Greetings from the Broom Cupboard

It has been a very difficult 2 weeks, probably the most challenging since our aliyah. After spending a freezing cold shabbat [even more freezing than normal in this damp, godforsaken house] with a headache that actually got worse after a shabbat shluff … I was feeling so dreadfully ill that Husband called a doctor to the house [I could not move off the sofa]. My neck was in agony and the light was bothering me and I had a nasty feeling I might have been dying from meningitis. The brisk Russian doctor asked a few questions and when I told her my symptoms she promptly donned a mask and instructed Husband to call an ambulance straight away. So that was the second ambulance I have been in this winter!

The problem with meningitis, or so the doctor told me [bear in mind I was only partly conscious during this so I may have misunderstood him] but I think he was saying that until they can grow a bacterial culture, they have no way of knowing if you have viral or bacterial, so they have to assume the worst and treat you for bacterial, coz if they wait and see, it could be too late. Yikes. So after having needles stuck into me [having 2 kids has done absolutely nothing to reduce my fear of needles by the way], CT scans and goodness knows what else I spent a very unrestful night in miyun [triage type ward] and they started giving me antiobios via an IV. Then they stuck me in a Broom Cupboard. I kid you not. I half expected Andy Peters and friends to jump out of the shadows… [if you are not English and born before 1980 then dont worry about this reference]. Seriously we are talking a filthy little room, no more than a converted cleaning cupboard with no air or light. It was stuffy and horrible, like an airplane. Quite depressing really as the only reason anybody goes to Ziv hospital is the beautiful view [the nurse informed me that all the mountain view rooms were taken, and I would have to go on a waiting list…!] The first couple of days I wasnt really with it so I didnt notice but after a few days I realised there was no way I was ever going to recover breathing in recycled air so I begged them to let me go. The doctor asked why I didnt want to stay a bit longer and rest to which I responded “would you like to live in this room??!”

The only redeeming feature of the place was my lovely room mate from Kiryat Shemona, her family were also very kind.

The doctors were mostly professional and kind, but I was appalled at the nurses. I had to wait hours for every minor request, including pain medication. After a while I got clever and tried to anticipate when I would need it, so I could ask in advance. The place was FILTHY [yes, even compared to NHS hospitals] and I didnt see anyone clean my room the entire time I was there. Every morning, a team of loud n lairy cleaning ladies would crash about our room discussing their [slightly shocking] private lives. They would empty the [barely used] dustbin and run a wet cloth over the middle of the floor, then disappear. No dusting, no wiping the sink, no cleaning. Nothing. When I asked if there was any possibility of wiping the thick layer of dust that was collecting on the wall over my bed [most likely from the air vent churning recycled air and various communicable diseases into the room] having explained that my Husband had already wiped some of it off the cleaning lady asked me if I thought I was “in a hotel”!!! Another cleaning lady was even worse, after clattering around our room early one morning, my room mate asked if she could keep the noise down as I had a headache. The cleaning lady responded “Agh, everybody has a headache!” [now theres a nice bedside manner, just the sort of person you would want working in a hospital. How do these people actually get hired???]. My room mate was shocked, and informed her that no, not everybody there did have a headache and I think she probably told her off but I was in too much of a fug to remember it.

The place was a total zoo. Loud guests at all hours, hospital staff poncing about in heels [? why ??] outside the room so there was no possibility of resting and when I tried to sneak off for some fresh air on the balcony they called me back coz my blood pressure was too low. I have never been so claustrophobic in my life!

Unfortunately the only part of the hospital I had seen prior to this, was the shiny clean maternity ward. Most of the patients where I was, deep in the bowels of Pnemit Bet, were elderly, and we all know where they come on the priority list. It was the saddest thing I have ever seen.

There were however, a few nice moments, that you would only get in an Israeli hospital.

1) My room mate was a really lovely kind person, with an awesome sense of humour, and we actually had fun together. She had the entire series of Friends on her computer which helped the time pass.

2) I got chatted up by a nice Druze guy, who when he heard I live in Karmiel smiled and said that we were neighbours, then invited my family to come and visit their village. I think I might just do that.

3) The 3 guys who bundled me into the ambulance were possibly 3 of the best looking men I have ever seen in my life. Or I might have just been delirious with pain.

4) On my last day there I saw a young [Druze, I think] man caring for his elderly father on the balcony, coaxing him to eat something. He was so gentle and patient with him, it was truly touching.

5) Whilst spending a [really uncomfortable] night in miyun, with bright lights [just what you want when suffering from photophobia] I overheard the relative of an elderly Yemenite man answering questions on his behalf. It must have been morning because he started davening shacharit. His voice was very soothing [sounded just like my dad actually] and I finally managed to get some sleep, thanks to him.

6) On Friday night in the childrens hospital a nice boy came to make kiddush for us. I think thats very dedicated, to leave your family on cold night and wander round a hospital.

7) The hospital Pyjamas in that place are a scream. The women get pink and white polka dots, the men get blue and the kids get teddybear pj’s [check out the picture of Roni].

Anyway turns out I had viral meningitis [not the deadly kind, thank goodness] and despite my intense pain the doctor assured me that the infection [in my brain??!] had showed up as mild. I told them if this is mild then I cant imagine what a full blown infection would be like. The nurse shook her head and said she hopes I never will. For the record, if you ever get a high fever, stiff neck, cant look at light [and possibly a rash], then call a doctor. Dont wait and see, you might not have that time! [BTW, I didnt have the rash, so we hesitated at first].

During my stay Roni got ill and Husband was concerned he might have contracted the infection from me, so he was also admitted. Turns out he was fine til the day after I came out when he got dead ill with a stomach bug. He seemed dehydrated so I took him to the doctor who sent us back to the hospital, poor little mite needed an IV. So I spent shabbat in Ziv too. Then we got back and Roni kindly gave me the stomach bug [my fourth one since coming here only 18 months ago!]- bear in mind I was still recovering from the first disease.

I have concluded that there are definitely more diseases here than in the UK. [Nobody tells you that when you express an interest in aliyah]. And certainly more stomach bugs. This may be a fast developing country but unfortunately not everybody is educated in disease prevention. In all the time I was at Ziv, I never saw anyone [except my room mates family] washing their hands. In the childrens ward, Roni was in a room where 2 other kids had serious stomach bugs and people were waltzing in and out without doing any hand sanitisation. I was terrified that if we stayed another night we would both pick up something else even more nasty so I discharged us. People see TV and soft furnishings and forget they are in a hospital. I hope to goodness they start dealing with this or things could get really nasty at that place.

Hopefully thats our lot for diseases this winter!