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Cardiac Caths Save Lives, Time, Space, Money, & Dodge Dishonor for Females Before Marriage
August 29, 2010 by Jeremy
Photos by Heber Vega
This week we were able to help three children without subjecting them to the trauma of an open-heart surgery. A procedure in which a catheter is inserted through the femoral artery, all the way into the heart, and ultimately used to correct a number of different heart defects.
Recovery times from these types of procedures are considerably shorter and the procedure itself is considerably less risky for the patient. These patients don’t stay “parked” in an already crowded Intensive Care Unit and typically end up going home in a much shorter period of time than even the fastest surgery patients.
The International Children’s Heart Foundation team prefers to use this method whenever possible, but finds it particularly helpful with older females who might otherwise be considered less desirable for marriage with a huge scar down the sternum.
All three kids who received cardiac cath intervention this week are discharged and playing safely at home; even while we have two in ICU and a handful still in the ward.
Thanks for making our training and surgery mission happen this week. This Remedy Mission and the various diagnostic, interventional, surgical, and administrative techniques learned locally this week will continue to save lives long after all these kids go home!
Have you enjoyed this week? We have! Please consider making a donation for our next mission if you believe in what we’re doing by clicking the DONATE link in the header above.
With you,
Remedy Missions are international pediatric heart surgery teams that we bring to Iraq to to perform lifesaving heart surgeries and develop the infrastructure for the future. If you’re on Twitter this week be sure to use the #Remedy or #RemedyMission hashtag to describe all the good news coming out of Iraq this week via @preemptivelove and @babyheart_org. If you’re on Facebook, “Share” this story with the button below.
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Jeremy Courtney lives and loves in Iraq as a co-founder and Executive Director of the Preemptive Love Coalition. He's also the father of two spectacular children, and married to the lovely Jessica Courtney. When not absorbed in PLC work he can be found writing songs and singing about hope and future. Follow Jeremy on Twitter: @Jeremy_Courtney. |
Abdulkareem is Sent Home to Diyala with a Healthy, Happy Heart and a Grateful Family
August 28, 2010 by Jeremy
Abdulkareem spent the last few days out of ICU recovering with his mother in the main ward. This little boy who captured our attention sometime in the Spring, is now a healthy little boy!
Abdulkareem was discharged to return home to Diyala with his mom, dad, and his big brother, Abbas. Abdulkareem’s father sent me a message from the road on his way home after this photo was taken. The message said something like, “Thank you so much for your organization and for helping my little boy. We will not forget you.“
If he had more time, I think he would have thanked you each by name with tears running down his face. You made this a reality for Abdulkareem. You made a father and a mother’s dream come true. And you prevented a big brother from growing up without a soccer-buddy.
As I write this, I’m full of tears at your kindness and generosity. I cannot even imagine what order of gratitude Abdulkareem’s family must feel toward you.
WIth You,
Remedy Missions are international pediatric heart surgery teams that we bring to Iraq to to perform lifesaving heart surgeries and develop the infrastructure for the future. If you’re on Twitter this week be sure to use the #Remedy or #RemedyMission hashtag to describe all the good news coming out of Iraq this week via @preemptivelove and @babyheart_org. If you’re on Facebook, “Share” this story with the button below.
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Jeremy Courtney lives and loves in Iraq as a co-founder and Executive Director of the Preemptive Love Coalition. He's also the father of two spectacular children, and married to the lovely Jessica Courtney. When not absorbed in PLC work he can be found writing songs and singing about hope and future. Follow Jeremy on Twitter: @Jeremy_Courtney. |
Baby Noor Continues Healing Post Surgery; Fluid Around Chest Only Concern
August 27, 2010 by Jeremy
Photos by Heber Vega
[ ABOVE ] Baby Noor arrives in the Intensive Care Unit all smiles for her morning check-up. Dr. Sri Rao and Kathryn Frazier, RN from the International Children’s Heart Foundation care for her tenderly and take in her joy as our time together in Iraq draws near an end. Noor doesn’t yet know that the procedure to come is going to replace her smiles with tears…
[ ABOVE ] But the tears come loud and the screams come fast as the ICHF and local doctors and nurses begin working together to drain the fluid from inside her chest cavity. Nonetheless, that scream is a sign of a kid with a healthier heart than when she arrived!
[ ABOVE ] ICHF Intensivist Marc Anders administers positive pressure ventilation to Baby Noor during the procedure. The Intensive Care Unit is the area of greatest concern for children in the local hospital. While surgeons and cardiologists locally continue to improve in their training at encouraging rates, local nurses are thrown into the mix without proper training, tools, or respect. The ICHF team feels a strong desire to increase the level of respect, knowledge, and engagement among local staff in the Unit.
[ ABOVE ] Mom waits downstairs in the ward for news as to how Noor is progressing and an estimate as to when they might be allowed to return to their home in the southern most part of Iraq near Basra.
[ ABOVE ] After all is said and done, Baby Noor rests in the Unit with her baby seal, fluids, and a bit of sedation. The procedure goes well, prevents infection, and hastens the day when Baby Noor, her mom, and her dad return home… hopefully in time for the Eid al-Fitr holiday at the end of Ramadan in few days.
