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WE HAVE KIDS IN SURGERY RIGHT NOW! THROUGH THESE STORIES WE'RE INVITING YOU TO BE A PART OF THE NEXT LIFESAVING SOLUTION. GET TO KNOW THESE KIDS & PLEASE GIVE WHAT YOU CAN FOR THE NEXT GROUP! |
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Deelan Calls Daddy in Iraq: “I’m Coming Home!”
March 11, 2010 by Jeremy · Leave a Comment
Press the “forward” button above to view and read the captioned slideshow about Deelan’s journey through surgery and the phone call to his daddy in Iraq that brought tears to our eyes!
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Follow Deelan on Twitter: @DeelanKameran. Subscribe to Deelan’s updates via RSS HERE. Follow Deelan’s thread of longer stories (with pictures & video) on the PLC blog HERE.
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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. |
Three Kids Headed Home with Happy, Healthy Hearts
March 10, 2010 by Jeremy · Leave a Comment
This doesn’t look like the happiest group of people, but trust us, they are! It was 6 a.m. at an airport! Few are happy in that context!
It’s been a great journey for Muhammed, Baroof, and Sozyar. Both Muhammed and Sozyar were “urgent.” It was unclear whether Muhammed or Baroof would even be operable. And look at them today!
In our talks today with Dr. Resmiye at the Anadolu Medical Center she used words like “miracle” and “unbelievable” and “they won their lives back” to describe these kids.
Usually we try to keep a healthy balance of the “miraculous” and that which can be reasonable calculated according to the medical numbers. It’s hard to build a budget around miracles! But we are thrilled to celebrate GOD’s kindness in the lives of these children alongside the Turkish doctors who, themselves, have said that it is GOD’s doing and not just their own.
By the time this posts, Muhammed, Baroof, and Sozyar will be resting at home - in the city or the village - with their daddies and extended families who have been missing them so much.
As much as the surgery at this point, the fact that you’ve paid for round trip airfare through our partnership with Atlasjet Airlines for these kids is a great source of comfort, because healing means precious little when it separates you from the ones you love the most!
These children are now enrolled in the Preemptive Love Followthrough program. We’ll track their progress as Baroof goes back to school and Muhammed and Sozyar learn how to walk, and we’ll offer a number of services to them for the next six months (and often, much longer).
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Followthrough Program
With our Followthrough program we monitor a child’s healing and re-entry into their home culture, teach the importance of activity and a balanced diet, and address issues like racism and other radical ideologies. This amount represents the costs of medications, special needs, teaching materials, etc.
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Follow baby Sozyar on Twitter: @SozyarHamdan. Subscribe to Sozyar’s updates via RSS HERE. Follow Sozyar’s thread of longer stories (with pictures & video) on the PLC blog HERE.
Follow Baroof on Twitter: @BaroofAbdul. Subscribe to Baroof’s updates via RSS HERE. Follow Baroof’s thread of longer stories (with pictures & video) on the PLC blog HERE.
Follow Muhammed Adnan on Twitter: @MuhammedAdnan. Subscribe to Muhammed’s updates via RSS HERE. Follow Muhammed’s thread of longer stories (with pictures & video) on the PLC blog HERE.
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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. |
Deelan Responded Well to the Nitric Oxide Treatment in ICU; Pressures Decreased
March 8, 2010 by Jeremy · Leave a Comment
It’s amazing what a few days of nitric oxide - named the Molecule of the Year in 1992 - can do to change the life of a child. Truly GOD has an amazing world! For just $2,000 this gas treatment has taken the rising pulmonary (lung) pressure in Deelan’s body and, by expanding the blood vessels inside, has brought it down drastically, saving his life and allow his repaired heart to actually make a difference in his long-term well-being.
Little Deelan’s time in ICU is almost over. We hope to discharge him to his private room here at Anadolu Medical Center later today… and possibly send him home to Iraq later this week.
 Molecule of the Year (1992), Nitric Oxide |
To save lives through the very specific provision of nitric oxide, please contribute your desired amount below. One container of nitric oxide costs us approximately $2,000. |
Follow Deelan on Twitter: @DeelanKameran. Subscribe to Deelan’s updates via RSS HERE. Follow Deelan’s thread of longer stories (with pictures & video) on the PLC blog HERE.
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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. |
Successful Surgery for Deelan & Special Call for Lifesaving Funding
March 3, 2010 by Jeremy · Leave a Comment
It was all smiles after another successful heart surgery here in Istanbul. Deelan’s surgery was a “total correction” - though he is still in ICU on a treatment of nitric oxide to bring down the pressure in his lungs.
