Father and grandfather swoop into ensure smooth delivery
The two medical experts were at hand when their wife and daughter experienced difficulties during the birth of her baby girl at a Jerusalem hospital this week
The drama began when a pregnant woman was rushed into the operating theatre for an emergency C-section, due to an umbilical cord prolapse that occurred during labor.
Her pediatrician husband, Dr. Asael Lubotzky, was with her, as was her father, grandfather-to-be Prof/ Michael Schimmel, who until recently was the director of the same hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
"I make sure to be at all the births of my daughters and grandchildren," the professor told Ynet. "I have complete faith in the medical team and in fact the decision to go into surgery was the right one."
The baby came was born with respiratory distress and Dr. Lubotzky quickly assumed the role of physician and began administering CPR. With the help of his father-in-law, the infant began breathing independently and all was pronounced well.
Schimmel recounts those crucial moments and says he remained calm.
"With 42 years of experience behind me I've seen every kind of emergency and can cut off emotions to concentrate on the task at hand."
Proud father Asael was severely wounded in the 2006 Second Lebanon War and still walks with the help of crutches. After a long recovery process, he studied medicine and specialized in pediatrics.
The eventful delivery was for the couple's fifth daughter.
The immediate and professional response of both the father and grandfather - aided by a third doctor on staff - was instrumental to the baby girl's safe delivery into this world.
"That is the true pleasure of this job, when you can save a life of a child, any child, but especially one of your own," Prof. Schimmel said.
