jan 8 2009

day 13
swamped with 254 to Barzilai Medical Centerin
the first 11 days
129 suffering acute stress reaction
125 suffering injuries among them 57 soldiers

more calls for TZEVA ADOM
and then...wait for it...BOOM
how much time to get to a bomb shelter
15, 20, 45 seconds
depends how far one is from gaza rockets

personally, i am afraid to use the bathroom
granted
those in the battlefield dont even dream of clean 'facilities'
but
back to reality
we are here
in the hospital
in our homes
and i dont know about others
but it takes me 15 seconds just to wash up after using the bathroom
never mind the panic
to think
i could be caught,
with the proverbial "pants down"

and shower
or bathing the kids
forget it
no more rubber ducky
what ever happened to those days --
now it is: in, wash here, wash there, and...out!

i was driving home from one of my jobs yesterday
it is in Arad
at a clinic
close to the DEAD Sea
north and east of BeerSheva -- a city where Abraham our forefather walked the landa city NOW known as -- 'within range of gaza radical terrorist missiles'
where yesterday a CHILDREN's school was HIT by Grad Missile
and where the military had instructed not to have school
a move which clearly saved lives

and on my way home
the news on the radio --
interrupted...
by a piercing noise,
W H A T ?
TZEVA ADOM !
here,
in my car?
what do i do,
pull over,
get out,
that is what they suggest,
but i am driving 100 km/hr!
[or more]
my nerves are shot
i have to worry
where are my kids, wife, co-workers?
do i call them?
or pull over?
then in my altered consciousness,
i hear in the background the radio...
beersheva, ofakim, netivot...
and no other cities.
i breathe for a second
ok -- my family is not there
and i dont need to pull over
silly thought really
because
these thoughts took,
more than 15 seconds
if it was going to be a rocket falling on my car,
it would have hit alreadyand then...
i slow down and start looking up...

so here we are
waking up
what do we hear now
WHAT?
attacks from the north
who is shooting?
hizbollah says it is not them
hmmmmm
an elderly assistance home with a hole in the roof
and a rocket sitting on the floor
and residents,
well...
is 'panic' the right word
is there a work strong enough
Thank G-d
seems that it was an 'isolated attack'

i guess, acceptable, right
the US and France and Russia
they would all accept a bordering country
firing 3 rockets
with the power to maim and kill innocent civilians
and say
well, no one takes responsibility
so, it's ok,
...but just dont let it happen again

tell that to all those in shock in my EMERGENCY ROOM!

stay alive and healthy

dr g