Going Away In A Hurry Thursday, 21/08/2008

Back from hospital with my mother. We went there in the morning, dad was dozing off after breakfast. The nurse, Israel, a thoroughly decent bloke, told us my dad ate his breakfast well, but since my mother noticed some uneaten grapes and a tub of yoghurt she was not to be made a fool of - "he hardly touches his food. Oy vey, what I have to go through!"
Later on lunch arrived. I warned mum not to nag dad to eat more, what to eat, how to eat it, and she sat in the corner, pouting. He ate whatever he wanted, was perfectly happy with it, but not my mother, oh no: "only soup, he ate only soup". Funnier when you say it in Hebrew: "Rak marak" or in my mother's case "rrak marrak". Go on, say it... Not funny? Well, you had to be there I guess.
The doctors came to have a look at him. Same old story: he needs an op, we'll try to find a non-surgical way for him. He felt better, but one of the doctors came later to take some blood and to leave an infusion stuck in there for later on. Among other things he is to get some blood in order to raise the hemoglobin level from dangerously low to acceptable. The doctor kept jabbing him in some 4 places until he meneged to strike blood!!! It was a dreadful scene. Dad was wincing with pain, and the doctor kept apologising, but he just could not take enough blood for the pre-transfusion tests.
Lea arrived with Adi (my niece) and Idan (nephew). I the afternoon I took my mum back home, we had a microwave reheated food for our lunch - some "other people's food - not like real home cooking" she said. It was from Zozobra, arguably the best Asiatic restaurant in Israel (think uber-chic cross between Wagamama and Benihana at mid-range prices). "While you heat the food, let me just chop this onion". "What?! What the hell for?" "I just need to do it, do you mind?" "Just sit there mother, you're chopping nothing right now, alright?"