Day 7 – The Sharav Continues
It’s still hot. In fact even the Israelis are now admitting it’s hot. The town ran out of power yesterday (probably because of all those very un-environmental people who like to over air-con their buildings so that they can continue to wear long sleeves and polyester) and we had a power cut. So what little air con we had died, the fans died and of course our fridge with cold drinks also died… I wouldn’t recommend pregnancy here without at the very least a fan. We schlepped out to a friend to see if she had air con but hers was gone too so we sought refuge in a cafe that purported to be air conditioned. I wasn’t convinced but it was better than the flat.
After the hottest day of my life we view a house and then I go to see the “women’s doctor” as the receptionist called him. We sit in the waiting room and some scruffy thug-like looking bloke walks past. (Think the standard extra they have behind the bar in Eastenders drinking a pint). Of course, that’s the bloke who turns out to be the doctor. Person least likely to be a gynaecologist you have ever seen in your life.
Anyway, shame on me, he turns out to be lovely. First he says he can’t assess me because he needs to see my card (which I don’t have as I am an “Ezrach Olah” – in other words I have an Israeli parent, which unfortunately means I lose certain rights like free healthcare and it takes a bit longer to process). I must have looked like I was going to cry because he took me to reception, they saw my teudat zehut and sorted it out. I was quite relieved as the heat here has been so intense I was starting to feel like I was going to give birth any minute. All is fine though as here they give you an ultrasound on every visit (by comparison for those of you who haven’t had a baby, in England you have to jump through hoops, with fire around them, and eat a live goldfish to get just one scan). He is very dismissive about british doctors (thinks the NHS is the worst in Europe, which I can’t really argue with after some of my experiences), gives me a new due date (one week earlier – aagghh) and proceeds to leaf through my notes some more, asking me if I am being a good girl and taking my iron. I tell him it doesn’t agree with me, but I have been taking vitamins instead, and as I have paid for top-grade healthcare am I entitled to any free benefits, like free vitamin pills?
He responds “This is Israel. Here we don’t take pills. We eat fresh fruit and vegetables”.
Ok so he’s a bit rough round the edges, but I like him already 🙂