The Ticking in the Night

Last night, I was able to sleep on my stomach.

It’s been over six weeks since I had my valve replaced, the one that even though damaged from birth, served me well until about a year ago.

It’s good to be after the fact.  Being before it scared the crap out of me.

It was a tough surgery and the body’s ability to heal from such a thing is nothing short of miraculous. Those first days after the operation I was so dependent on everyone to help me do everything.  And I do mean everything.  It’s a humbling experience.

Israeli medicine is alive and kicking.  It’s not the same as American medicine.  But American medicine is not the same as Israeli medicine, so I’ll spare everyone the details of my comparisons.  I will say this:  My surgeon was excellent, the nurses were compassionate, if overworked. Some of the nurses and doctors were Muslim, as were my roommates. In the trenches we are all human and after a particularly long conversation with one of the adult children of a roommate, I was in tears. When my daughter questioned me, I said, simply, ”If only it could always be this way.”

Now we are in the throes of Pesach.  I was blessed to have everyone home for the seder and to celebrate it with extended family.  It was a noisy and boisterous event. Pesach is the holiday of freedom and renewal, and I am so grateful for everything I have experienced the past 6 weeks, for all the support from my family and friends, and from all of you who kept me in your thoughts and prayers.

Sometimes, in the middle of the night I can hear the tick-tick-tick of my new mechanical valve.

Believe me, it’s a comforting sound.

Wishing all of you the gift of renewal and freedom, of good health and of long life.