to his father for the past nine months, his
father knew that Ali wouldn’t sleep unless they were next to
each
other (may seem strange in American culture, but in Arab culture this
seems to be very normal). One of the staff assistants at the
hospital and I removed the crib and replaced it with a bed.
In
the process we talked a bit about Ali and I was able to explain what I
am doing in Israel.
Late last night this same young girl
was the one that helped move Ali from the ICU to the catheterization
lab. After delivering Ali we passed each other in the hall
and
she said, “He isn’t doing
well.” I responded
with a blank stare. She continued by saying, “I
have worked
in this hospital for only nine months and I have seen so many
miracles. Don’t worry, miracles
happen.” As she
walked away I felt encouragement from the words of this Israeli girl
reminding me of what God is capable of.
Today Ali seems to be
doing a tiny bit better. His oxygen remains very low, however
his
blood pressure has improved. His father is managing, but
every
once in a while he will walk off for a while and return wiping away
tears. Over the past four months while he was staying in
Jerusalem he became very devout in his Muslim faith. Alex and
I
discussed briefly last night how these circumstances might shape his
future beliefs for the better or worse.
Please pray for Ali’s condition to improve and his father to
know the true healer.
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Tuesday,
September 16, 2008, 1:00 AM
Ali Stabilizing After
Midnight
Filed
by
The doctors
just completed the emergency catheterization, and were planning to try
inserting a stent to increase his oxygen flow which is not improving as
they hoped. However what they found did not explain the problem, the
stent didn't seem to offer the solution, and Ali seemed able to
stabilize on his own, so they stopped with the cath. The doctors said
they could not explain this, but I believe our prayers make a life and
death difference. Please keep praying for Ali and his father. Keep
praying for the doctors, who are attending to Ali continuously and who
are doing all they can to save his life. And keep praying for the
Shevet team, especially Keleigh, as we continue the ''ministry of
presence'' at the hospital.
 Monday
September 15, 2008 Fighting Around the Clock
for Ali
Filed
by
Team member
Donna and myself arrived at Wolfson Medical Center in Tel Aviv at 8:30
last night. The dark drive from Jerusalem had been
silent as we pondered and prayed for the life of little Ali. Ali
was in surgery with
Dr. Lior Sasson (pictured right) from
7:00 AM yesterday until approximately 7:00 in the evening.
This operation was the second stage for the repair of his small
heart. Almost four months have passed since his first
surgery. During this time Ali’s father has waited
diligently and patiently for the restoration of his son even while he
has a newborn son waiting in Iraq who he has never seen. A
tearful staff member
named Keleigh called me last night at 7:00 PM recounting the fresh
words of a discouraged cardiologist named Dr. Tamir: “The
surgery was very difficult, we don’t know if Ali will make
it.” Keleigh
was at the
hospital all day enduring the long hours of the endless
surgery. Passerbys who happened into Shevet on any given day
would see Ali perched on Keleigh’s lap as she went about her
daily work on the computer. Ali’s greatest crime
was going to each staff member begging for treats. His
doleful brown eyes always won over our hearts. When
we arrived at
Wolfson we were greeted by the tear-streaked, downtrodden face of Ali's
father. No words were spoken as we shared a strong embrace
and sat. A short while later the surgeon emerged from the ICU
wanting to speak to us about the surgery. We
entered the ICU where
a host of nurses and the ICU director were all working on the small
frame of Ali. Next to Ali sat the heart and lung machine that
keeps patients alive during surgery. It was brought into the
ICU as a precaution. The
surgeon sat down and
carefully explained the salient parts of Ali’s condition:
“First of all, Ali is stable.”
Ali's father's eyes brightened every so slightly at this fresh
news of hope. “Part of the surgery was successful in building
a bridge from one wall of his heart to the other. When we had
to close the hole in his heart though the right atria could not pump
the blood into his lungs and pressure began to build. To
correct this we had to open the hole again. This is why the
surgery took so long. Tonight is critical for Ali.
We will leave his chest open for several days in case we need to go
back in.” Ali's
father walked over to
Ali and took a long look at his first son. There are few
scenes in life as difficult as watching a father cry for the life of
his child. Even
now Keleigh is
still at Wolfson Medical Center and plans to spend the night again.
We've received late word that still tonight doctors will take Ali in
for emergency catheterization as they continue working around the clock
to rescue him. Please pray for the perseverance of the outstanding
medical teams working on Ali, for hope for his father, strength for
Keleigh and the Shevet team, and grace from our Lord.
