Lara's Heart Surgery
Tuesday,
February 12, 2008 Back to Their FutureFiled
by When they
arrived at our house last night, everybody was very eager to speak
to Bestoon's father and Lara and Mustafa's mother. The six
families waiting here in Jordan for their turn for surgery were very
encouraged by the reports of the parents. And now would all prefer to
go to Haifa!
They talked for a long time, we heard
Bestoon and Ali's fathers still talking at 02:00 in the night. This
morning we drove to the airport (pictured above), leaving our
house at 09:00, and their flight to Iraq left on time at 12:00.
Already
Bestoon's father has called us from his hometown in northern Iraq to let us know the families arrived safely. All
his family say thank you, his father, brothers, sisters etc. Abu
Bestoon said that they would slaughter at least two sheep on arrival
back home. I wish I were there!
This
concludes the story of Lara's journey to Israel for a new heart and
new life.
You may
click here if you'd like to help
another Iraqi child experience the same blessing.
Monday,
February 11, 2008 A Joyful Return to JordanFiled
by Lara, her brother Mustafa, and Bestoon returned to Jordan today with smiling
faces. Mustafa chased Lara around as we waiting for the bus
that would transport us to Jordan. I could see the relief in their
mother's eyes that both of her children now had healthy hearts and were
so full of energy. After entering Jordan we piled into two taxis and
headed for Amman.
Dirk (our Jordan coordinator) was waiting there to
take them to his house where they'd stay until their flights back to
Iraq. Both of
these precious families are scheduled to flight back home on Tuesday.
Saturday, February 9, 2008Two Reasons to CelebrateFiled
by Good news! Sing praises to the Lord. Finally Lara is out of the hospital. Lara and her brother Mustafa are ready to go home to Iraq. What a relief this was for their mother, that soon she will be back home with two healthy angels.
Bestoon and his father also celebrated the good news. When we left the hosptial, we all went together to the sea shore.
It
was really a happy weekend celebrating two occasions. Not only are they
going home, but it's also Lara's second birthday. We celebrated
with singing, dancing, balloons, and sharing a very tasty cake
with neighbors and kids from my church.
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Friday,
February 1, 2008Well Enough to Chase Her
BrotherFiled
by Lara was up and about
eating her lunch today and chasing her brother around. She still is
battling with pneumonia, and her brother Mustafa was having a good ol'
time trying to blow up a balloon.
Mustafa is doing very
well after his surgery, but he is staying in hospital, refusing to
leave his mom and go to his hosts (Lamis and family). Lamis
is concerned that he'll pick up a hospital infection, and asks us to
pray for Lara's quick healing.
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 Wednesday,
January 30, 2008Pneumonia Has ReturnedFiled
by Sunday was a great day
for Lara, her brother Mustafa,
and for sure for their mom. We had a short visit to the hospital where
we heard the great news that Lara and Mustafa can go home, with no need
for medication.
On our way home from the hospital,
we stopped in a neighbourhood shopping center and bought food and
sweets.
Monday
night Lara got a very high fever. Tuesday morning I took her to a
private doctor in his clinic. The doctor sent us urgently to the
hospital. Lara was admitted again to the hospital for the high
fever and pneumonia. The fever is unrelated
to the surgery. Simantov visited Lara in
the emergency room, and took this picture:
Please keep Lara in your
prayers--that God will touch her body and heal her soon, so that she
can get back her beautiful smile.
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 Thursday,
January 24, 2008Good Old Normal ChildrenFiled
by When
we visited Lara and big brother Mustafa today both were very
happy children playing with their toys and looking and behaving like
good old normal children--not like two who've just been through
open-heart surgery!
Mom hopes the final okay is near
at hand so
that they can head on back home to Iraq. Lara is scheduled for another
echo and check-up on Sunday which very well could be the first steps to
their release to begin their journey back home.
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Sunday,
January 20, 2008 Eating Lunch on Mom's LapFiled
by Much
to our surprise, today Lara was up sitting on mom's lap eating lunch.
The nurse said the surgery went very well, and that Lara is recovering
quickly from her surgery.  Click
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 Thursday, January 17, 2008 Doing Well Day After SurgeryFiled
by
Lara had her surgery
yesterday, and today was still on a respirator and doing well.
The
nurse said they plan to take her off the respirator this afternoon.
The
nurse also said the surgery went well and so far all looks good.
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Wednesday,
January 16, 2008 Lara On Ventilator in ICU
After SurgeryFiled
by Lara
is in the ICU tonight at the Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, a
mechanical ventilator breathing for her as she recovers from this
evening's open heart surgery.
Only at 3:40 pm was
she taken to
the operating room today, after doctors determined that her surgery
would not need to be delayed due to a suspected virus. The
hole
between the chambers of her heart was successfully closed by surgeons
Mishali and Bar El, and Lara returned from the operating room at 6:25
pm.
Lara will remain sedated until tomorrow morning,
and at some
point during the day it is likely that doctors will attempt to wean her
from ventilation.
Lara’s
mom finally went to sleep tonight after the long day. She is
very
tired, with the burden of two of her children in Israel at once, both
for heart surgeries.
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Tuesday,
January 15, 2008 Viral Infection May Delay
SurgeryFiled
by Lara
was admitted to hospital today, with her surgery scheduled for tomorrow
(Wednesday). But tests showed a possible viral infection. When the test
results come back, it will be determined whether or not the surgery
will actually go ahead tomorrow. Click
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Sunday,
January 13, 2008
Surgery Scheduled for
This Wednesday
Filed
by
Lara will be admitted to the
hospital on Tuesday, in preparation for her surgery on Wednesday.
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Monday,
January 7, 2008 Surgery Likely On WednesdayFiled
by 
Jane and I
visited Lara's brother Mustafa.
