04/08/2023
Malaak and Muhammad were excited to become parents to their twins. Newly married and beginning their careers as lawyers, they were always on the go. Malaak woke up in early September and immediately knew something was wrong. Muhammad brought her to the closest hospital as it was clear she was in labor at 24 weeks. The receiving hospital immediately called Holy Family Hospital for an emergency transfer.
Malaak traveled by ambulance and was met at the doors by the staff. Within twenty minutes, the twins were delivered. Keenan was born first at 540 grams, just over a pound. Muntaser was delivered weighing a mere 400 grams.
The NICU team dashed into action, intubating the tiny preemies and inserting their lines. The team knew that Keenan and Muntaser had a chance of survival, and they wanted to make it happen. While the twins were tiny, they seemed to be fighters with a strong will to live!
When Malaak saw her tiny sons, she said only God could give them life. She had never seen a premature baby, and she knew how precarious their conditions were. The doctors explained that the medications she was administered gave her babies a chance at life. The nurses did not need to explain to the parents the importance of visiting and interacting with their sons.
They visited daily, willing their boys to grow and thrive. Over the days and weeks, the boys grew stronger. They also suffered setbacks common among micro-preemies. They both developed brain bleeds, one more severe. They required blood transfusions and treatment under lights. They grew bigger and more responsive to their parents’ voices and touch. Finally, the day came when Muhammad and Malaak could hold Keenan. They were overjoyed and afraid at the same time. The nurses taught them to hold their son without disturbing the lines, tubes, and monitors. Muhammad spends every afternoon in the NICU sitting quietly in a chair, watching over and feeding his sons. Malaak joins him each afternoon, eager for her time with their new Family.
They are both grateful that the grandmother can visit every morning, singing to the boys and telling them family stories. Keenan is still at Holy family Hospital five months after delivery. He requires oxygen and needs to gain more weight before he goes home. After emergency surgery at a Hebron hospital, Muntaser is back at Holy Family Hospital with his brother. Muntaser, Keenan, and their grandmother have become favorites in the NICU. The nurses have grown fond of the boys and their devoted families. The almost constant presence of the family has helped the babies develop.