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Saturday,
September 13, 2008
Ali's Final Surgery
Scheduled for Sunday
Filed
by
I
arrived to the Shevet house around 5 PM to pick up Ali and his father
and take them to the hospital. I was surprised to find out
that
Ali knew we were going to the hospital and that both he and his father
were anxious to leave. As we walked out the door all of the
other
children and their parents were close behind saying their
goodbyes. The girls even helped Ali into the car, buckled his
seatbelt and waved a final goodbye as we drove off. It was
evident that these children and their parents have become a family.
Once
we arrived to the hospital Ali was noticeably very nervous.
As
the nurse took his blood pressure and tested his oxygen level his usual
smile was replaced by a look of worry and wonder.
By
the time Ali and his father were settled in their room Ali seemed to be
more relaxed. He was even smiling and playfully laughing a
bit
with the nurse. As I was leaving I noticed that he had
propped
himself up on a chair and was helping himself to a meal sitting next to
him. Hopefully the food was intended for him.
Ali’s
final surgery will take place tomorrow (Sunday). Please pray
that
his surgery will be successful and that he will recovery quickly.
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Tuesday,
September 2, 2008
The Beginning of the Next
Phase for Ali
Filed
by
 Nearly
four months after Ali’s last surgery Ali’s father
was
surprised this morning to suddenly hear that Ali was scheduled for a
catheterization tomorrow (Wednesday). The doctors need to
have a
close look at Ali’s heart in order to be able to determine
the
next phase of his treatment.
Ali immediately started
crying when
he heard that they would be going to the hospital so his father changed
his story and said that they would go to the park instead.
Ali
quickly jumped up and went into their bedroom and began helping his
father pack their things. A couple of months ago Ali had a
fever
so we took him to the hospital as a precaution. As soon as we
walked through the doors he started to cry. It must certainly
be
difficult for a three-year-old child  who
has already suffered through one open-heart surgery to return to the
place of his suffering especially once he realizes that a fun trip to
the park isn’t actually on today’s agenda.
Although
a catheterization is relatively painless, please pray for Ali as he
re-enters the dreaded hospital. Pray also that his upcoming
surgery would take place soon so that Ali and his father can finally
return home.
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Thursday,
August 14, 2008
Ali's Final Surgery
Scheduled for September
Filed
by
Ali and his
father
came to Israel over eight months ago. Initially they stayed in Jaffa with a family there,
but when that family
moved they were asked to come to Jerusalem.
He
and his father have made the Shevet house their temporary home. A few days after they
moved here we gave them
a key and within minutes they were out the door exploring the city. They take walks to the
market daily, often
acting as a guide for the newer Iraqi families.
Ali spends his
days trying to keep up with the other children who are usually much
older. He loves the
household cat, but unfortunately
that love is not mutual. At
some point
each day Ali and I make our way out to the garden behind the Shevet
building in
search of "Mustafa the Turtle" which the children discovered living
there, and who has become a daily playmate (see picture).  Often the turtle has
hidden himself so well that we are unable to find
him, but when we do Ali screams with excitement.
Yesterday, the doctors confirmed that
Ali is
on the surgery schedule for September.
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Monday,
June 16, 2008
A New Quilt for Ali
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Ali
and Arina,
along with their respective parents, enjoyed a time of fun, food, and
fellowship at our neighborhood picnic/BBQ. Soon after getting
settled at a table with some food, Arina's mother was busy videotaping
the events. And though Ali didn't venture too far from his
father,
he was content to sit at his feet and play with a toy
truck. People from varying cultures and faiths were present,
and
it was a joy to see these two Iraqi families interacting and talking
with others who spoke snippets of Arabic.
Before
leaving to return them to Shevet house at the end of the
day, both
Arina and Ali were presented with a small gift of handmade quilts.
Arina's face lit up when she noticed that her quilt had pink ballerinas
on it! And little Ali quickly snuggled up with his.
It
was a wonderful afternoon - a time of forging friendships and allowing
God's love to be shown. Our hearts are grateful to Him for
these
opportunities!
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 Friday,
June 13, 2008
At the Dead Sea
Filed
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Ali
and his father have
been staying at the Shevet house in Jerusalem since Ali's release from
the
hospital in May. As reported earlier, they must wait
until September for his second
surgery. Father and son have been in Israel
since the end of February, so you can imagine how they must be
feeling! Whenever possible, the Shevet team does our best to
break up the monotony of the endless waiting for these children and
their family members. Today was such a day...
