Jnet Director Undergoing Critical Procedure

By Sarah Dukes

I have so much to say! So much to share!!! I have been trying to organize my thoughts so I can write up a nice, cohesive post, but my mind is just going everywhere and I don’t want to keep pushing this off, so I’m just going to list everything one by one!

1. Dr. Rivera called me letting me know the Pluristem will be arriving to NYU today at around 3, and they will be doing the procedure sometime between 5 and 6. I will keep you updated closer to the time so we can all pray together that this should be so incredibly successful!

HE ALSO TOLD ME I CAN COME BACK AND VISIT YUDI TOMORROW AND SUNDAY!!!!! Everyone was able to see what affect my visit had on Yudi and they want this to continue!!! Dr. Rivera is able to see that Yudi and I are a unit. We are one. Visiting Yudi doesn’t just benefit Yudi and give him more strength, but it also helps strengthen ME! This is not just Yudi’s fight. I have been fighting so incredibly hard this whole time- for Yudi, for me, for our children- for our entire family. It’s been extremely challenging to stay positive and have complete trust and faith that everything will be OK and that Yudi will be coming home. All the times I felt like I was defeated, I had to keep going- because as long as Yudi is fighting this hard to come home, I have to fight just as hard for him to come home! Being together with Yudi gave us BOTH renewed strength, determination, commitment, drive, and faith. We are in this together and will get through it together!

2. I got a call from the nurses last night telling me that Yudi is awake and alert and they felt like they needed to call me so we could speak to him! They said they never saw him this alert! Of course we all took turns speaking to him, and I asked if they could please take a video with his phone and send it to me. On the video, you can see Yudi listening to one of my sons talking. They told him, “If you hear them, nod your head” and he nodded! Twice!! He heard us all!

3. You know those 3 special nurses I have been talking about in my posts? Rachel, Doba Tiefenbrun and Bruria Eisner have both been visiting Yudi for weeks, individually- talking to him, playing voice notes for him, hanging up pictures and photos in his room, saying tehillim with him, believing in him, and taking care of him. They have given Yudi so much, but have never met- until today! Doba and Bruria both went to Yudi this morning (after Doba’s shift and before Bruria’s). Apparently the nurses were able to lower Yudi’s sedation this morning, so by the time Doba and Bruria got there, Yudi was awake and alert! He even smiled for them multiple times! They called me so the kids and I could speak to Yudi via video (the video was off when the kids were talking to him but he could still see them!). He smiled at our jokes, got emotional when we spoke about everything everyone is doing, and cried tears of joy when I told him I was coming back to be with him tomorrow! I told him about the procedure today and how this is going to help his body give the boost it needs to send him home- that he shouldn’t be scared of it, but should be excited. I told him how he has so much more strength now from all of us, but the truth is, he doesn’t even need to use it because we are all carrying him to the finish line. He will be coming home!

4. Our friend David Schottenstein reached out asking if he could please facetime Yudi so he could give him the Priestly Blessing. Yudi cried throughout the whole blessing. David will be giving Yudi these blessings every day until Yudi is back to full health!

It’s confusing for me to see Yudi so alert while knowing his body still needs so much healing and support. But I know that this love, this connection, this unity, and bond will bring Yudi home!

May G-d infuse Chaim Schneur Zalman Yehuda ben Hinda Yocheved with so much healing light and energy today, and may we hear incredible news!!