Part I
I already had three small children at home -- two boys and a
girl -- when I learned that I was expecting an additional
child. I was just as happy as I had always been on hearing
such news. A routine checkup in Hadassah Hospital revealed
that I was expecting three children. But then a top ranking
doctor notified me that the first diagnosis was wrong; I was
expecting FOUR! The surprise was total. There aren't even
twins in our extended family. Personally, I had always wanted
twins, but quads were beyond my wildest dreams. My husband
and I digested the news quickly and felt that we had won a
grand lottery.
From then on, the doctors began to frighten and threaten us,
calling me a high risk case. One doctor even said that the
children would be deformed and wouldn't live long. He then
suggested that I undergo a medical procedure which would
decrease the amount of fetuses I was carrying.
Since Torah Jews are not guided by doctors on such issues but
rather by gedolei hador, we discussed the issue with
Hagaon R' Y. S. Elyashiv, who unequivocally ruled out that
proposal. In addition, he blessed the quadruplets and me with
good health and long life.
R' Yitzchok Zilberstein was in supportive contact with me
throughout the entire pregnancy, inquiring about my health
and how I felt in general about having quadruplets. I told
him that I wanted all of them, and he said that because I was
so staunch in my faith, I would enjoy Heavenly assistance in
raising them. He then sent us to Dr. Samuelov, the director
of the Prenatal Department in Shaarei Zedek. In an
encouraging tone, Dr. Samuelev said, "If you are optimistic
and are not anxious and tense, everything will be fine, and
you will give birth to four healthy children, please G-d." He
then gave us practical advice: "Don't count months; count
weeks. Every additional week that the pregnancy continues
reduces the amount of time the babies will have to spend in
the premie ward."
Dr. Shussheim, to whom we also spoke, was equally
encouraging. And so, equipped with the blessings of rabbonim
and the support of two fine doctors, I cheerfully completed
my pregnancy.
During that period, I tried to keep up my regular routine,
caring for my children, doing my housework and running my
home-based baby- care center. Since I am very enterprising
and energetic, continuing these activities was a blessing for
me. At a certain stage, however, the doctors decided to
hospitalize me in order to monitor the quads' development. I
stayed in the hospital for nearly two months. But instead of
feeling depressed, I used the time to prepare for the unique
task which awaited me and to pray that all go well.
While in the hospital, I met mothers with large families who
were thrilled each time their respective premies gained a
gram. These mothers and their positive attitudes strengthened
and inspired me.
It was difficult, though, to leave my children. They missed
me very much and didn't understand why I had gone away for so
long. They were also afraid that something had happened to
me.
One Shabbos night, after their usual visit to me, they began
to cry. I cried, too, and all the women and nurses in the
ward participated in my sorrow. It wasn't easy. But I prayed
a lot and said Tehillim.
In order to remain cheerful, I tried to imagine how each
infant would look. I'd choose names for them and picture
their bris. These positive thoughts gave me the
strength to wait it out in the hospital.
I never even thought about the difficulties of raising
quadruplets. I'm the type who always focuses on the good and
the positive -- an attitude which helps me cope with many of
life's trials. My mother, who visited me often, was very
worried, but I always assured her that everything was fine,
even when my blood pressure skyrocketed.
At particularly critical times, such as before the operation,
I told my mother that her prayers helped me and that I needed
them very badly. She is a tzaddekes and her prayers
are very heartfelt. However, at all other times, I described
my situation to her in the rosiest colors possible.
One day, my blood pressure soared to dangerous heights and
the doctors informed me that they would have to operate
within the hour. I called my mother, who took a taxi from
Dimona, as well as my husband and a good friend, who also has
quads. (She recently celebrated their bar mitzva.) My friend,
though, was the only one allowed into the operating room with
me.
The operating room swarmed with pediatricians, social
workers, nurses from the intensive care unit of the premie
ward, as well as an anesthetist and a surgeon. Dr. Samuelov,
who had taken care of me throughout the entire pregnancy, was
in Europe at the time. After studying the data relayed to him
by fax, he instructed the surgeon on duty to operate.
I was fully awake during the operation because of the local
anesthesia. As a result, I heard the first cry of the first
baby, and then that of the second, the third and the fourth.
I received a running report on their weights.
I had given birth to four healthy boys. The smallest weighed
in at 1.7 kilo and the largest was over two kilo [4.4
pounds]! Two of the infants weren't even taken to the premie
ward but to the regular postnatal one! What a miracle!
I don't know if at that time I truly sensed the extent of
that miracle because, as Chazal state, the object of a
miracle fails to recognize it. But I felt exhilirated and
very grateful to Hashem. I was also certain that the miracle
had occurred in the merit of the prayers of my mother and
husband.
My husband stood on the threshold of the operating room,
while the nurses showed him each new baby as it was born,
exclaiming, "Here is Alef, here is Beit," etc. For us,
though, they were never Alef and Beit but rather pure souls
who had come down to this world. Indeed, the birth of every
healthy child is an overt miracle which inspires much faith.
By when the miracle is multiplied by four, this emunah
is manifold.
After a number of days of rest, I was able to leave the
hospital with one infant. I wanted to return home to my other
children who had waited for me for more than two months. But
my family persuaded me to go to a Beit Hachlama. "How
can I go there with only one child?" I asked, but they wisely
answered, "Most mothers come with only one baby. Do you think
that they don't accept women with less than four infants?"
Boruch Hashem, after a number of weeks during which I
scurried from the hospital to the convalescent home and back
again, the other infants were released and the entire set was
united.
I wanted to leave the Beit Hachlama as soon as possible, but
the nurses told me, "You're not leaving until we
discharge you."
Each time I arrived in the hospital to take home a new baby,
I received a warm and gala welcome, as if I were a queen.
Shaarei Zedek Hospital went to lengths to publicize the
birth, since mine had been the first quadruplet delivery in
its annals.
Some time later, I learned that the birth had caused a
Kiddush Hashem in secular circles. Two years later, a non-
religious woman approached me at a simcha and said,
"Are you the mother of the quadruplets? I remember you. Your
story encouraged me to bear more children. I never thought of
having more than two but after hearing about you, I decided
to have as many as possible. Thanks to you, I now realize
that children are a gift."
[Next week: The Homecoming]
