May 22 2009
This Illness is Good for Jewish-Arab Harmony!
There must be scores of people around the globe who are desperately sorry and more than a little concerned to learn that Stuart Palmer of the Israeli Citizens Action Network (ICAN) has suffered a heart-attack and is therefore ‘enjoying’ an enforced rest from his legion activities.
Typically, he has used the experience to show Israel in its best light and I’ve posted part of his latest ‘Haifa Diary’ entry below.
“Come Monday morning 6:00 am, I awoke in a cold sweat and with some tenseness across the chest, yes, sure enough the symptoms of a heart attack. My first thought, of course, was to wake up my wife and get her to call the “intensive care” ambulance from Magen David Adom (MDA)- specially designed for dealing with such problems …
“The realization eventually sunk in after a few minutes and my wife awoke to arrange for the ambulance. Now I don’t know what reaction times are in the various countries around the world from phoning in for an ambulance and actually have one arrive at the front door but I believe they arrived at our apartment in less than 7-8 minutes. The crew was so efficient in dealing with the first phase of the attack that it seemed that in no time we were already on the way to hospital. Since we have 3 major hospitals here in Haifa, I was able to express my preference, on this occasion, Bnei Zion.Within 2.1/2 hours of arrival, I had been checked in, taken directly to the cardiac catheterization room, fitted with stents http://www.heartsite.com/html/stent.html and returned to the ward. There I spent 3 days in recovery and today Thursday, came home. “Now the next recuperation phase means no driving for 6 weeks, taking life very easy for a couple of weeks before starting to exercise a few minutes a day gradually working up to 45 minute stretches.“So rushing down to Tel Aviv or Jerusalem by car, bus or train is out of the reckoning for now. The intense sessions in front of the computer have to be restricted. But, it is no good dwelling on what might have been. I need to look forward, life goes on.”
“Thankfully I cannot compare from personal experience what goes on in different countries but let me just say that the team work of Israeli doctors, both Arab and Jew, the ever smiling and cooperative nursing staff from all walks of Israeli life, makes me feel good.”I can say no more except to wish Stuart the speediest of recoveries and an anxiety-free Shabbat and weekend for his family.
msniw