In addition to being a by-product of cigarette smoke and rush hour traffic - not to mention a body building supplement - nitric oxide is used in pediatric intensive care. From the source of all online wisdom, Wikipedia:
The endothelium (inner lining) of blood vessels uses nitric oxide to signal the surrounding smooth muscle to relax, thus resulting in vasodilation and increasing blood flow.
and
Nitric oxide is considered an anti-anginal drug: it causes vasodilation, which can help with ischemic pain known as angina by decreasing the cardiac workload. By dilating the veins there is less blood returned to the heart per cycle. This decreases the amount of volume that the heart has to pump.
Nitric oxide should not be confused with “laughing gas” - or, more officially, nitrous oxide - N2O.
Nitric oxide is also very expensive. In fact, we’ve had to use it already on Muhammed and Baroof. In addition to normal surgery costs (which is essential to repair the CAUSE of pulmonary hypertension), NO can undo the previous effects of the now-repaired cause. To fix the cause and not seek to reverse the effects is to leave the net outcome the same.
We spent $2,000 per child on nitric oxide, for a total of $6,000. As much as the surgery itself, this has really proven to be the stuff that saves lives. So today I’m going to ask that you find a way to give generously to the Lifesaving Nitric Oxide Fund to pay down Muhammed, Baroof, and Deelan’s additional costs and to pave the way for future children who will need this treatment.
Molecule of the Year (1992), Nitric Oxide |
To save lives through the very specific provision of nitric oxide, please contribute your desired amount below. One container of nitric oxide costs us approximately $2,000. |
Follow Deelan on Twitter: @DeelanKameran. Subscribe to Deelan’s updates via RSS HERE. Follow Deelan’s thread of longer stories (with pictures & video) on the PLC blog HERE.
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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. |
Deelan is Taken in for Time-Sensitive Surgery
March 3, 2010 by Jeremy · Leave a Comment
Deelan and his mom were a little unnerved this morning as they waited - and were eventually taken in to the operating room - for Deelan’s surgery to repair the massive hole in his heart and thereby decrease the life-threatening pressures in his lungs.
Meanwhile, back in Iraq, Deelan’s family waits with a lot of anxiety over the next few hours. This thing they’ve been longing for; this thing they’ve been working for - this surgery - is now a great unknown. It still stands as a beacon of hope for them, but now that it’s upon them, the realities of the risks set in in a way that was previously unknown and unanticipated.
Deelan should be out of surgery in 4-5 hours. More to come…
Follow Deelan on Twitter: @DeelanKameran. Subscribe to Deelan’s updates via RSS HERE. Follow Deelan’s thread of longer stories (with pictures & video) on the PLC blog HERE.
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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. |
Meet Deelan (Twitter: @DeelanKameran)
March 2, 2010 by Jeremy · Leave a Comment
Deelan arrived in Istanbul, Turkey last night on a plane from Iraq thanks to Atlasjet Airlines and the generous support they’ve offered to help us get this February group to surgery. If you are one of our summer interns, we highly recommend that you choose Atlasjet to fly into Iraq.
Our Family Services Director, Jessica Courtney, (who, if you’re keeping score at home, is also my wife) accompanied Deelan, his mother, and one other family to Istanbul last night to round out our February/March group of surgeries.
Special thanks to the Alice Abdi at the Anadolu Medical Center for the continual support, for staying late at the hospital to receive these dear kids, and for sending - as always - a special private van to pick up these fearful families. This keeps our costs low, speeds up our travel, and most importantly, shows the kind hearted desires of so many here in Turkey as they reach out to Kurds and the rest of the people of Iraq in providing these deeply discounted, life-saving heart surgeries.
Deelan is not doing well at all - crying nearly constantly and facing down dangerously high pulmonary pressure in addition to the huge hole between the lower two chambers of his heart .
Deelan is scheduled for surgery on Wednesday.
Follow Deelan on Twitter: @DeelanKameran. Subscribe to Deelan’s updates via RSS HERE. Follow Deelan’s thread of longer stories (with pictures & video) on the PLC blog HERE.
*In accordance with PLC’s desire to lend a hand-up by avoiding strict hand-outs (when possible), Deelan’s family contributed $5,000 towards PLC’s highly-discounted surgery prices.
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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. |
Baroof Off Life-Support, Breathing on His Own and Hungry in ICU
March 2, 2010 by Jeremy · Leave a Comment
We were surprised to find Baroof this morning extubated in ICU so quickly after his surgery. We knew he had high pulmonary pressure - which often leads to a longer, riskier recovery period. So we were thrilled to see him doing so well. But his pressures are completely under control right now and he is doing phenomenal well after the surgeons closed the hole/fusion between his aorta and pulmonary artery yesterday!
