I have a problem with asking favors, and it embarrasses me. But this week I felt such a request literally came out of my mouth without me being able to control it.

I was with my daughter Eden at Shaare Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem, due to a bump which was swelling on her neck. Eden was in intense pain, and even felt embarrassed to be seen. Eden made an appointment with a dermatologist. The dermatologist told her she could remove the swelling, but then Eden would have to take antibiotics. Then it became clear that as a breastfeeding mother, Eden is not a good candidate for antibiotics. So she decided to postpone the treatment, and thank God she did so.

As the days passed, the swelling and pain increased. And Eden went to the dermatologist again, who told her now it was infected and that she had no choice but to take the antibiotics. However, she sent her for further diagnosis by another doctor. The diagnosis was that surgery would be required to remove the bump.

Eden, who was suffering, tried to speed up the process and made a private appointment with a surgeon at Shaare Zedek. I accompanied her, and as soon as we entered, one surgeon sent us to his colleague, an ear-nose-and-throat specialist (on the same day). With this specialist, we finally began to feel that we were in good hands, that someone understood the problem. He brought in an additional doctor to get a further opinion and together they gave a first diagnosis and asked that Eden do a CT scan and a biopsy, and come back with the results for further consultation and treatment.

Eden, who realized that this process would take yet more time… was becoming pretty desperate.

In those moments I really tried to encourage her that everything that had happened so far was for the best.

“Up until now,” I told her, “you didn’t receive proper treatment, and even almost drained something that shouldn’t be drained without checking first. And thank God that none of the doctors you saw previously carried out any treatment.”

This helped cheer her up a little, but not completely.

We left and went down to the CT department to make appointments. And there a big surprise awaited us. The clerk who makes appointments was wrapped in the Israeli flag. Around her neck she wore a Star of David necklace, a map of Israel necklace, and “dogtags” of the hostages on which is written “My heart is held captive in Gaza.” In addition, on one of her fingers artistic nail polish gave yet more expression to her patriotism (unfortunately, I didn’t take a picture of her). She started looking for an available appointment time, and from her facial expressions I understood that there was none any time soon. And then when she told us that she couldn’t find a date in the near future, I blurted out automatically and without thinking twice: “We have to help her; she’s in a lot of pain; she has a baby girl at home, and her husband has been called up to active reserve duty in the IDF; he’s been in the army since October 7.”

And it turns out that this was the right thing to say, and the right time to say it. Because right after that she found an appointment for a CT scan in another two days. And another appointment a week later for a biopsy. So now we have the appointments and are just hoping for a happy ending to the story.

* The headline is a translation of a popular Hebrew saying:

 כל עכבה לטובה