Ryhor Baradulin: Doctors promise I will live a little longer … (PHOTO)

The National Belarusian poet was discharged from hospital yesterday

The National Belarusian poet Ryhor Baradulin was discharged from Minsk hospital #10 yesterday. Uncle Ryhor has been taken to hospital for the second time recently – he even celebrated the New Year’s Day there. The last two times were caused by heart problems – doctors decided “to repair” the poet a bit because his heart started playing tricks…
On his discharge, Ryhor Baradulin informed ERB why he had been taken to hospital and described how he was feeling.

Ryhor Baradulin: You see, there are the usual problems with my head and heart… They have helped me recover a bit and promised I will live a little longer… I think I will… I still want to live… At times it seems that everything is boring, but when you think about it you understand that you will not live once more…
The national poet will celebrate his 75th anniversary in two weeks. His friends and acquaintances have noticed that Baradulin goes to hospital for the time on purpose because he does not really like numerous greetings and does not like to celebrate birthdays. Will it happen this time too?
Ryhor Baradulin: God forbid, no!.. It is enough for me to have celebrated the New Year’s Day in hospital… I’d like to be at home. It is a birthday and an anniversary. The number is even scary… If somebody had told me I would have to live to 75 when I was young, I would have said it was a tale. But you see, God has allowed me to live this long…

The poet is not planning any festivities even for his 75th birthday.

Ryhor Baradulin: I do not really want it… Maybe it will be closed – just a few people will gather to sing songs and read verses…

The poet’s wife Valyantsina Mihailauna says that his health has not been good recently. She blames the frost, lack of walks in the open air and lack of physical activities for it.

Valyantsina Baradulіna: I hope he will get better after this visit to hospital. He says his head seems better now. I don’t really know about his heart, we will see. Maybe it is because of the winter, he does not go out and his heart receives no exercise. The heart has problems because it needs some “physical exercise”!..

Valyantsina Mihailauna says that doctors have not found any serious disorder in the patient’s health.
Valyantsina Baradulіna: At the moment there is no diagnosis. The ischemic disease is found in any elderly person. But is it not that dangerous. I am worried about his cough. It seems to be caused by heart problems. He keeps coughing but it does not seem to be caused by the lungs or bronchial tubes… I hope he will get better. He will celebrate his anniversary and then spring will come so we will be able to go to Vushacha with God’s help. I think he will recover there!

ERB wishes the national poet health and inspiration!



Ryhor Baradulin and his wife Valyantsina Mihailauna




Preparing to go home



Uncle Ryhor was in good mood on his discharge



The poet’s desk was really Spartan in hospital