a different kind of adventure

"Blah blah blah blah blah malaria blah blah blah blah malaria..."

So far, all I'm getting from the Emergency Room doctor is that maybe I have malaria. The rest of the words that are coming from his mouth in Hebrew are basically meaningless. Pondering the extreme hilarity of getting malaria BEFORE I go to the Malaria-Headquarters of the world (INDIA)I've decided that things really can't get much worse than this.

Which was my thought until the doctor ordered another round of tests which included another urine sample in a cup that was more like a take-out soup bowl. Oh, yeah. And then a literal crack-addict WALKED IN ON ME in the bathroom, pee-bowl in hand.

Now, dear reader, before you become too alarmed that I'm somehow holed up in a hospital somewhere in Israel, I am perfectly well now. So, you may continue to read with good conscious that your prayers for my safety and well-being are still being answered. PTL.

It all started with a little bit of heartburn. Which turned into a lot of heartburn, and then some acid reflux. Which somehow morphed into heaving and gagging up bile. Which then turned into some kind of chest pain and a lively fever of some degree Celsius. 4 hours later of the emergency room, a sketchy prognosis of "Upper Respiratory Infection- MOST LIKELY" and a presciption of some kind of 17 shekel antibiotic, I was back to the hostel and to bed.

The hospital sort of felt like a circus. People screaming in Russian, Hebrew, Yiddish. Someone needed to be resuscitated-- so Grey's Anatomy. My doctor, the intern, told me that he didn't serve in the army because he was a political activist. Whatever that means.

Last weekend's strange illness seems like a dream now. Really, am back to 100% and so thankful too, because we went South for a three day trip to Be'er Sheva, Ein Gedi, and Masada...a hike that made the trek to Cabin 8 look like an ant hill; the view, so worth it.

I'll be honest- visiting a hospital in Israel is not exactly what I had in mind when I signed up for this adventure. Yet, the Lord's faithful provision never ceases to amaze me. The total bill was 975 shekel. The Lady behind the desk probably watched my face blanch when she handed me the receipt because she quickly said,

"Is it too much money?"

"Uh, well. That's a lot, I think... I just didn't bring that much with me...didn't anticipate spending 1000 shekel at a hospital on this trip..."

"So, you're visiting Israel then? We'll give you the Tourist Discount. We'll take 500 shekels off. We want you to come back to Israel, just not to the hospital."

Fist pump for socialized medicine. Double pump for the Lord's mercy.

Rachel