NAUGHTY GIMP HOSPITALS AND MEDICAL SCHOOL

I've been too lazy this past week to post and I'm so far behind that I'm not sure where to begin, so, I'll start with the insanity at the hospital in Tiberius.
The surgeon who sent me to the ER there is a senior surgeon at Rambam Hospital in Haifa. He speciffically wrote on the reference letter to the ER that I need antibiotics by IV during hospitalization. The ER docs were just about to send me home when Moshe decided that enough was enough and went to tell the hospital administrator what was going on and that they really don't want to ignore the referral from that surgeon, and for sure not as it relates to one of The Five. Strangely enough he had heard of The Five and decided to find out who had referred me to his ER. After a few phone calls to the ER, they admitted me, and pretty much ignored me, until I caught one of the senior nurses on the floor and suggested that they start the antibiotics. She then told me that they'd put a patch on the burn with stuff that eats necrotic tissue. Ok, that's a start. Necrotic tissue is not good. She grabbed a quack and after a few phone calls they decided to start the IV antibiotics.
The next morning during rounds one of the ortho interns asked why my toes were all chopped up. "Hammer toe" said I. When he asked what hammer toe is, I just looked at him pityingly and told the interns to take out their notebooks and pens as the lesson was about to start. I, very patiently explained hammer toe, the treatment, and why the toes were chopped the way they were. (You can Google it) After that, I just said that the lesson was over and the test would be the next day. The head of the department just stood back and watched with a strange grin on his face. The next day at rounds I told them that the test would be postponed until we'd covered drop foot, which they also knew nothing about. Maybe I should start my own Medical School.
I was incredibly lucky to have been put in a room with the most amazing 82 year old woman. She told me many stories from the preState days. She's actually lived so many of things I'd only read about. I kept asking her for more. I consider it an amazing priviledge to have been able to listen to so much of our history from someone who actually lived it. At one point we discovered that her daughter and I had taught at the same school at the same time. Small world. We were a very happy room and more than a few people had a problem with the gayety and laughter that often erupted from our room. Don't those people know that laughter is the best medicine?
The docs sprung me on Sunday with instructions on how to continue treatment at home. It seemed to get worse over the first few days. I saw the plastics doc (supposedly a burn expert) and did not like what he said to do, so, went to the surgeon who actually does know his stuff and agreed with *my* teatment plan; oral antibiotics, that antibiotic gel mesh thing, and frequent checks.
Today I went to the nurse and we checked it. It seems to be improving, so I'm going to continue with the same treatment, including slathering it with Eucerin at night. Since I started doing that, it's calmed the pain and I can actually get some sleep. The nurse saw some skin growing back, so I'm hopeful that in a decade or so it will be ok.
When I went to the pharmacy to get the antibiotics, my Visa was refused. Right. Need those pills. What to do? I called Moshe and he came flying to the rescue. On the way out of the pharmacy I told the pharmacist that the trip to Jerusalem gave me four new big brothers and that any one of them would have done the same. Even, Hezi, who was in Eilat would have phoned in his credit card number. I adore having four new brothers to watch out for me. The Five is so much more than just five gimps who rode electric chairs to Jerusalem to make a statement. We are THE FIVE who are AS ONE. And it feels wonderful.