BYE BYE GAZA - Barry Chamish

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JERUSALEM -- Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered a
massive stroke in the back of an ambulance while on an hour
long trip to a Jerusalem hospital, raising a host of questions
about his treatment.
Why wasn't he flown to the hospital or at least driven to one
closer to his home? Did doctors take an unnecessary risk by
treating him with blood thinners after he had a mild stroke
two weeks ago? Did they wait too long to schedule a heart
procedure designed to prevent another stroke?
And perhaps most important: Could political pressures have
colored his treatment?
The stroke followed a mild stroke Sharon suffered Dec. 18
that was caused by a small blood clot. Doctors at Hadassah
released him less than 48 hours after that stroke and gave
the 77-year-old leader blood thinners to prevent future ones.
His neurologist, Dr. Tamir Ben-Hur, said "chances are
excellent that he won't have another one."
On Dec. 26, doctors said they found a small hole in Sharon's
heart they said had led to his mild stroke. They planned to
seal the hole in a procedure scheduled for Thursday to
prevent another stroke.
But on Wednesday night, Sharon complained of feeling ill
and his sons and a paramedic loaded him into an ambulance
that had been stationed at his ranch in the Negev Desert
since the stroke. The closer Soroka Medical Center in
Bersheeba was told to prepare for his arrival, but he was
taken instead on the hour long trip to Hadassah.
Sharon was conscious for most of the drive, and didn't
deteriorate badly until about 15 minutes before reaching the
hospital.
Some Israelis questioned whether the outcome could have
been different if had he been airlifted.