Tel Aviv Diary: Karen Alkalay-Gut

Those of you who’ve been following me for a long time know that I was holding Ezi’s hand a lot in the Hematology ward at Ichilov for a long time last year. So you will be happy to hear that once again today, his PET scan came out clear. I’ve written about this a lot – especially in these poems. But Yoram Kaniuk did it much better in yesterday’s Haaretz. When I was a child and hospitalized for months, my parents were allowed to visit for a very brief time every day. The staff took care of me. Now not only are visits encouraged, but family members and friends take an active role in the comfort and care of the patient. In the hemotology ward, i had the privilege and honor to ‘be there,’ to be able to check the medications, to be directed and encouraged by the staff. Yes, it is crowded. Yes, it is understaffed. But it is a serious and professional place, and a very large portion of the staff goes way beyond their job, and their warmth and comfort help in the patients’ recover.