WIth You,
Remedy Missions are international pediatric heart surgery teams that we bring to Iraq to to perform lifesaving heart surgeries and develop the infrastructure for the future. If you’re on Twitter this week be sure to use the #Remedy or #RemedyMission hashtag to describe all the good news coming out of Iraq this week via @preemptivelove and @babyheart_org. If you’re on Facebook, “Share” this story with the button below.
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Jeremy Courtney lives and loves in Iraq as a co-founder and Executive Director of the Preemptive Love Coalition. He's also the father of two spectacular children, and married to the lovely Jessica Courtney. When not absorbed in PLC work he can be found writing songs and singing about hope and future. Follow Jeremy on Twitter: @Jeremy_Courtney. |
Abdulkareem Gets His Surgery After Months of Appeals from His Loving Father
August 26, 2010 by Jeremy
Photos by Heber Vega; Lydia Bullock
It was around lunch time in the heat of June in Iraq when Abdulkareem’s father came into my office. He told me that his son was very sick, that he was very poor, and that he needed our help and was willing to do whatever he could to make it happen. We were preparing our July group for surgery in Turkey and one of the children had just withdrawn from the group. It looked like we might be able to squeeze Abdulkareem in at the last minute if all the right pieces fell into place quickly.
Abdulkareem’s father worked especially hard for his little boy. He traveled from his home in Diyala to Baghdad to get passports fro the family. He came to the office and called regularly to see what our status was with regards to funding for his son’s place on the Turkey surgery list.
There are two days in the duration of my journey with this family that I am unlikely to forget. The first was the day that Abdulkareem’s father - Hafez Bey - looked into my eyes and, with all the passion of a protective but powerless father, said, “Just help my little boy; just do something to save my little boy.“
Unfortunately, it did not work out to take Abdulkareem to Turkey with us for various reasons and we began the race against the clock to provide Abdulkareem surgery before his condition deteriorated any further. Our as-of-yet untested next option was our first Remedy Mission in August 2010. We gave Abdulkareem a priority spot on the Remedy Mission list.
The day our surgical team arrived Hafez Bey must have seen us on the news because he called me 10 times: “Is my boy going to surgery? Mr Jeremy, just do something to help my little boy!”
Photo by Heber Vega
There is one other day in the life of this family that I won’t forget - the day Abdulkareem had surgery earlier this week. I remember it so distinctly because after the surgery Hafez Bey grabbed me and kissed me and gave me an emotional “thank you” for making good on our commitment to his family.
One of the things we always try to explain to families is the presence of hundreds of people in the States and Europe - people like you - who work together to make every surgery possible. Of course, parents appreciate the ability to personalize their gratitude, but we talk about you frequently because we could not have saved Abdulkareem’s life without your many gifts to our Remedy Mission.
If you like what you’ve been able to be a part of this week with us (and there seem to be hundreds of you viewing the website and videos each day), please take two minutes to give toward the next Remedy Mission, the next Abdulkareem, and to the next father who is eagerly waiting for someone to help his little child. Please donate any amount of your choice below.
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WIth You,
Remedy Missions are international pediatric heart surgery teams that we bring to Iraq to to perform lifesaving heart surgeries and develop the infrastructure for the future. If you’re on Twitter this week be sure to use the #Remedy or #RemedyMission hashtag to describe all the good news coming out of Iraq this week via @preemptivelove and @babyheart_org. If you’re on Facebook, “Share” this story with the button below.
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Jeremy Courtney lives and loves in Iraq as a co-founder and Executive Director of the Preemptive Love Coalition. He's also the father of two spectacular children, and married to the lovely Jessica Courtney. When not absorbed in PLC work he can be found writing songs and singing about hope and future. Follow Jeremy on Twitter: @Jeremy_Courtney. |
Ahmed Leaves the Hospital; On His Way Home with a Healthy, Happy Heart Thanks to You!
August 25, 2010 by Cody
This morning as I walked into the hospital I almost ran right into Ahmed. He was walking around the hospital ward all by himself; something he wasn’t able to do just a few days ago!
The doctors took one last echo of Ahmed’s heart and found nothing but good news so they let him and his uncle head back home to Nasiriyah.
We miss Ahmed and the several others that have already gone home but it’s an exciting feeling to walk through the hospital and see empty beds that once held sick kids.
They are empty, thanks to you!
As with all the surgeries we facilitate, this is only the beginning of our journey with each one of these children. We stay connected with each family and continue to follow through with each child to make sure they’re continuing to progress in every way. We’ll stop by their homes, go visit them at school and continue to invest in them and their local communities.
The surgery is only the beginning of our work.
We couldn’t be doing any of this if it weren’t for YOU.
Thank you for giving and sacrificing so that others can live. We love standing alongside you.
WIth You,
Remedy Missions are international pediatric heart surgery teams that we bring to Iraq to to perform lifesaving heart surgeries and develop the infrastructure for the future. If you’re on Twitter this week be sure to use the #Remedy or #RemedyMission hashtag to describe all the good news coming out of Iraq this week via @preemptivelove and @babyheart_org. If you’re on Facebook, “Share” this story with the button below.
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Cody Fisher is a co-founder and U.S. Director of the Preemptive Love Coalition. Cody is married to the marvelous Michelle Fisher and they currently live in Southern California where they will be until they move back to Iraq, where they met, in November. Follow Cody on Twitter: @candmfisher. |
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