A Case for Caring
Zehava was an exceedingly strong woman. Strong enough to escape with her children from war-torn Lebanon. And strong enough to fight three different forms of cancer till the very end.
When it became clear that medicine could no longer change the course of her illness, Zehava and her family were introduced to the concept of hospice by MJHS. MJHS provided precious emotional and medical support, allowing Zehava to remain at home in the comfort of her family. They even provided the family with a rabbi to help support them spiritually.
At the end, Zehava was forced to make a difficult decision. On one hand, she wanted to be taken to the hospital to save her family from any additional pain. On the other hand, if she was hospitalized, the family would have limited access to her in her final days. Though neither option seemed right, Zehava decided to stay at home.
On her last day, Zehava called in her children and her friends and said goodbye. Then she kissed her husband and went to sleep. Less than 24 hours later, she was gone.
If the Menorah Inpatient Residence had been available, Zehava would have been able to receive the expert medical care she needed in a homey, warm environment that treats patients like people.
Menorah would have spared her family the trauma of having their mother die at home. The house would not have been turned into a medical facility. And her family and friends wouldn’t have had to worry about knowing what to do or how to help. Instead of trying to be caregivers, they could have just been with Zehava at that very special time.
