We Are Here

Babies are a sign of life. New life and new beginnings. That is one of the reasons why I love my job so much on the maternity and newborn ward. Each and every day I spend on the ward I get that unique feeling of excitement seeing all those new beginnings.

One morning, upon beginning my shift, I recognized a name on the chart. A name I knew well from my own Chemo days at Hadassah. Was it one of my Chemo buddies? I wondered. I recalled many hours we spent chatting with each other, hooked up to intravenous infusions, side by side. I could not hold myself back from seeing with my two eyes if this was actually my friend on the list of mothers who just gave birth. It is difficult to describe my excitement and joy when I held my friend’s newborn baby boy that very morning.

Surviving “The big C” must never be taken for granted and bringing a new life into this world must not be taken for granted either. The combination of giving birth having survived such an experience is one of the clearest signs of the continuity of life. It is as if one is saying in the strongest way to the cancer: “I am here! You did not beat me. I am here to stay!”

Holding that beautiful baby, I uttered a silent blessing over his sleepy head, whispering a few heartfelt words into his little angel ears: “Watch over your brave mommy. Make her proud and happy. With every step you take, may your mother grow healthier and stronger for many years to come. YOU will be telling the world the miracle of life and the miracle of second chances in life. Thanking G-d we are here to live a long and healthy life! Here to stay!”

Read the past three posts from Nurse Libbie. 

May 2017

Nurse Libbie’s Blog, Chapter 3B

Kinneret Weismark was born with a big bang! Her mother, Ilana Weismark, suffered an amniotic fluid embolism -- a rare (1 in 30,000 deliveries), life-threatening emergency that can occur during labor.
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Mar 2017

Nurse Libbie’s Blog, Chapter Three

Every morning when I awake, I put my two feet on the ground and gratefully thank the almighty for returning my soul to me. This is the start for each and every day.
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Jan 2017

Nurse Libbie’s Blog, Chapter Two

It is said that a single photo can tell a story better than a thousand words. In our day and age each smart phone contains millions of photos and often people have innumerable words to add to them....
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Dec 2016

Nurse Libbie’s Blog, Chapter One

The hallways of Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem tell the ongoing history of the City of Jerusalem and thousands of personal stories too. My story begins in those hallowed hallways of Hadassah and...
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