FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti 
She was the first in many events that have made history. The first, as a female surgeon in Albania. The first to discover envelopes threatening "death sentences". The first as a member of parliament in the Democratic Party, when the majority was still from the Labor Party. And the first time she was exclusively confessed...! This was Rushen Golemi, the doctor who has been honored with several Albanian medals, the highest of which stands out, "Great Master of Labor" and at the same time included in a Great Britain encyclopedia, where she was chosen as one of the 2,000 outstanding world figures of the 20th century. Modest as she spoke to us about her contribution and equally modest with her lifestyle. When we conducted this interview, she lived with her husband, Alfred, in a small apartment, somewhere near "Rrugës e Kavajës".
It seems a bit dubious to accept this as true, considering her years in surgery and politics, but all she had gained from these careers was only 800 old lekë. The accounts start in 1957 when she graduated…
Ms. Golemi, how did you manage to obtain the right to study Medicine?
Regardless of his biography, my father Mahmut Golemi was known throughout Albania, as he was the prefect of Durrës, Berat, Peshkopi, Korça, etc., the commander-in-chief of the Gendarmerie in Tirana, and worked almost throughout the country. There was no Albanian who did not respect him. One of them was Medar Shtylla, dean of the Faculty of Medicine. However, to be honest, at that time there were not many requests to go to university.
It was a time when girls were married off before they turned 16, and those who went to college were rare. I got into the Medical School, which was opened for the first time in Tirana. Only two high school students from Durrës went. The entire faculty had only 48 students, of whom only 8 were girls. In the end, we finished school 61, because some students returned from abroad and joined us on the way. Our teachers were almost all from Russia, while Albanians were their assistants.
As one of the first 8 girls in college, did you feel prejudiced?
How could I not…?! They were counted on their fingers and divided into groups of 12 students, there were two girls for each. During the internship, but also later, patients often did not want to be visited or operated on by me, saying with disdain that I am a woman.
When did you first have a surgical procedure?
I had my first surgery in my fourth year. Even today, when I remember it, I get emotional. I was taught by “masters” like Professor Llambi Ziçishti and Petrit Gaçe, both true masters. One day, while I was following Professor Petrit, a patient with appendicitis was admitted to the hospital. Conditions at that time were difficult, the hospital had only one doctor on duty, two nurses and a sanitation worker. Therefore, my going there was a help.
I was sitting on the patient's left side, where as always I watched what the professor was doing. When that day he passed me to his right side and told me to be his assistant. He gave me the surgical instruments and told me what to do. This was my first surgery and when I left the room, after that, I asked every five minutes how the patient was. So I went back there for a few days until he was discharged from the hospital. I remember that patient to this day.
What else do you still remember from that time?
The moment of graduation, July 1957. Manush Myftiu was handing out diplomas and for the best, which included me, he was going to give a short speech. I was very excited and had barely found clothes for the occasion. When my turn came, Manush Myftiu confused my name and called me “Rustem”. At that moment I felt very ashamed and my enthusiasm completely waned. However, that was the day when I officially became the first surgeon in Albania and was appointed to the Tirana Hospital, even though I wanted to go to my hometown, in Durrës.
Why, there weren't any female surgeons before, I heard that...?!
No, they were only assistant surgeons, or assistants with courses abroad. They had qualification certificates, but not diplomas.
Have you lost any patients while working as a surgeon?
I regretfully say "Yes", even two friends, sick with stomach problems. Not that the surgery went wrong, but after the intervention, they had complications and passed away.
Did you have any problems after these cases, so; were you punished or transferred...?
Every doctor who has such cases, the relevant clarifications are made by the Hospital Council. As I told you, the problem came to these patients later. As for transfers, since we were few surgeons, I was in Tirana as necessary. However, only once in the beginning of my work was I sent on duty for 6 months to Peshkopi, where I slept in the operating room. This is about the year 1958, a time when many other important things happened to me.
Like for example?
I am engaged to Alfred, my husband. After finishing my temporary service in Peshkopi, I returned to Tirana and at the same time I was also a professor of surgery.
Your husband was from Peshkopia…?
No, he lived in Tirana, but he came to meet me there.
So you were in a relationship together before you moved?
Jo, ka qenë një fejesë me shkuesi për mua. Alfredi ishte sa i njohur për mua, aq edhe i panjohur. Ai ishte me studime në Moskë si jurist, por unë kisha shoqëri të ngushtë me motrën e tij, doktoreshë Krisafgji Reka. Ajo ishte bashkëshortja e ministrit të Bujqësisë së asaj kohe, Iliaz Rekës. Duke qenë se Krisafgjija kishte një djalë të vogël, ajo më ftonte shpesh në shtëpi për të studiuar aty.
Dhe kështu u familjarizuam shumë, por për Alfredin nuk dija asgjë. Pak para dërgimit me shërbim në Peshkopi, Iliazi ma hodhi fjalën për të, por nëna ime fillimisht nuk donte për shkak të ndasisë fetare. Ata ishin kristianë, ndërsa ne myslimanë. Më pas ajo u bind, kështu ne u fejuam në 1959 dhe martesa erdhi një muaj më pas.
