Hatzolah heroes show what caring really means

As we flounder in the unrelenting chaos of COVID-19, Hatzolah comforts and cares for those stricken by the virus when others turn away for fear of contagion.

It’s taken me a while to write this. I’m usually never at a loss for words, yet as a COVID-19 survivor and deeply fortunate beneficiary of Hatzolah’s selfless expertise, the words to express my gratitude escaped me.

Within a short while of testing positive and registering with Hatzolah, a volunteer in full personal protective equipment (PPE) arrived at my door with an oximeter, thermometer, and other equipment needed for me to monitor my symptoms, oxygen saturation, temperature, and pulse. As the virus swept through my family leaving each person to deal with their own specific COVID-19-related issues, none of us ever felt alone because of the regular, twice daily calls that came from the various dedicated volunteers assigned to keep track of how the virus was affecting us.

As my SATS plummeted to the low 70s and my GP facilitated an admission to hospital, the Hatzolah heroes hovered in the background to reassure me that they were keeping track of my progress. Having only had one Pfizer vaccine, I’m one of the lucky ones who survived hospitalisation with just oxygen rather than ventilation.

Given the alarming escalation of COVID-19 cases while I took ill, it would be normal to expect the guardian angels of Hatzolah to move on to other patients in critical condition after I was admitted to hospital. But although they did focus attention on newer COVID-19 victims, they never abandoned me or made me feel like I was navigating this journey solo. When I was discharged after a week in hospital, they sent a specially partitioned Uber to take me home. Thereafter, a PPE-clad nurse came to my house to take bloods and monitor my blood pressure and sugar levels.

To Carin, Tali, Shayna, and Shevi, the beacons of light at the end of an unknown and very scary tunnel, you’ll never know the profound impact that your care has had upon my life. May you and the rest of the Hatzolah superheroes continue to support, comfort, nurture, and save our community in the most nightmarish of circumstances.

– Michael Block, Ghita Block, Heide, and Adam Stern