Channels

Photo: Doron Golan
For injured soldiers, the battle isn't over
Photo: Doron Golan
Photo: Ofer Amram
אור בראון
Photo: Ofer Amram

Wounded troops' next battle

Twenty soldiers hurt in Lebanon embark on rehabilitation process, hope to recover soon

For tens of thousands of soldiers, the war in Lebanon ended Monday once the ceasefire went into effect. However, for dozens of others troops, who were hurt in Lebanon and are now embarking on a new rehabilitation battle, the war is only beginning.

 

Overall, 20 soldiers are hospitalized at the orthopedic rehabilitation department at Sheba Medical Center in Tel Haדhomer, near Tel Aviv.

 

Armored corps soldier Or Bar-On, 20, was hurt three weeks ago after an antitank missile hit his tank. As a result of the injury, both his legs were amputated below the knee. His father, Yehuda Bar-On, spoke to Ynet about his son's rehabilitation.


Or with his father at the hospital (Photo: Ofer Amram)

 

"He's the most seriously wounded soldier. Others will get up and stand on their feet, but Or lost both his legs," the father said.

 

'War for a normal life'

 

Doctors estimate that Or will embark on a lengthy rehabilitation process in about four weeks, with progress dependent on the wounded soldier's abilities and desire.

 

"When we arrived at the hospital and saw his condition it was like being hit in the head with a 10-kilo hammer," Or's father said. "At Rambam (hospital) he fought for his life and at Tel HaShomer it's a war for a normal life, simply walking on his feet."

 

Meanwhile, Or is performing various physiotherapy exercises.

 

"I'm going to use the leg, buttocks, and stomach muscles a lot," he said. When he thinks about the future, where he'll be walking using prostheses, he says he feels "Like a baby that was born without going through the crawling phase."

 

During the day, Or was visited by one of the mot famous soldiers wounded in the 1973 Yom Kippur war, Maozia Segal, who lost both his legs, one arm, and one eye. When he entered the room and introduced himself, describing his injuries, Or said with surprise: "When you entered I didn't even notice." Segal, in turn, encouraged the young soldier: "You'll be walking better than me, you have two knees and that's a very serious plus."

 

'I need to use creativity and imagination'

 

Another soldier hospitalized at the department is Evyatar Cohen, 19, a member of Golani's Regiment 51. Three weeks ago, he was wounded in the battle in Bint Jbeil that claimed the lives of eight soldiers.


Rvyatar Cohen. 'A matter of time' (Photo: Ofer Amram)

 

"My main injury is in the shoulder area, from shrapnel," he said. "I can't feel my right hand and I have no movement ability. The entire arm is paralyzed." Cohen was also hit by shrapnel in his ribs and thigh.

 

Cohen's rehabilitation process is expected to take a year and possibly a little longer. During the process, doctors will attempt to connect the damaged nerves and regain his ability to move his arm.

 

"They say the arm will be functioning fully, 90 percent and possibly more. It's a matter of time," Evyatar said optimistically.

 

Meanwhile, the young soldier already found a way to replace the abilities he lost.

 

"Everything has a substitute. There's nothing I want to do and cannot," he said. "I need to use my creativity and imagination. I need to think ahead and smile. Nobody will manage to remove my smile." In recent days, two members of Evyatar's company were killed in Lebanon, yet despite his injury he insisted on leaving the hospital and taking part in his comrade's funeral.

 

'I will have to learn to walk again'

 

Aviad Levi, 21, from paratroop Regiment 101, was wounded in Maroun al-Ras about three weeks ago.

 

"They started firing at the house we were staying at, so we went up on the roof to identify the terrorist doing the shooting. We were looking for him for three hours and every time he fired from a different location. After two more hours, a missile hit. I remember the whistle and the explosion…," Aviad said.

 

The paratrooper suffered damage to his leg and arm muscles and is currently using a wheelchair. He already underwent three surgeries and his recovery is characterized as rapid.

 

"I believe that I'll be rehabilitated in several weeks. I can already stand up but I'm not allowed to walk because of the muscle. Last week I tried to walk using very small steps," he said. "I will have to learn to walk again. I'm counting on it being fast because I want to go back to the army."

 

The department's director, Dr. Yitzhak Ziv-Ner, explained that "rehabilitation is something that never stops. It also includes social and employment rehabilitation."

 

"Rehabilitation can take days to weeks for some patients and long months for others," he said. "This is the wounded soldiers' real war. They need mental strength to succeed in rehabilitation. It's a long and difficult process, but it's not only about pain. There are plenty of rehabilitation opportunities and people walk out of here while functioning beyond the basic level."

 


פרסום ראשון: 08.15.06, 18:46
 new comment
Warning:
This will delete your current comment