Jerusalem – Nechama Rivlin, the wife of President Reuven Rivlin who is never seen in public wihout being attached to a portable oxygen tank, underwent a successful lung transplant.
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On Tuesday, a day after the surgery, Nechama Rivlin was awake and speaking to her medical team and family, the President’s Office said in a statement.
Doctors at Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva in Central Israel stressed that the first days after a transplant operation are critical and that there is a long recovery period after such surgery.
Rivlin, 73, has pulmonary fibrosis, which causes scar tissue to fill the lungs.
She reportedly has been on the transplant list for over a year, and her situation was getting more critical.
She received her lung from Yair Yehezkel Halabli, 19, of Ramat Gan, who drowned on Friday in Eilat.
Last Wednesday, Yair traveled with a friend to Eilat for a week-long vacation of camping on the beach and free diving. He sent his family videos of fish and the sea and expressions of his delight. But on Friday, the beach holiday turned into a nightmare.
“From what we understand, he spotted a sunken missile boat and wanted to swim out to it,” said his sister, Amit. “He was always sure of himself, he had no fear. Someone who was on the beach contacted us and told us that Yair waved at him, but then apparently fainted in the water.”
Divers who came across Yair in the water him used extensive CPR to in an effort to revive the teenager, but their efforts were was in vain and on Sunday night he was pronounced dead.
Refuah Sheleima Mrs. Rivlin
BD’E. May the young mans family experience no further tzar. And may they be comforted by fact that Yair lives on through their courageous donations.
While I wish Mrs. Rivlin a refuah schlema, I’d like to respectfully point out that Mrs. Rivlin has been a chain smoker for many years; her smoking undoubtedly contributed to her lung/breathing problems. All Rabbonim throughout the world, especially in Israel, must issue a prohibition against smoking in all forms, once and for all! Many lives would be saved in doing so. Again, I wish Mrs. Rivlin a full recovery!
I hope she is feeling better. Surely we live in an age of miracles.