the diaries of palestine.

Heartbeats

2016

Finally, after 12 hours of surgery, we managed to save the patient.

When they brought her she was unconscious, she was shot in the chest by the Israeli soldiers for being involved in the protests.

I took off my bloody gloves and my medical mask and put them away,

I picked up my phone to call my mom, but before I do so, I told one of the nurses that I'm going home. 

I've been working for an entire 24 hours due to the number of injured people we had today.

Today is Friday and every Friday in Palestine, protests, and demonstrations take place.

And of course, Israel's ways of dealing with these matters aren't so gentle or human. 

They shoot them with both rubber and real bullets.

They throw gas bombs at them, arrest them and beat them, etc... 

Anyway, on my way out of the hospital, I saw an ambulance van, the Paramedics rushed out of the van with the patient and carried him into the hospital, while the family of the patient was close behind.

The mother was crying drops of rain and the father was praying loudly.

"Allah please protect him ya rab"

Said the father while trying to keep his wife from collapsing.

Even though I was tired, but when I saw them I found myself going back to the hospital to help.

The nurses and doctors were already gathered and had started treating him.

I rushed back into the operation room, then I put on my mask and gloves.

After 2 hours we found ourselves in a rough situation, the patient had lost a lot of blood and because of all the surgeries we had today we ran out of blood bags. 

All the nurses who went searching for blood came back saying they couldn't find any. 

Then I realized that the patient’s blood type was the same as mine, so I requested the nurse to quickly draw blood from me. 

The nurse did as she was asked, and when she finished we persuade the surgery. 

His heartbeats were slowing down, we tried everything, at last, his heartbeats, were finally steady. 

My head was killing me, I went outside the operation room to catch my breath. 

The father of the patient saw me and came over asking about his son, I assured him that he is goinging to be alright and that we are doing all we can, 

He Interrupted me saying:

 
"PLEASE doctor may Allah bless you save my son, his 3 older brothers were killed before, 

he is the youngest, and he is all me and his mother have left, 

If anything happens to him his mother and I won't be able to handle another heartbreak. 

Before I get the chance to answer him, the nurse called me back because the patient's heartbeat slowed again. 

I rushed back into the room, 

Unfortunately, there wasn't much I can do, soon the patient's heartbeats completely faded and the sound of the heart monitor machine was making it clear that he was gone. 

I stepped out of the operation room for the last time. 

This part of the day had always been my least favorite, telling the family of the patient how I could not save their son. 

As the father approached me I remembered what he told me earlier and how he begged me to save his son. 

The father saw the look in my eyes, he placed his hand on my shoulder and said:

" At least he is with his other Shaheed brothers now" 

His reaction shocked me, to say the least. 

I saw people cry, scream, collapse, hit the doctors, or even try to kill themselves when they hear the news of losing their loved ones, but this man only one hour ago he insisted that I must save his son, now that he lost him he accepted it that easily!!! 

What kind of faith does he have! he is a Shaheed he says!

of course, he is…

he is a hero, inshallah he and his brothers will be rewarded in Jannah alongside their parents. 

I could not hold back my tears, I broke down crying and he hugged me.

How ironic, me the doctor crying, and him the father of the victim comforting me! 

I wish someday to would have the type of faith and wisdom this man has or even a small part of it.