My Hannukah present this year is finishing my month in Baltimore. whew. The young man pictured here received a much more tangible Hannukah present, weighing about 50 grams and made of lead. Wait a second, you say, Hannukah is eight nights. What else did he get?
Night 1: 50 grams of lead, delivered to the left chest.
Night 2: A 44-French plastic tube, inserted into the left chest as well as several stitches to hold it in place.
Night 3: A dozen units of blood.
Night 4: An 8-millimeter plastic tube inserted into his windpipe, so that a machine could breath for him.
Night 5: Intravenous antibiotics.
Night 6: A nine hour operation where his chest was cracked open and his organ injuries were repaired.
Night 7: Another ten units of blood.
Night 8: His discharge paperwork, and advice to be good this year so that next Hannukah he’ll get better presents.