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New York City, NY (Dec. 23, 2005, 12 noon) - All four Iraqi children who underwent lifesaving heart surgeries at Montefiore Medical Center earlier this week have started walking, cheered on by their nurses, fathers and well-wishers.
The last child to be operated on Wednesday morning took his first steps today. The others have been walking the corridors in colorful hospital gowns since yesterday, holding their fathers' hands and visiting each other in their rooms in the pediatric intensive care unit.
"The focus is on two things at this stage of their recovery: walking and eating," said Nicole Sutton, MD, a pediatric cardiologist. She said the kids have placed special food requests through their interpreters: for cantaloupe, watermelon, ice cream, and Coke. Asaid S. Abd. Sibreai wanted chewing gum. Sivar Mohammed wanted pomegranates.
"The kids are doing remarkably well, even better than normal. They are heading for a good life," said Teresa Golde, administrative nurse manager.
Asked how she felt, 12-year-old Ashjan Khaled said through an interpreter, "Perfect."
The children are expected to be moved to a regular inpatient floor over the weekend and discharged next week, barring any change in their condition.
Ms. Golde marveled at the meeting of cultures on her floor.
"It's been a draining experience, but a wonderful experience, too," Ms. Golde said. "We share so much with the fathers of these children, even if they are from a foreign culture. Despite our differences — in food, in music, in language — we are all parents. That's our common denominator. When our children are sick, we worry. We want them to get better."
"This is the experience we have everyday at Montefiore. It's what we do," she said. "We care for the children here, all ages and all sizes, as if they were our own, no matter whether they are from New York or nearby Westchester or from half way around the world."
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