Amman Mission #36 Day 4

It’s hard to believe the trip is more than halfway over! We’ve had the best patients and the sweetest families. All of the patients in the ICU are doing well and progressing quickly.

Sweet Joud got a TEE done in the ICU today. He got a bunch of stickers for being so brave!

Heather helping calm Joud before his TEE

Peyton and Masah after she got her chest tube removed!

Ahmed is doing well! Should go to the floor tomorrow!

Farah has been so sleepy and comfy! Should also go to the floor tomorrow!

Dr. T rounding on Farah this morning

Morning ICU rounds

Perhaps the most amazing part of the whole trip — we learned Mohammed can in fact write his own orders! (Must be verified by nursing though 😂)

Dr. Johansen prepping to do a TEE our first patient of the day

Prepping in the OR!

Our first patient of the day was 11-month old Ghadeer from Syria 🇸🇾 Ghadeer was born with Tetralogy of Fallot, a series of 4 defects affecting the right side of the heart.

The beautiful Ghadeer

Today, Dr. Turrentine repaired her heart while saving her original pulmonary valve— which was a BIG win. Most of the time, an artificial valve must be placed in order to create effective blood flow to the lungs. Dr. T was determined to preserve this baby’s original valve. It was difficult, but he did it! This should save Ghadeer from a lot of issues in the future!

Ghadeer was extubated a few hours after returning to the ICU!

Getting ready for extubation

Breathing tube out —-> Pacifier in! Kelly had to come up from the OR and see this cutie again.

Dr Kal and Dr Johansen in the cath lab!

Kelly in action!

Our second case of the day was 11-month old Murad from Pakistan 🇵🇰 Murad had a coarctation of the aorta, which means the main artery that carries blood away from the heart was narrowed— making it difficult to send blood to the rest of his body.

So handsome!

Murad came back to the ICU extubated and looking great!!

Dr. Turrentine did what is called a thoracotomy in order to repair Murad’s coarctation. Typical heart surgeries require a sternotomy, which is when the surgeon incises along the sternum to access the heart. In Murad’s case, Dr. T was able to access the artery via Murad’s side ribs— saving him from a big scar on his chest!

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It was a great day of surgeries here in Amman! We even got to go visit our friends Abd AlJabbar and Mirna on the floor as they’re getting ready to go home!

David and Mirna! Mirna should go home tomorrow!

Oroyo and Abd AlJabbar! He got his chest tube out today and is very happy about it! We love Chain of Hope and are so grateful for their organization — it would not be possible to do what we do without them.

Mohammed also got his chest tube out and transferred to the floor!

Rami hard at work! We are so thankful for him and all of Gift of Life Amman’s efforts to make this mission trip possible. They truly go above and beyond for these kids and it shows in their meaningful work. We are forever indebted to GOLA! Without them, these kids would not have the chance at life that they do now.

It’s crazy to think that tomorrow is Day 5 already— meaning the last day of surgeries! Now to rest and do it all again tomorrow. Hoping for a quiet night of behaving babies!

Masah wishes everyone in the ICU a good night! ❤️