He is doing extremely well, and could be dismissed tomorrow as Lara is
admitted for her surgery. It will be necessary for the doctors to check
Lara's lungs first to be sure she is clear of all the pneumonia before
we know whether she will be admitted. We will update you when we know
more. She appeared to be doing very well. She has a spunky personality
and was her lively self! Their mother too was very happy and doing
well. The rest of us are overwhelmed at the thought of what it must be
like to have two children both needing heart surgeries, far from home,
without her family.... and when she first arrived, Lara's mother was
overwhelmed too. Now however, after both children have gone through
their catheterizations and Mustafa is recovering from surgery, she has
a strength about her which is satisfying to see, and I thank God for
that. I explained that I would be leaving next week, and bade them
farewell as they will likely be home before I return to Israel. I
assured them I would be praying for them, and I ask you to join me,
praying especially for Lara's upcoming surgery.
May
God continue to be glorified as His love permeates the lives of this
family. Click
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Sunday,
December 30, 2007 Catheterization A SuccessFiled
by Lara enjoyed a trip to the Haifa
beach yesterday before her catheterization.
Lara's
catheterization this morning was successful. Doctors discovered a large
hole between the two chambers of her heart. Dr. Lorber says that once
Lara gets through her upcoming surgery, he looks forward to being
invited to her wedding in about 20 years!
Lara was
finished with
the catheterization by 9:00 a.m., so early that I wasn't able to be
with her mother at the hospital, because I was watching over her
sleeping brother Mustafa.
But I
was able to visit her later in the day. As of this afternoon, Lara was
already in the children's ward, eating and drinking. She is expected to
be discharged tomorrow (Monday) morning.
Last
Thursday evening, I took Lara, her brother Mustafa,
and their mother to a Christmas dinner at my church. They thoroughly
enjoyed the company, the food and the gifts. They felt like they
"belonged." And our beach trip yesterday was a big hit too.
Please pray that Lara will not have a
recurrence of pneumonia, so that her recovery and treatment will go as
planned.
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Wednesday,
December 26, 2007 Catheterization Scheduled
for SundayFiled
by
Lara's
catheterization has been scheduled for this Sunday. Please remember her
and her mother in your prayers. The mother has not one but two
children undergoing heart treatment simultaneously (Lara and her big
brother Mustafa).
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 Monday
December
17,
2007 Receiving Treatment for
PneumoniaFiled
by
We
had a very good day in Haifa today. Little Lara was dismissed from the
hospital to continue her treatment for pneumonia from the apartment.
Because
Lara had to be admitted last night, and her brother Mustafa
is also here for heart surgery, the hospital allowed us to use one of
the rooms they have set aside for out of town family members so that
the family would all be together there.
Upon
our return from a trip to the beach with Sana and her mother, we were
surprised but thankful to hear that Lara was going to be dismissed this
afternoon! We showed Mustafa
the pictures of our trip to the beach while Lara's dismissal was
happening, and packed our little room upstairs so all of the children
and both moms could go to the apartment. Lara's mother was very
relieved to get to leave the hospital. Alex and I were also relieved
that the mothers would be together tonight, because we both had to
return to Jerusalem this evening. We do not yet know when they might
schedule Lara's catheterization because it will depend on her recovery
from pneumonia.
Please pray for Lara's
mother. She has a
challenge ahead with both children requiring surgeries... what
patience, perseverance and assistance she will need! Pray that the
believers in Haifa will come alongside this precious family to minister
His lovingkindness to them. And thank God with us for His ability and
desire to heal these children's hearts and use His children in ways
that are a blessing as He works through them. Click
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 Sunday
December 16,
2007
Hospitalized upon Arrival
in Israel
Filed
by
The
newest patients from Iraq--Lara, her brother Mustafa, and Sana--have
arrived in Israel. However so far, the theme that already existed, and
which has become more highlighted since our subsequent trip to Haifa,
is... waiting!
Sana has been waiting since last
year’s
echocardiogram screening to be accepted by a center who could treat her
very complicated heart condition. Mustafa
and Lara have been waiting for word their visas were approved and they
could be accepted together for surgery. Last night we all
waited
on opposite sides of the passport control area of the airport in Amman
for over one and a half hours until immigration allowed our newest
patients to officially enter Jordan. Today we had to wait while Israeli
security went through an extremely intensive luggage search process.
After arriving at Rambam Medical Center, each of the children went
through initial exams and echocardiograms rather quickly, but little
Lara required extra tests to determine whether she has pneumonia, and
as I write, we have been waiting for about four hours for those
results.
Thankfully the children have
forgotten the
unhappiness induced by lengthy tests after spending most of the waiting
time in the hospital playroom area. When told we would have to wait
longer, we also took a break to the kanyon (mall
attached to the hospital) for some schwerma
for dinner. Lara is pictured below, sitting on the table.
And
now we know, because the space between these paragraphs was another
waiting spell while we tried to find a place to plug in the laptop
after the battery died – Lara is being admitted tonight for
pnemonia. Here at Rambam there is a parents’ hostel on the
top
floor in which parents from out of town are allowed to stay. Currently
the hospital is working to arrange one of these rooms for
Lara’s
mother and brother for the duration of her stay.
Please
pray for the mother of Mustafa and Lara as she enters Israel and finds
herself immediately overnighting in the hospital with two children.
Pray for wisdom for the doctors as they seek the best course of
treatment for Lara and determine how to schedule Mustafa’s
heart surgery in these circumstances. We know that all three children
will require a catheterization before the doctors know the best course
of treatment for each child’s heart. Earlier today
the
doctors determined that Mustafa would likely have his catheterization
on Sunday… this could change now that Lara is admitted. All
of
the family members need your prayers as the days unfold and God--who is
always on time--does His work in the midst of every detail of these
events.
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