Chasdei HaShem 5TC is delighted to share the amazing news. We wish Yudi a full and complete recovery in the very near future! His wife, Sarah, should be given the strength to continue being the pillar of support for Yudi and the family.
The following is a letter composed by Sarah Dukes this morning:
YUDI IS BEING DISCHARGED!!!!!
I am the most scared I have ever been and the most grateful I have ever been. And all and every emotion in between.
Yudi has been in NYU for 241 days, and most of those days he was fighting for his life while being hit with one complication after the next. Some people thought I was being unrealistic by trying to stay positive and optimistic and believing that Yudi will be OK and get through this. But trust me. I was 100% aware of what the reality was and the tragedy that could have potentially occured, G-d forbid. Every single second. Every single moment. I was living with this debilitating reality of “What if…”.
But I needed to continue breathing. Continue fighting. And continue living. So I CHOSE to consciously put in the inhuman effort and focus on the OTHER potential of “What if it didn’t…”. And on the power of G-d, prayer, and faith. WE ARE NOT BOUND BY NATURE. I had to do whatever I could to fight just as hard as my husband was fighting, and I had to do it for him, for our kids, and for our family! I owed it to us.
Back in April, the kids and I made this “You did it” sign. I still wasn’t allowed to visit Yudi at this time, but with the help of some incredible nurses, I arranged for this poster to be hung on the wall directly in front of him. Yudi was still early on in his coma at this point, but I wanted that sign to be displayed so as soon as he would wake up and open his eyes, it would be there and ready for him to see! I wanted him to know that we believed in him and in his recovery, no matter what state he was in.
Yudi had multiple room transfers during his lengthy journey (13 to be exact), but this sign followed him with every room he went.
Months later after Yudi awoke from his coma and was more conscious of what was going on and what had happened to him, I shared the significance behind the sign and everything that went into it. Yudi became very emotional. He was noticeably moved. After taking a bit of time to process the information, he looked at me and said, “That should be ‘WE’. I didn’t do this on my own. This only happened because of what everyone has done. We did this together.”
And he is absolutely right. A couple of weeks ago I brought in cardboard and markers so that Yudi could participate in this sign and color the “WE” himself.
As Yudi is about to be discharged from the hospital and continue his recovery from home, Yudi and I want to make it clear that WE ALL DID IT!!!! We ALL played an instrumental role in Yudi’s miraculous recovery and in getting him to this point. We did it as a team- an army. Nothing could penetrate through us as a united front. We were completely invested in every way. The entire medical staff, children, YOU, US! All the prayers, psalms, good deeds, resolutions, financial contributions, visualizations, torah learning, care packages, gifts, creations (songs and art), rides to and from the hospital, helping with home maintenance, homemade dinners for our family, help with our kids, shopping, visits with Yudi, positive thoughts, love, our heartfelt pleas to G-d, our belief, faith, and trust.
We have helped Yudi survive, and now we will help him thrive as he continues on his path to recovery and resilience.
The power of our unity is untouchable.
WE. DID. IT.
*PLEASE continue praying for Chaim Schneur Zalman Yehuda ben Hinda Yocheved. His body needs to get stronger and healthier to be able to undergo a surgery as major as a liver transplant, which will “need” to take place soon (but G-d could change this at any time). Please pray that the antibiotics he is currently on will successfully prevent another attack of sepsis. And please pray that G-d just makes all of this disappear and completely heal Yudi’s body in an instant, BECAUSE HE CAN and it doesn’t take any more effort for Him to do so!!!
We may not know what the future will bring, but we trust that no matter what, G-d will continue taking care of Yudi. And right now, we will celebrate what is. Today.
YUDI IS ALMOST HOME!!!
Baruch Hashem!
Miracle Of Miracles!!
And Chanukah is right around the corner
May you continue to get the Chizuk from all that you so well deserve
Sarah was a student of mine when she was in college. She was an incredible student and person. I had the privilege of later meeting Yudy and their beautiful family. I am overjoyed that Yudy is recovering and wish him a refuah shleima mheira. Sarah, you are an inspiration to all. May you all have only smachot and nachas.