At
8:30 this morning, Hank arrived at the Shevet house to see if Ali's
father
wanted to spend the day at the Dead Sea with little Ali and our
family. After some conversation and translation, Ali's dad
quickly
packed some things for both of them and we soon headed
out. On arriving to one of the beach areas, imagine our
surprise (and dismay!) when we discovered that the children's inground
pool we planned for the kids to play in was not filled! (It only gets
filled and used on Shabbat.) But that didn't deter us. We
asked if there was something that could be filled with water and the
staff person was kind enough to bring us a little plastic pool which
Ali - after some prompting from Dad - soon found
refreshing. The
children's sadness of seeing an empty pool soon left when this
little pool filled with cool water appeared!
Ali's
dad also enjoyed
some time of refreshment - in the Dead Sea.
I
was amazed at how
quietly and patiently Ali sat on a plastic chair by
the Sea while his father cooled off in the water.
After
Abu
Ali got his share of the salty sea, we gathered round the "pool" again,
relaxing on mats and blankets and sharing in a light lunch of pita
bread,
lunchmeat, humus, and fruit.
Holding
Ali
in my lap made me so very aware of how small and seemingly fragile he
is due to his health issues. But sitting there with him, I
thanked God for giving us this slice of time with him and his father,
and
praying that God would make the time pass quickly for father and son as
they await the second surgery.
I
marvel at
Jesus' words, recorded in Acts, "It is more blessed to give than to
receive." Only in His kingdom can one feel so tremendously blessed when
you reach out to bless others. That's what today was all
about and what a blessing it was! 
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 Monday,
June 9, 2008
Playing at the Park
Filed
by
Since
his release from the hospital, Ali has been staying in
Jerusalem. He has had lots of fun playing with the other
children
at the Shevet Achim house, and he especially enjoyed the trip to the
park. Ali loved sliding, and I enjoyed watching his face glow
as
he enjoyed himself. It has been difficult for Ali's father,
since
he is the only Kurdish man at the Shevet house. Although his
male
influence has had a good effect on the other children, it is easy to
see that he would like to be able to spend time with other men like
himself.
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 Tuesday,
May 27, 2008
In the Children's Ward
Filed
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We'd
learned just yesterday that Ali had been moved from the main ICU to the
intermediate ICU, which was very good news, and we were surprised when
we found him today in the children's ward. He looked a lot better, but
still has a very bad cough. He was laughing some though, and much more
attentive than when I saw him last a few days ago. Alex shared with Abu
Ali some cards from children in the US who are praying for Ali through
this time of surgery and healing, and until he can return home. The
doctors say they haven't yet decided what to do about his next surgery,
and we hope to find out that news in the next few days. Please keep
praying for this precious little boy and his wonderful caregiving
father.
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 Wednesday, May 21, 2008
The Next Step
Filed
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It
has been over a week
since Ali's surgery and he is doing really well. He underwent
a catheterization today and the doctors were very pleased.
They will meet sometime in the next week to discuss the next step in
repairing Ali's heart.
Ali's father seems to be in
good spirits despite the fact that he has a newborn child at
home. Azhee's
father, another Kurdish-speaking male, will be arriving to
Israel soon, which will provide Ali's father with more comfort.
Please
pray for the doctors as they decide the next step.
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 Monday, May 12, 2008
Surgeon
'Creates' Pulmonary Artery
Filed
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Ali's
mother wasn't able to accompany him to Israel because she had another
infant at home who was just two months old. This left Ali's
father as the one who would make the journey with Ali to
Israel.
It has been especially difficult for him because he is not allowed to
stay with the other children, all of whom are accompanied by their
mothers. In spite of the fact that Ali and his father have
been
separated from the other families, they are not without a community of
support. Today when I met Ali’s father in the
hospital, he
was accompanied by three people from a church in Tel Aviv. One
of
the men, from Sudan, lives with Ali and his father and also speaks
Arabic. This enabled us to have some conversation as we sat
and
waited for Ali to come out of surgery.
Ali
came out of the
operating room around 3:30 p.m. Due to the complex nature of the
surgery, it took much longer than most operations. When Ali's
father and I were allowed into the ICU, both the head surgeon and
another doctor explained to Ali’s father, in Arabic, the
precise
nature of Ali’s condition. The good news was that
the
surgery was a success and Ali has a strong heart. The bad news
is
that Ali was born without a pulmonary artery (the artery in the heart
that carries blood from the heart to the lungs). In place of
this,
he has many very small, tangled arteries that attempt to perform the
function of the pulmonary artery. The doctors were able to use
these small arteries to form one large artery. In addition to
this, they inserted a shunt to direct the flow of blood. However, Ali
will need another surgery in order to fully correct the problems with
his heart. Ideally, this surgery will take place in a month
or
two, but the doctors said it all depends on how he recovers.
