I felt fine but noticed a strange enlargement. I wasn’t worried. My brother had survived cancer and I knew what it was like. He had been sick. Really sick. And I felt fine.
I had a long list of things that any busy mother of five can relate to. Trying to get it checked off my list so I can go on with life, I stopped by the doctor on my way to my other errands. . One foot out the door, I waited for him to laugh and say it’s nothing. But he didn’t. Instead he sent me for blood tests. I still thought it was nothing. After all, I felt fine. But when he saw the test results, I was quickly dispatched to the ER.I started to absorb the fact that this was serious. Until now, my life had been calm and routine. Suddenly, the earth was pulled out from beneath my feet.
. You can go crazy from the sense of helplessness, alone, with a million thoughts and fears. That’s when I made my first acquaintance with Ezer Mizion. A representative approached me and. gave me a clarity and an understanding of what was going on. I vividly remember the feeling that she gave me — how she cheered me up and encouraged me. She told me about Oranit, which eventually became a second home — the hotel-like accommodations, the clubs, the trips, the retreats. She said that we should be in touch and, I’ll enjoy everything that Oranit has to offer — and that is really what happened.”
Ezer Mizion became our anchor, the supporting pillar, more than I could ever capture in words. My heart explodes when I recall and relive it. I especially enjoyed the clubs they run. It is very strengthening to meet people who are going through the same emotional experiences. The children also enjoyed the craft clubs, story hour, the music room and the Petting Zoo.
Ezer Mizion was there all the time, at every treatment, with a smiling face, available 24/7. Last summer, there was a retreat for families, and it was so heartwarming, with powerful, moving experiences and unending treats. It took us a month to fully grasp what we’d gotten there — it was a dream! Shortly afterwards, the trip to Italy — 30 women for five days — an offer I couldn’t refuse.
Then came the sad news – The disease had come back to my 49-year-old brother, this time, aggressively. “It was a shock. I wrote to him in humor: ‘What’s going on? I stole the attention from you? I’ll gladly give it back…’ But this time, the disease was stubborn. Our dedicated parents were coping with two children with cancer.
In Yoee’s last days, my mother had Corona. She wanted to come hug him, to give him a kiss but she wasn’t allowed to. All the siblings had planned to be with him for Shabbat and Ezer Mizion offered to arrange the food and all the logistics. Nothing was impossible for Ezer Mizion. They always found a way. In the end, he passed away on Friday morning, leaving a wife and four children. And, yes, my mother had a chance to give him a hug and a kiss.”
Ezer Mizion was there for us in our grief as they had been in happier times. There is nothing more stirring that seeing these people who just want to do good for others.”
Today I am in the recovery stage, baruch Hashem. We have emunah and that makes it a lot easier — knowing that there is Someone directing us from Above.
