A Bomber’s Victim

Wed, Nov 27, 2002 at 12:37:42 pm PST

Surgeons operating on 22-year old Michal Yaakovson, critically injured in the Jerusalem bus bombing, were shocked to discover a Calvin Klein wristwatch embedded in her neck.

During the course of the operation the surgeons also began to deal with the metallic objects that had lodged in Michal's neck, first detected in a CAT scan. At first it was assumed that these objects were just parts that had come loose from the rescue breathing apparatus. But the team, including Dr. El-Ami, felt that this was not the real reason and they continued to fish out the small pieces of metal.

Only when the surgeons had removed all of the pieces did the "puzzle" become clear, Yediot Aharonot reported. They were part of a man's Calvin Klein wristwatch, and included the clock face, dials and gears. The battery of the watch was not found.

It is not clear if the wristwatch belonged to one of the passengers on the bus, or to the suicide bomber. Doctors did determine that much of the tissue damage in Michal's neck was caused by the exploding metallic pieces that lodged there.

On Saturday doctors said that Michal's condition remained serious but added it was "definitely stable." The medical team was encouraged by the fact that Michal showed movement in her limbs.