DINUSH IS HOME AND EATING!

Dinush, who garnered worldwide attention with the campaign to raise funds for her operation, has returned home. * Exclusive: Her mother, Chaya Rivkin, shares the hard times, the miracles, and the gratitude.

By Blumie Landau

Dinush experienced a Chanuka miracle.  People from all over the world and differing backgrounds eagerly followed developments.  When I called Chaya Rivkin, Dinush’s mother, to hear the story of the miracle firsthand, she said:

You’re not the first to call for an interview.  I’ve been getting endless requests for interviews from all kinds of newspapers and sites.  I cannot respond to all of them but I can’t say no to a Chabad magazine of the Rebbe.  I owe the Rebbe tremendous gratitude for the miracle we experienced recently.

Dinush is only four and a half but has gone through so much already.  And yet, she is still a sweet, happy little girl.  She was born with a rare, congenital birth defect called esophageal atresia.  That means, her esophagus was (it’s weird for me to speak in the past tense) connected to her lungs instead of to her stomach.  As soon as she was born she was operated on to disconnect her esophagus from her lungs but something went wrong and she was in the ICU in critical condition.

How did you handle the news?

For a very long time, Dinush could not eat anything and vomited whatever entered her mouth.  I could not go anywhere with her and take pride in my firstborn because I didn’t know when she would suddenly vomit.  The doctors then decided she would get her nutrition through an esophageal tube which in Hebrew is called a zonda, which brings liquid food directly to the stomach for digestion and prevents it from getting into the lungs.  Since then, up until this recent operation, the zonda was constantly attached to her.

That meant, that as everyone around her was eating, Dinush could just watch, smell the food, and want some too.  In our kitchen there was a special box in which we put all the things Dinush wanted to taste.  “We’re saving it for you,” we told her, “because we are sure that one day, a miracle will happen and you’ll be able to eat normally, like everyone else.”  At first the doctors said things would straighten out when she would be a year old, then they said at age two.  Then they promised a change at age three.  Recently, her condition grew more serious because the esophagus began bleeding into the lungs and we were told to do surgery immediately at Boston Children’s Hospital, one of the best in the world, at a cost of 1.5 million shekels.

What did you think about the operation?

I knew we had reached the end of our rope and we could not allow Dinush to be in danger, but where would we get that kind of money from? We started a special campaign for this purpose but I said to myself, “In Chabad there are so many campaigns and fundraisers, mosdos and Chabad Houses, why would someone donate to us? Who has money in Chabad anyway?” But then, when the full amount was raised in just 48 hours and everyone asked us, “How?” that is when I felt the warm hug and that all of Chabad was surrounding us with love and warmth.  Even people we didn’t know donated, took an interest, and followed the story!

We flew to Boston and landed in freezing weather, wiped out and nervous, and not really knowing English.  My husband got a phone call from an organization that takes care of apartments for families of patients.  We had arranged ahead of time with them about when we would arrive, and they said the apartment would be ready, but they apologized and said it would only be ready the following day.  They said there were two options, either to take a room in a hotel or be hosted by a family.

I was very uncomfortable about staying with strangers but when we arrived we were very surprised to be greeted by a Lubavitcher family.  From that moment, until our return home, the Huminer family did not leave us.  They arranged for every Chabad family in the community to make meals for us.  Every day we were given full course meals and even desserts.  We were amazed by all the love and devotion the community showered upon us.

One Shabbos, a shliach came to visit us in the hospital.  He climbed ten flights just to say, “Good Shabbos.” We were stunned and moved.  A shlucha came regularly and sat at Dinush’s bedside for hours and told her Chassidishe stories so we had a break.  One time, when the meal came, the shlucha said, “I saw that someone else contributed twice and I still haven’t prepared anything.  I’m sorry! I don’t want to miss out.”

In the meantime, Dinush underwent many tests, some of them under general anesthesia, and the doctors discovered additional problems that made the operation even more complicated.  Through the interpreters they explained to us that one operation wouldn’t be enough and she needed two or three operations.  I was very sad to hear this.  How much could one child go through? We asked for the Rebbe’s bracha and made a good hachlata and then the doctor came in and said, “We need to do just one operation.” This kind of miracle happened time and again.  We felt that the Rebbe was with us and supporting us at every stage.

The date for the operation was approaching and we prepared Dinush.  We told her, “The doctors will remove the zonda and you will be able to eat normally.”  Dinush asked, “Whatever I want?” “Everything!” we said.

The fateful operation that would change Dinush’s life was set for 7:30 in the morning and we went along with her with many prayers and tears.  After twelve hours that seemed to never end, the chief surgeon came out and announced, “All is well! The operation was a success and she won’t need another operation!”

How did you feel with that great news?

I felt that all I wanted to do was say thank you to the Rebbe and to all those who helped us reach this miraculous moment.  We decided that when we would be released and return to Eretz Yisroel, we would stop at 770 “to thank and praise.”

The doctors said that the operation was very complicated and it might take Dinush five days to wake up, but by the next morning she opened her eyes and said, “Ima, water.” The next day they lowered the dosages of the medication and everyone was amazed by how fast she was recovering.  The doctors said it would take her two weeks to get out of intensive care but after three days there was no reason to be there.  At first they said we would have to remain in Boston for at least three months, but we were on our way home after five weeks.

What was it like to go to 770 after all that?

I always dreamed of being at the menorah lighting in 770 and due to these circumstances that dream came true for me.  We arrived for the lighting and the singing of “HaNeiros Halalu.”  For us, these were electrifying moments.  I said to the Rebbe, “I don’t want anything, just to say thank you.” While everyone sang “to thank and to praise,” and “for Your miracles and Your wonders,” I couldn’t stop crying.  I looked at Dinush at the children’s rally, eating a doughnut and licking her fingers and I pinched myself, not believing this had happened.

Dinush asked me for a paper and then asked sweetly, “Ima, draw a big heart for me.  I want to bring it to the Rebbe and tell him thank you that I don’t have the zonda and I can eat whatever I want.”

What was it like going home and back to routine?

At first they said that the hospitalization would take much longer and we planned on my husband staying with Dinush while I would go home.  Dinush is the oldest and we left our two littler ones in Eretz Yisroel with my amazing parents who took care of them all that time.  At their advanced age they went back to changing diapers.

At the airport we were welcomed with a moving, heartwarming reception.  Twenty costumed characters put Dinush on their shoulders and danced with her.  There were “Welcome Dinush” signs, balloon decorations and photographers everywhere.  The entire family came with presents for Dinush.  Everyone wanted to see the walking miracle.  Only I did not see all this.  I looked for my little ones whom I hadn’t seen in so long.  I was heartbroken, missing them so much!

What is most moving for you now, after Dinush has, boruch Hashem, gotten back into a normal routine?

Every morning I just can’t believe it when I hear myself asking, “Dinush, what should I put in your sandwich?” Yes, Dinush is like any other little girl! Then I cook lunch and I suddenly realize how much I need to be thankful for, things we take for granted. I am cooking in my own kitchen after a long period when I could not do so, and soon the family will be sitting together and everyone will eat together.  Even Dinush will sit with us, close to the table and say, “Ima, this is good, I want more.” And more and more.  Because that’s the way it is when at age four and a half you are tasting mommy’s food for the first time.

Now that we have had our personal Geula with Dini, I am waiting impatiently for us all to be able to taste from the shor ha’bor and the livyasan.