2024-03 Israel

Israel 38,

April 24, 2024,

Hi Everyone,

I just finished an 11 hour shift and I was just asked to do a double shift for tomorrow. I think that they are short physicians to work on the ambulances. I have been here for 10 days with MDA and I think that I am beginning to get reasonably well known among the P-Ms who may be asking for me. Tomorrow, I will be up at 5:10 to leave at 6:00 arrive at the MDA station at 6:45 and do a double shift until 11:00. It is almost like I am back at the RVH as a resident. Anyway the P-Ms are very nice to work with and the work is exciting as you can see for yourselves in my blog.

I am sitting out at a restaurant on the beach in Tel Aviv. I am at a low table on the sand with my legs stretched out under the table. I think that I ate here with Dominique 10 years ago. It is pitch black, with no stars out this evening. It must be 25K with a slight breeze, to cool things off as it hit 37K today. The restaurant speakers are playing American/Israeli modern music, not too loud, just nice enough to enjoy the evening. The boardwalk is packed with people strolling along. People are still playing volleyball on the sand.

I am getting used to the types of call that we receive. Elderly people with chest pain, shortness of breath, stroke, not feeling well with no obvious signs, car accidents. We take a history, do a routine physical, do an EKG, test for glucose, put on a monitor and oximeter and BP cuff, start an IV and then transport to the hospital at the speed necessary depending upon the urgency.

One child swallowed a big candy that probably got stuck in his throat and then passed. We reassured the mother and took the child to the hospital for observation. One 40 year old man had right upper quadrant pain referred to the right flank or perhaps the other way around. He had a low grade fever. We gave him an IV analgesic and the pain went away. He decided not to go to the hospital and was ready to sign a release. When I got the translation, I told him that he needed to come with us for an ultrasound as he either had a gall stone or perhaps a kidney stone and the pain would return in 2 hours. He asked me how sure I was and I answered 100% sure. I guess that my white hair convinced him. He came with us to the hospital. The P-Ms were impressed with my ability to convince him to come for investigation and treatment.

The last patient was a motorcycle accident. My shift had ended but I wanted to go anyways. The fellow was riding a Kawasaki 750 and slid on the pavement. He was wearing a helmet, shorts and a t-shirt. That is the standard dress here for motorcyclists. He had a bad burn on his arms and legs, what we call road rash. He was lucky not to have broken anything. We took him to the hospital for a clean up. I told him that I have had a bike for 50 years and that he should be wearing leather or goretex. Maybe I made an impression on him.

I have visited several hospitols including Tal Eshalon which is ranked 9th best in the world. Very, very impressive especially for a tiny country like Israel. We also picked up a patient from a nursing home/palliative care/rehabilitation center. Wow. I never saw anything like it. It resembled a 5* hotel on hospital on steroids. And this was a public institution! We are really far behind in Canada and have a lot to learn from the Israelis and their standard of care.

I just finished a plate of mergaieze with veggies and a beer. I am listening to Marvin Gaye, the temperature is just right, my mouth is burning from the spice so I will treat myself to another beer, and an apple crumble with ice cream. Why not, I ate virtually nothing today, need to re-vitalize for tomorrow.

Love,

Brian

I will put in the pictures tomorrow or on Friday