The Shot That Saved A Woman’s Life

Rabbi Menachem Bakush

Rabbi Menachem Bakush hails from the town of Adei Ad in the Shilo region. He rides an ambucycle, drives a rescue ATV in the rocky hills of Samaria, and serves as assistant team leader for United Hatzalah’s lifesaving activities in the region. Last Thursday morning, Menachem was on his way home from running errands in the central region of the country. On his way home, while passing through the city of Ariel, United Hatzalah’s dispatch alerted him to an elderly woman who was suffering from a severe allergic reaction nearby. Menachem was inside the apartment, 60 seconds after receiving the alert.

“When I received the alert, I immediately rushed over to the address and ran into the apartment. The woman was suffering from shortness of breath so I gave her oxygen and then asked her what was causing her condition. She told me that she has severe allergies to fish and had just finished eating when he began suffering symptoms of a severe reaction. I saw that she was showing all the classic symptoms including a severely swollen tongue.”

Seeing the woman’s symptoms, Bakush immediately administered a shot of epinephrine from his the EpiPen that he carries and saved the patient’s life. A few minutes later, the Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU) ambulance arrived. Menachem updated the crew and assisted in transferring the elderly woman to the back of the ambulance. Additional medications were provided, and the now-stabilized patient was evacuated to the hospital for further observation and care.

“I have helped a few people with EpiPens in the past,” Bakush said. “We always try to make sure that as many of our volunteers have EpiPens as possible because situations like these are unfortunately all too common. I was happy that I was nearby and able to help this woman so quickly. Too me, that is what being a member of United Hatzalah is all about, helping others as soon as possible.”