We hadn’t been waiting very long when, within about an hour, Kugan and I were called by the medical team. One of the assistant surgeons came towards us with a smile. “Be happy. Raeyan is completely fine!” Those words felt like a huge weight had been lifted from our shoulders. Kugan and I looked at each other, took a deep breath and hugged. And then something happened that I will never forget. I saw Kugan cry tears of joy for the first time. We had been carrying so much fear, and suddenly, we were hearing that our little boy was okay.
The doctor then explained that the main hole was about the size of a 50-cent coin, and that there were also several smaller holes nearby. But the important news was that the holes had all been closed successfully. We thanked him with all our hearts. Raeyan was then taken to a room where he would wait to be transferred to the ICU after surgery. Kugan and I stood outside, looking at our little boy through the window. As we stood there, someone came and stood beside us.
I recognized him. It was the anesthesiologist who had spoken to me just before the surgery. I quietly told Kugan who he was. He approached us and reassured us: “Raeyan is fine!” Then he said something that I will never forget. He told us that it was remarkable that a two-year-old child had gone through the surgery without blood transfusion. He explained that when the surgeon made the incision, everything went well and there was no significant bleeding.
Then he asked us: “What’s your God’s name?” We answered, “Jehovah.” He said words that have remained in our hearts until today: “Thank your Jehovah. He saved your son!” He explained that Raeyan could probably go to the normal ward, but according to their procedure, they would keep him in the ICU for at least a day for close observation. We thanked him, and he walked away, but his words stayed with us: “Thank your Jehovah. He saved your son.” Those words have never been erased from our hearts.
In the ICU
Raeyan was transferred to the ICU, where he remained for two days. The following day, the Malay rehabilitation nurse came looking for Raeyan. She eventually found us in the ICU. She told us that everyone had been talking about Raeyan in their meeting that day. She was happy to hear that everything had gone well and that the surgery had been successfully completed. She told us that she had really wanted to see Raeyan because she had been worried about how he would cope with such a major operation, especially because he was a child with Down syndrome and other complications.
Then she said something that touched me deeply. She told us that she believed our faith in Jehovah and our prayers as a mother had helped save him. Again, she said: “Thank your Jehovah.” She also told us that this was her first time learning about our religion and understanding how important the blood issue was to us. Her kindness and genuine interest touched my heart. Two days later, Raeyan was transferred from the ICU to the ward. Everything had gone better than we had feared.
Looking back today, I can only say that we are deeply grateful for the medical team who cared for our little boy, for the people who showed us kindness along the way, and above all, for Jehovah’s grace and mercy as we experienced it. That day left a mark on our family that will never fade. And perhaps the most beautiful way to describe it is this: The experience left a mark on our memories, just as the surgery left a mark on Raeyan’s chest.
Both marks remain with us to this day…
