Sunday, April 17 (day #3)

We started Sunday much more refreshed after some much needed sleep! Back to the hospital by 7:30 and ready to get started on a busy day. Anne and Mark headed off with Dr. Kal to look in on the post op kids and the O.R. people went to set up for case #1 for the day. Once again, the day started early and running fairly smoothly.
Everyone looks really good today. They have all had a good night. Matti is on a full a diet today, lines coming out. We did a brief echocardiogram on him to reevaluate the size of his VSD. It still appears to be small enough to wait and see if it might continue to close on its own with time. We will reevaluate in next day or so
before we make final decision on whether to operate or not. He is being transferred to the floor today.
Mariam and Mortuda both look good, lines will comes out, diets
advanced today.

Mariam already feeling better

On the floor, Zainab has been walking, up and out of bed, regular diet today and will probably be discharged

Zainab before going home

The first case of the day is Hussein Abu-Naba, a 5 yr old Palestinian boy from Jordan. he has a large ASD secundum that we were able to repair.

Hussain shortly after surgery, already smiling!

The second case of the day is Raneem Khader Nimer Shae’r, a 14 month old Palestinian girl from Jordan with TOF and absent pulmonary valve, more complicated case. she receives an artificial pulmonary valve, called a Contegra bovine jugular graft valve (comes from the vein in the neck of a cow which has natural valve within the vein). She has had many breathing issues prior to this and chest infections because of her heart disease. She was recently in the hospital about 15 days ago.

Raneem before surgery

Her case goes very well and she is in the ICU by 2:00. Because the day is running so smoothly, we are able to do a third case, a 5 month old baby names Maryam Wael Abu-Azem Arafa, an Egyptian girl living in Jordan. She has had significant failure to thrive, weighs only 9 lbs. At 5 months of age. She has a large PDA (artery that persisted after birth and did not close) and pulmonary hypertension. The case goes well and everyone is back in the ICU by 3:30 pm.

Baby Maryam shortly after surgery

We were fortunate to have visits from some of our former patients. Team favorite Farah came to visit with her family, (she as you might remember is the girl in the refugee camp we visited several years ago)! She looks fantastic and we are always happy to see her and her family. She will be starting school in the fall, can’t believe it.

Farah, she's such a big girl

Jill and Mike with Farah during her visit

The team with Farah and her family

We also had visit from a patient from Syria, who had TOF with absent pulmonary valve, Same heart disease as Raneem had that we operated on today. We operated on Ahmed in Indianapolis about 3 years ago. He came with his twin brother and his parents from Damascus! They were all over the place and looked great. It’s fun to do clinic visits with office visits thousands of miles away!

Ahmad and his twin brother Assyad

Finished off the day with great hummus and local food in Amman with Dr. Kal, his wife Rania and her wife and their 4 beautiful children!

Anne with Kal's girls Hanah and Jude

7 cases performed at the end of the day….in only 3 days!, think
this is a record for us thus far!
Thanks for all your comments..we love reading them at the end of a
long day!