A power shirt and a smile
You can’t get far these days on goodwill but it goes a long way in the oncology ward of our Jerusalem hospital. Our patient has moved into what they generously call a ‘suite’, and is basically a bubble-boy for the duration; up to one month they say.
It’s been a six-month ordeal and my husband is quite the trooper; He takes his meds, shows up for weekly injections and is now undergoing the culminating chemo+stem-cell transplant magic combo. It does seem like magic, or more accurately, the incredible profession of medicine, studying the disease and coming up with life-saving solutions. I do believe his team is an example of the incredible brilliance of the best of humanity.
And they’re nice too. No question is too annoying to answer, no text a bother. If cancer is the center of your universe for awhile, you are the center of their world so don’t hesitate to reach out. It’s a long cry from decades ago when I moved to Israel and shook with fear as I practiced my scant Hebrew and approached the inevitable grouchy lady who held the power – and the stamp – to grant my bureaucratic wish or send me back to a dungeon of endless paperwork.
As the close relative, or more accurately translated from the Hebrew: accompanying person, my job is often to blend into the background. I wait till my other half needs something that he can’t do for himself, and then jump to action with a smile. Truly, it makes me feel good to have something small to do to relieve his ordeal. Take notes, greet the changing of the nurse guard, take care of well-meaning visitors who come so far to stay only a few minutes. Wear a mask and go near no one in the outside world – skip the 4th of July celebrations in Jerusalem – so that you can continue to accompany your person.
Friends remind me to watch out for myself, and I do. I appreciate every text asking about me too. I just had my first hot meal of the week at the cafe downstairs and hadn’t even realized I’d been subsisting on leftover rolls and perhaps a sneaky bourekas on the run. The kids do what they can but there’s not much except be there. And pray that, God willing, medicine will keep advancing and people will be healed even quicker and faster.
Ah, but what about that clean shirt I promised you? Instead of the usual super-sterile-clean pants and old t-shirt, today I put on a nice, presentable outfit worthy of the outside world. And then I noticed – I put my best foot forward and I felt better for it. Like I could cope just a bit more. Manage to navigate the day’s challenges with just that much more confidence. Face people and know you can take on at least part of what the world throws your way.
I’ve been told numerous times during this difficult period that God sends people what they can handle. I’m not sure it’s that simple, but I’ve been giving it a try. I guess my message for today is, if you have to mask yourself from the world – hide behind a facade, play a part, put on a good face – wear your best power shirt and remind yourself: You got this.