Po muaj mjalti bëtë?
Hahaha! Bëmë, po siç ishin muajt e mjaltit në atë kohë. Shkuam në Pogradec, por hoqëm të zitë e ullirit, pasi mezi gjetëm një kamion për të udhëtuar. Pas disa orësh pritje, hipëm në rimorkio dhe përfunduam shumë vonë në Pogradec.
Për shkak të profesionit, shpesh besoj do të keni qenë mjeke rojë, a është bërë ndonjëherë Alfredi xheloz?
Atë nuk e di, por të paktën nuk e ka manifestuar. Di të them që nuk më ka penguar kurrë dhe më është bërë krah i djathtë me fëmijët. Madje, mbaj mend një rast që është pak për të qeshur. Një ditë më merr mjeku i rojës në telefon dhe më thotë të shkoja me urgjencë, pasi një paciente që ia dija mirë sëmundjen, po paraqiste probleme. Si rast urgjent, do të vinte ambulancë poshtë shtëpisë sime. Unë zbrita poshtë dhe po prisja duke u dridhur, pasi temperatura ishte -7 gradë celsius.
Prit e prit, por ambulanca nuk po vinte. Ndërkohë, Fredi doli në ballkon dhe më thërriste me zë të ulët: “Eja lart, eja lart”! Unë ia bëja me shenjë: “Futu brenda”, por ai nisi ta ngrinte më shumë zërin që të ngjitesha lart. Po më vinte turp, se dukej sikur unë kisha bërë sherr me të dhe kisha ikur nga shtëpia, por ai vetëm sa donte të më njoftonte se spitali kishte marrë në telefon dhe pacientja ishte qetësuar, pra nuk kishte nevojë që të shkoja.
Në jetën tënde si kirurge, keni pranuar para?
Gjithë jetën time kam marrë 800 lekë të vjetra. Edhe ato i kam parë më vonë nëpër xhepa, dhe jo në momentin kur kanë ndodhur vizitat apo operacionet. Nuk arrij të kuptoj dot babëzinë dhe korrupsionin e mjekëve të sotëm, që bëjnë pazar me jetët e njerëzve. Maksimumi i mirënjohjes që merrnim nga pacientët dhe të afërmit e tyre, ishin karamelet ose ndonjë çokollatë.
Si kaluat nga kirurgjia në politikë?
Nuk kalova menjëherë. Ndërkohë që u angazhova në politikë, vazhdoja të isha kirurge, pasi si deputetë ne nuk kishim as rrogë. Si familje me “njollë në biografi”, ne u përfshimë menjëherë pro ndryshimit të sistemit komunist. Madje im bir, adoleshent në atë kohë, mori pjesë në rrëzimin e bustit të diktatorit Enver Hoxha, pa dijeninë tonë. Një oficer i Sigurimit, i njohur i familjes sonë, mori në telefon për djalin, Konstandinin, pasi ishte parë duke tërhequr litarin e bustit.
We were very worried and as soon as he came home, his sisters, Iris and Inis, took a knife and started tearing his new sweater, so that in case of arrest, he could say that they had taken him by force to the point of falling. Then they took him to the neighbors on the first floor, because that was the best chance for him to leave or escape, in case they came to arrest him.
However, I don't believe that the reason for your candidacy was the episode with the boy...?
Not at all, I simply told it as an episode. At that time, the way candidates were selected was different. Because of my many years of work as a surgeon, everyone knew me. Many of those who joined the Democratic Party, I had either been students or patients.
Just like the right, the left also knew you as a teacher or surgeon at the time. Could they have also nominated you...?
True, I was just about to say it. In 1991, both the Labor Party and the Democratic Party wanted to nominate me. The DP were more resourceful and, without asking my permission, they just informed me that they had chosen me as a candidate in Tirana. However, even if the Labor Party had chosen me first, I would not have accepted.
Where did you run?
I ran against Aleks Luarasi in Tirana, whom I have as a friend today, and I won. In those elections, a total of four deputies from the DP stood: Gjinovefa Ndrenika, Lindita Prifti, Natasha Lako and me. As a reminder, there were a total of 250 deputies and only 75 from the DP and 175 from the Party of Labor. There were 6 from the PP: Elvira Shaplla, Gagaçe Bregaj, Nadire Prifti, Lumturi Rexha, Themie Thomai and Marie Biba. The beginning was difficult, as I didn't even know how to make speeches. Natasha Lako taught me little by little.
Do you remember any replies in parliament?
I'm reminded of the one with Haxhi Lleshi. A man had entered his yard and shot him with a gun. This seemed very excessive to me and I responded harshly, but also with a lot of emotion. He actually didn't react at all, but I managed to raise it as an issue and change the situation.
Did you ever feel threatened when you were a member of parliament?
A total of 5 times. 5 envelopes were sent to my house, threatening me with death. Not to mention the other words written there, which were among the most disgusting, frightening and terrorizing. I did not save those envelopes, I burned or tore them up immediately after reading them, as I did not want them to fall into the hands of children, however I remember the contents well. Given these and other threats, MPs often asked to accompany me for safety, especially Azem Hajdari, but I never accepted./ Memorie.al
Lini një Përgjigje