But he was quite hungry! He’s in that in between period where he’s awake and aware of what is happening to him, but not yet healthy enough to eat solid foods to satisfy his adolescent appetite!
There is talk of Baroof being discharged from ICU to his private room tomorrow… here’s hoping and praying!
With thanks and joy!
Follow Baroof on Twitter: @BaroofAbdul. Subscribe to Baroof’s updates via RSS HERE. Follow Baroof’s thread of longer stories (with pictures & video) on the PLC blog HERE.
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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. |
Muhammed Plays Happily in His Room Post-Surgery; Mom Heaps Praise and Thanks
March 1, 2010 by Jeremy · Leave a Comment
There are very few words needed here: Muhammed had urgent surgery 5 days ago amidst quickly rising pulmonary pressure that threatened to take his life or render him inoperable. Today, Muhammed is playing in his private room after being extubated this weekend and discharged from ICU earlier this morning.
Muhammed’s mother was all smiles and full of praise and gratitude for the Preemptive Love Coalition and ‘all those people in America and around the world’ who gave so that her son could live.
Enjoy the photos… We certainly enjoyed the time we spent with their family this morning!
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Isn’t it amazing to watch life-saving in progress? Part of the reason we can do this every month is because of people like you who give $25, $50 & $100 in our monthly sponsorship program to save lives each month! SIGN UP AS A MONTHLY SPONSOR TO HELP FINISH THEIR FUNDING NOW! |
Follow Muhammed Adnan on Twitter: @MuhammedAdnan. Subscribe to Muhammed’s updates via RSS HERE. Follow Muhammed’s thread of longer stories (with pictures & video) on the PLC blog HERE.
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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. |
Baroof’s Surgery was a Total Success; Huge Blessing for a Child His Age!
March 1, 2010 by Jeremy · Leave a Comment
When Dr. Sertaç Çiçek and Dr. Ahmet Arsalan saw Baroof this morning in surgery they found a huge fusion between his aorta and pulmonary artery, effectively creating a hole where there should not be one and allowing dangerous blood flow between that which should be oxygenated and that which should not.
In his entire career, Dr. Çiçek estimates that he’s probably only seen and operated on this type of case less than 20 times (compared to many other surgeries that he’s performed hundreds and hundreds of times). But of the twenty or fewer times that he’s performed a surgery similar to Baroof’s, few if any have been Baroof’s age at 12 years old because usually children with AP windows are inoperable by this age, after years of the body trying to compensate for its deficiencies.
As a result of his condition, Baroof is a few years behind in school - but it’s always a joy to see families here who continue to push their children to excel even in the face of adversity. We hope the impact of this surgery will be the removal any final barriers and that he will excel in his school work.
But Baroof’s surgery went well and after the stress of not knowing whether or not he would be operable at all, his mother - and all of us - are breathing a huge sigh of relief and thanks to GOD for another successful surgery.
As always, however, we have tempered celebration until we see how Baroof’s body holds up post-operatively in ICU. He is intubated in ICU and the next few days will be critical. More to come…
With thanks and joy!
Follow Baroof on Twitter: @BaroofAbdul. Subscribe to Baroof’s updates via RSS HERE. Follow Baroof’s thread of longer stories (with pictures & video) on the PLC blog HERE.
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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. |
Baroof Worries in His Room Before Going to Surgery This Morning
March 1, 2010 by Ruth · Leave a Comment
I spent an hour with 12-year-old Baroof this morning right before he was scheduled to have his life-saving surgery.
He’s a really sweet boy from a village in the north of Iraq. He speaks a different dialect of Kurdish from the one I know, but despite the language barrier we were still able to understand each other some. He told me that he’s really missing his dad and his brother and sister who are just a little older than him. He seemed a nervous as he waited which is to be expected, and he was also very hungry from having to fast before the surgery.
He was very excited to be able to talk to his dad for a few minutes before I left him but from the tears in his eyes afterwards we could tell that he is really missing him.
Baroof was taken into surgery at 11:40 a.m. Istanbul time. We’ll keep you updated on Baroof as we hear more in the next few hours.
Follow Baroof on Twitter: @BaroofAbdul. Subscribe to Baroof’s updates via RSS HERE. Follow Baroof’s thread of longer stories (with pictures & video) on the PLC blog HERE.
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Ruth Simpson is a Family Advocate for the Preemptive Love Coalition in Iraq and a certified physio-therapist. Ruth also hails from Ireland, though she's slowly losing her amazing accent amongst all the Americans. When not sharing her life with PLC's kids in Iraq, she's most often serving some other constituent group with her rehabilitative skills and compassion. |
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