Unwell

Manger of Christ

The past 3 days were terrible ... with my bp jumping from 125/76 to 169/95. It made me very sick so I went to the doctor's. The bp was 136/80 and the doc said to observe for the next 2 days. Wasn't much help as I really wanted some medicine to bring the bp down. Yesterday I was back at the infirmary clinic and the doc did a few tests measuring my bp ... while lying down, standing, walking, sitting. The fluctuation was significant and the doc said it's more important to stabilise the bp than to bring it down, since my minimum when lying down is 125.67. Any lower would be more dangerous than a high bp. Doc thinks it also has to do with food ... not just a question of salt but me eating leftover food cold from the fridge. It gives me diarrhea and other gastro-intestinal problems that affect the bp. And he's right. Last week, twice while in the toilet my bp dropped to below 120/70 and I almost fainted, with cold sweat and shivering. Good thing I had Buddy and JJ with me ... they seem to know that I'm not well and they scream and bite my ear to keep me conscious.

Birth spot of Christ

I had the chance to go to Bethlehem and pray for you all at the spot of Christ's birth and at his manger. The basilica was closed but I called one of the friars to open the door for us. We had the entire basilica to ourselves. It was surreal. Then we (me and Fr Abraham, our filipino student who just graduated) went down to M. Teresa's convent to deliver medicines and celebrate Mass because it was the superior's feastday. After that we walked to Bethlehem University to visit the Theresian sisters who work in the library there. Then it was home again by bus. I walked for more than 6km. My legs are very tired and my left ankle is swollen. 

Covid Delta cases has shot up to 1000 cases yesterday. Mask is compulsory for all indoor events and shops. But other than that, life is as normal. People treat it now as a simple flu since majority are vaccinated. Only the ultra-orthodox and arab communities are infected with ti as they are not vaccinated. I continue to wear my mask, wash hands and stay away from crowds. 

Today is Tisha B'Av ... the jewish commemoration of the destructions of the Solomonic and Herodian Temples in 587 BC and 70 AD on the same day. Jews will try to entire the Al Aqsa compound to pray and arabs are ready to resist. Police are everywhere in the Old City, metal barriers are set up at every street corner. And hundreds of jews are milling around our streets, barefoot or in slippers, to get to as close to the compound as possible. They are unshod today because it's a symbol of their mourning.