On Monday, I took my daughter Hanna to the hospital to check if her left hand healed correctly: last month, she fell down on the sidewalk one morning while running to catch the school bus, and she had to wear a cast for 3 weeks.
You never have “a good time” in a hospital (unless it’s for a birth, and still it’s no piece of cake if you are the one giving birth!), but this is even more true in a Greek (public) hospital. First, I had to take a number to pay for the visit. One small problem: the employee taking care of our kind of external visits was nowhere to be seen… Along with fellow parents (this was in “paidon”, a children’s hospital), we were wondering what was going on. The answer was simple: the lady showed up after 20 minutes with a hot cup of coffee and a sandwich…
After we paid, we went to the orthopedic section, stressed that we were late for the appointment. No need to worry: the doctor had not arrived yet! He arrived leisurely 25 minutes later… The appointment itself lasted only five minutes, enough to check that indeed, Hanna’s hand was healed, thank G-d.
I am told that the situation is different in private (expensive) hospitals… I hope not to need to check it for myself ;)
Hanna was delighted that her hand was OK. She had been extremely annoyed with her cast, because she could not participate in many activities and especially in sports, which she enjoys a lot. Once, when she was complaining about her cast, she asked me: “What good could possibly be in a broken hand?!!!!”. I always tell her to look at the good in things, and to learn even from mistakes, so I answered her: “Let’s think about it. What do you say?”. After a while of thinking, she said: “Well, first, after I take off my cast, I will really appreciate the use of my hand! Also, I’m now learning to do everything with one hand, and like this I will be ready when I have children and I’ll have to do things while holding my baby!!!” Her answers were much better than anything I could have thought about! I was impressed by my daughter’s imagination and learned a lesson from her… You can always find something positive everywhere, you just have to look hard and long enough…
Cordas Standin wrote...
First of all I feel the need to express how grateful I am , to every memper of the jews community of Athens . And espessially to the first two or three people I communicated with - at the begining of my wish to honestly approach your ( by many misunderstood ) "world" . As well to all the respectfull people I meet at the synagogue on Fridays afternoons and Cabbad mornings . For their genuine kindness and open-minded acceptanse they have shown me right from the start . I am happy and obliged to all of you - as my desire to come in touch with the life , of modern jews - came true and already brings an "air" of knowledge and purity to my heart and mind . Anyway , since I was a teenager , I think I never stoped feeling - "an immigrant in my own country" . An "outlaw" , for my work , dreams and visions . Thanks again - a lot I feel and have to give - best wishes to every "souldier for a better world" .
Iossi Katri wrote...