From the Anash.org Inbox: An open letter from the Karp family thanking Hatzalah for giving them the gift of allowing their mother to spend her last few days surrounded by loving family.
It’s never easy to get the call that your mother isn’t doing well. Especially when the news comes with a tough choice – should we send her to the hospital or keep her at home?
The reports from hospitals haven’t been great. We were scared to send our mother into the dark halls, knowing that we may not be able to advocate for her care, and knowing that because of the coronavirus she would be alone for her last few days.
Because of Dr. Eli Rosen and the Crown Heights Hatzalah, we had the resources to keep our mother home. We feel so grateful that when her time came, she didn’t have to be the lone soul in a cold hospital room. Instead, she had tens of family members filling her apartment, spending her final moments with the people she loved and raised.
We know that those last few days were a gift, and we know that it was an opportunity we had only because of the Hatzalah families who were there to support us. For three days, they monitored her care and made sure she was comfortable. They stopped in on their own around the clock to make sure everything was okay and check if there was anything else they could do. They brought the machines, meds, and lab techs needed to care for her.
In addition to looking after our mother, we were in awe of how concerned they were about each family member; we may not have been worrying about our own healthy right then, but Hatzalah was. They brought stacks of masks so that we could each stay safe and constantly checked in to see how everyone was feeling.
There’s no doubt that it would be easier on Hatzalah if our mother were in the hospital, especially when the team is so taxed by the spreading virus, but they were there – with kindness, dedication, and sensitivity. In a time when people are raising the flag on the lack of care in our hospitals, we also need to raise a flag for the Hatzalah families who ensure that Crown Heighters are treated with humanity. They give their time, attention, and care; our mother had top-quality end-of-life-care because of Hatzalah. We are so, so grateful.
On behalf of the extended Karp family, thank you to every single member of the Crown Heights Hatzalah and their families. In particular, we want to thank Eli Bryski, Aron Liberow, Yossi Malamud, Yossi Friedman, Yosef Cohen, Dr. Eli Rosen, and his office staff.
In the zechus of each Hatzalah member’s incredible Ahavas Yisroel, may you all be zoche to gezunt, parnassah, yiddishe and chassidishe nachas, and many happy, healthy years. And most importantly – may we see a time soon when there is no longer a need for your life-saving work.
A kosher un freilichin Pesach.
With thanks,
Rochel Lustig, Estie Loebenstein, Yanky Karp, Velly Karp, Laibel Karp, and Zalman Karp