Tony

The Head Cardiologist said Ms. Ruha'mah would be given a bag of milk and some medicine and then was "ordered" to get on the plane the next day and return me to my country of birth. Ms. Ruha'mah was instructed to take out my nasal feeding tube upon arrival and let me live out my FINAL (1 to 3) days. Ms. Ruha'mah would not hear of that and refused to give up! The doctor did not like it at all when Ms. Ruha'mah said that she felt Almighty God had put me across her path and that she believed she was supposed to do all that she "could" do to save my life and let Almighty God do what she could "not" do. To return me back to the land of my birth without even "attempting" surgery was, in Ms. Ruha'mahs opinion, simply giving up and not trusting God. She strongly felt that God had the last word for my life, not doctors. Though a discharge order was written, Ms. Ruha'mah refused to take me out of the hospital.

The Pediatric Cardiologist who had originally agreed to evaluate my condition was out of the country when I arrived. However, when he arrived back home Ms. Ruha'mah met with him. He agreed to do everything possible to save my life and I was transferred to his hospital. There I spent a long time on life support as the doctors sought to learn the cause of an internal infection that I carried. They also were unsuccessful in determining the cause of a very strange rash that covered one side of my torso in "whirling" pattern. They took many kinds of tests and sent them away to be studied at a special laboratory.

When I was three and a half months old the doctor explained that they had been "spinning their wheels" and now I was beginning to slip away. They decided to "go for it" and I underwent masive heart reconstruction. Various machines kept me alive during many long hours of surgery as the doctors worked on my heart as it lay on a table! Using Dacron material the doctors built me a septum. I also had two holes in my heart and one of them was half the size of my heart! The doctors took more Dacron material and covered over these holes and attached this material to my heart with stitches. The other defects were also repaired with Dacron material. The doctors put my heart back in my chest and as they were tying the last surgical knot they were greatly startled and shocked when my heart began beating very strong, all by itself! Thanks be to God and to this special team of people and the fantastic pediatric intensivists I now had a new lease on life. Eighteen days after surgery I took my first suck from a bottle.

After my surgery the doctor told Ms. Ruha'mah that he had "good news" for her: I was not going to need "six" more surgeries. I would only need "three" more. Ms. Ruha'mah replied that he was "not" giving her "good news" for she did not feel that "any" more surgeries would be "good news" and explained that she, being a Ham Radio Operator, was going to get people all over the world to join her in praying that God would heal me without another surgery. People all over the world prayed. And I have not had another surgery! A year and a half after my surgery examinations revealed that I have "no" heart murmur of any kind "and" I have perfect pressure in both chambers of my heart.

But my battle for survival had just begun. After my heart surgery the test results arrived and revealed that I had several more medical challenges; the greatest one was that I had also been born with a very rare nervous system degenerative Syndrome that is "absolutely lethal" in males. Rarely is a male ever born as they are usually spontaneously aborted. Now Ms. Ruha'mah was given an even more grim medical prognosis:

To each of these "challenges" Ms. Ruha'mahs response was, "Thank you for telling me. Now I know what we should be praying for. No "shot gun" prayers here! We pray 'specifically.' It was a miracle that this little boy was even born. A few days after birth he miraculously came across our path. He has miraculously survived his heart surgery. After surgery his little heart miraculously began beating very strongly on it's own. God surely has a special plan for this little boy!"

Shortly before my first birthday I learned to roll over and then sit up. When I was about 3 years old I woke up one morning and all signs of my mental retardation were totally gone! I did not start talking until I was about 5 1/2 years old. Though there are still serious challenges with my eyes, I've learned to know when I'm hungry and when I have to urine or stool. I don't have as many seizures. I often have severe pain in my feet. In 2001 the doctors discovered the reason for these pains. I was born with yet another rare Sydrome. This one is not fatal, but there is no known cure. Though I've visited "death's doorstep" many, many times, prayers have always been heard and answered. Today I am a "research" patient as the medical professionals "study" me to learn more about the rare nervous system Syndrome.

I recently had my ~~8th~~ - ~~9th~~ - ~~10th~~ - ~~11th~~ - 12th . . . my 13th birthday! Oh Yes! I'm a 6' + Teenager Now! Music is my number one love! I play SIX different instruments. The violin is my favorite! I love to compose my own music and sing. I made my official public singing debut when I was just 11. I get so excited when I'm invited to sing somewhere.

Oh how I love animals! I have my very own sassy and spoiled little Papillon that everyone loves!

