Maya was very sick, some kind of stomach bug- bad vomiting and diarheea, also she was having some kind of coughing fits, that left her breathless. So there was my sweet daughter, pale as a sheet, with her lips turning blue...I panicked...But, no doctors, no emergency room in Ashdod and we don't have a hospital in the city. The nearest one is at aproximately 60 km and you cannot drive on Yom Kipur...The clock was ticking , Maya was chocking so I did what every mother would've done, I called the ambulance...They arrinved pretty quicly, but unfortunately witout a doctors, only two paramedics. They couldn't do anything, just took her blood pressure and sugested to take Maya to the hospital, as her vomiting got worse and she was complainig of tummy aches...
So, of we went...my husband remained at home, to be coming to the hospital at the end of the fast day, when he could drive...
At the hospital they didn't do much...didn't care to much about her stomach bug and tried to ease her cough, didn't do any blood work only a urine test...We were at the hospital for more that four hours and after getting very frustrated of their lack of interest I asked to be released. Also, the fast was over and the ER was getting full by the moment by sick kids...
So we took her home....Fortunately she was feeling better...I took her the next day to her doctor and continued with the tests...he was mildly dehydrated so I had to monitor her liquids intake (she wasn't dehydrtaed enough to be put on a drip, that's what they told us)...
So on top of the fact that I was furious because of the way they treated my baby at the hospital, what really bothered me was the fact that we were charged for the ambulance and for the ER (we didn't have a from a doctor) BUT how on Earth was I supposed to get otherwise to the hospital when there are NO CARS allowed on Yom Kipur and NO MEDICAL ASSISTANCE!!! What was I to do? I know I panick easily when Maya is concerned, but I don't think anyone would judge me on this, I am a mother and my kids well being is on the top of my priorities' list...
I am prepared to go to the healthcare organization and ask for a refund. I don't think it is fair to be charged when we didn't have any other alternative...I am just waiting for Maya to get better...
I am very dissapointed by the quality of the medical act here, in Israel but you already know that....The only thing I can do is to pray for the health of my family and not to depend on any doctors...
(The picture is from the Haaretz newspaper website. You can find there some nice pictures showing the empty streets on Yom Kippur)
1 comment:
it is an interesting fact, when I posted my comment on FB Happy new year to all of my friends, I was thinking mostly of you. However, I didn't wish such an adventurous one.
What a way to start the New Year!
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