When
we left the hospital this evening another visitor had arrived for
Ali’s father. Praise God for these volunteers who
are
willing to come and sit with Ali’s father during this time.
Pray
for Ali’s recovery. I noticed as I was leaving that
he had a
very high fever. This is just the first step in
Ali’s path
to recovery and he will need many of your prayers in order to make it
to the end.
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 Sunday, May
11, 2008
Finally... Surgery Tomorrow
Filed
by
Ali
and his father came to Israel at the end of January and have been
waiting all this time for Ali's surgery. Finally, tomorrow it
will
take place.
I was able to spend some time with them
today at the
hospital and quickly noticed that Ali's father exhibits a bit of
relief, no doubt due to the upcoming operation.
Ali
was his
normal, outgoing self while running about the hospital chasing a
balloon. He loves to play with the other children or anyone
passing by.
Please pray for his surgery
tomorrow. Click to
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 Monday,
March 24, 2008
Waiting for Surgery
Filed
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Ali's
catheterization
showed that he is a good candidate for surgery. He is waiting for his
surgery to be scheduled.
Last
week we invited Ali and his father
for dinner at our home and we had a yummy meal cooked by an Arab lady
here.
After the
meal we put on the Jesus film
and Ali's father watched it with great interest.
Since
they are staying at our friend's house in Jaffa, we take them every
week to Calvary Chapel in Tel Aviv. The church is helping us with
supplies needed and with gas for the van, which we use to get the
people to the weekly service.
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 Wednesday,
February 27, 2008
Results of Cath to
Determine Operability
Filed
by
It's
certainly been a full week
for
Ali and the other children who've come to Israel to begin their journey
toward a full and engaging life after surgery. Beginning at
9am
each day until late afternoon, the children, their moms and the new
Kurdish translator could be found anywhere from the exam rooms at the
children's ward, to the Fish Room (lounge), or in the individual labs
throughout the hospital.
Dr. Tamir and
staff began
charting their files, physical exams took place, and x-rays were
taken. Everyone returned the next day for echos and scheduled
PPD. However, the last of these tests had to be postponed because of
the priority of reexamination and of complex concerns for Ali.
Ali's
condition is of great concern. Doctors requested that he return to
Wolfson last Friday. After a long day of exams, he was given medication
and was scheduled for another echo on Sunday, February 24th.
His
current condition indicated that he would need to have a
catheterization within the next couple of weeks and then a
determination would be made if he is able to sustain a surgical
intervention.
His father, obviously upset,
was taken to
their interim home in Jaffa where many men from the church came to be
with him and encourage him to commit Ali into the care of our loving
God. On Friday, Ali and his dad were taken out for the day to a famous
Arab restaurant in Jaffa where everyone enjoyed the entertainment of
boisterous waiters displaying their talents to a laughing audience,
while we sat and ate the best "fool" (beans) in town.
  both were surrounded by the
people of the fellowship, who welcomed him with outstretched arms, and
a warm meal.
Late
Tuesday night a call came in from Dr.Tamir's office at Wolfson Hospital
asking that Ali be brought from Jaffa to the Pediatric Emergency
Center. The time had
come for
admission and preparation made for his catheterization this morning,
which went very well. With the procedure complete earlier
today,
Ali is resting in the children's ward tonight. Dr. Tamir will
advise us tomorrow about the decision on surgery for Ali.
There
are many issues surrounding this little boy's case and hard decisions
will be forthcoming, so please lift him and his father in your prayers
tonight. They need to feel the presence of a loving spiritual
family at this critical moment in their lives.
Click to
send an e-mail
message to Ali and his father.
Notify
me when Ali's page is updated
at this
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Wednesday,
February 20, 2008
Father and Son Reach Jaffa
in Quest for Life
Filed
by
Two-year-old
Ali arrived in Israel last
night via Jordan; he is one of the few
children to come from Iraq with their fathers. This calls for
special housing arrangements, and we're blessed that the Olive Branch
Institute in Jaffa has agreed to care for Ali and father when they are
not in the hospital.
This morning we picked them up there, and together with Olive Branch
staff Piot and Todd went to the hospital, where Ali suffered through a
series of examinations in preparation for his heart surgery.
A chocolate
bar only partly soothed the pain.
Click to
send an e-mail
message to Ali and his father.
Notify
me when Ali's page is updated at this
email:
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