When people talk to me they always say it's like talking to "a little old man." They always remark about how intelligent I am. Since a tiny baby Ms. Ruha'mah would always talk to me as if I understood everything she was saying. Everyday she would read to me, first the Bible, and then any other books that I let her know I was interested in. As she read, she would speak slowly and very carefully sound out each word. Often she would use her fingernails to cover up parts of a word, showing me "words within a word." Because of my medical prognosis, people thought she was wasting her time. Some told her she was in "denial" concerning my medical condtion and one was so bold as to suggest she was even a bit "sick" not to be able to accept "medical reality." What they did not know was that she was instilling deep within me a passion for books.

However yet another problem presented itself. The doctors discovered that I was also born with severe dyslexia. I thought I'd be the only little boy in the whole wide world that could not read. Oh how I cried! With each tear that fell, Ms. Ruha'mah would gather me in her lap, hold me close as she always does, and tell me that Jesus was seeing my very precious tears and we would pray. When I was 10 years old I awoke one morning and discovered "I CAN READ!" I now read everything all by myself! I used to watch Ms.Ruha'mah very carefully read food labels as she monitored my sugar and sodium intake. I am so happy that I can now read the labels myself. I love to read! Ms. Ruha'mah always says that "Readers Become Leaders." And people always tell me that I am a "born leader." But I still love to cuddle in Ms. Ruha'mahs lap as she reads to me.

I love to travel. Ms. Ruha'mah is Jewish and took me on a business trip to Israel. As we walked along the streets of Jerusalem total strangers often run out of their shops, some even run down the street to catch up with us just to give me a little gift. Those in our group were amazed. Ms. Ruha'mah said that it was just like in Bible days: People brought gifts to the Prophet. Oh yes! I can hear the voice of God so 'very' clearly. I used to see Angels. But I haven't seen any in a while. Instead sometimes a strong force, like a vacuum cleaner or a tornado, sucks me up to Heaven. Heaven is a wonderful place and not at all like people think it is. I like to share these experiences with others. When I do I can tell that some people get really scared, others do not understand and others want to hear more. My heart longs to return to Israel. I love visiting the Wailing Wall because I always have a very special experience there. I also have a great desire in my heart to go to Russia. I'm saving my money!

I love visiting libraries and book stores. I love it when Ms. Ruha'mah takes me camping and fishing. I love music and dancing. But my favorite is singing! Almost every day God gives me a creative song of Praise and Worship. Ms. Ruha'mah records them all. Well, almost all of them. Sometimes I will not allow her to record a song because "some" songs are not to be shared with others. Those are the songs that God gives me and He wants me to give them right back to Him as I Praise and Worship Him.

Since I first learned how to talk I have always told everyone that when I get big I want to be a doctor and go to yet developing countries and save the lives of children. While I'm there I will Preach the Gospel and tell everyone what God has done for me. I love to go outside and pretend the trees are my congregation as I preach to them. Ms. Ruha'mah taught me sign language when I could not talk. Now I "sign" as I preach and sing. Sometimes I pretend the trees are my choir members and I direct them in songs of Praise and Worship. I love God's Creation!

There is so much more that I'd love to share with you. Ms. Ruha'mah always stays very busy working on many different medical projects. However, as time permits, little by little, she is writing my story. I am saving the best to last when I tell you that Ms. Ruha'mah legally adopted me at birth. The enemy of our souls has tried one tactic after another to wipe me off the face of the earth: he does not want God's plan and purpose for my life to be fulfilled. My story is one of hope, perseverance and endurance as each battle for my life has been fought. Ms. Ruha'mah believes that each battle in our lives is for a "reason" and only for a "season." No matter how tired, exhausted or discouraged one becomes they must "endure" for the Bible tells us in Matt. 10:22 that the only thing in eternity that will be rewarded is "endurance." My story is sure to bring encouragement to others to help them endure. Hopefully, one day you will be able to read it.

Yes, Roberto and I, along with many other children like us, deeply appreciate the talented and dedicated professionals who are all a part of the INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S MEDICAL FOUNDATION. They extend their hand to YOU. Won't you PLEASE take their hand, "Partner" with them and do all you can to support this WONDERFUL WORK and help my other "brothers" and "sisters" in the "yet developing" countries of this world?

Be sure to visit our Fundraising Store: Agape Treasures. All proceeds from Agape Treasures purchases will be your *secure* direct deposit contribution into ICMF's bank account.

If you are not shopping today would you consider making a monetary donation? Whether great or small, your gift is very valuable remembering and telling children like myself that someone “out there” cares about us. It’s people like YOU who make it possible to continue this great outreach. Know that you will be rewarded for your kindness!