All Saints eve

Tree-lined tram station in front
of my hospital

 Another day of violence outside of Jerusalem. I guess police presence has been stepped up in and around the Old City because tomorrow is Election Day ... the 3rd in 2 years as coalition govts collapse. Israeli citizens will get a day off but our libraries must continue to open so our palestinian workers and foreign volunteers must work. I have to stay off work for another week at least but already some profs are impatient and have sent work for me to do.

I have less chest pains today and less giddy though it feels strange and I cannot pinpoint what. I shall go down to join the community for Mass tomorrow morning as it's All Saints Day. Some here at home have told me to stay in bed instead as I have to walk down 5 floors to the church ... and up 5 floors to reach my room. I'll see tomorrow morning if I'm up to it. I've been busy arranging what medicines to take at what time of the day ... very complicated. 8 pills in all scattered throughout the day. And I still feel tired easily. My fingers are still swollen.

I'm gad the Pope spoke openly against the celebration of Halloween. Over here in the Middle East no Christian or Jew or Muslim would never dream of celebrating devils and ghouls. It's contrary to our faiths. 

Meantime JJ is enjoying being with me everyday for one week. He's molting so he's grouchy and bites ... but once his new feathers have grown he'll be calm again. This morning he had a quiet time sleeping on my leg ... which is a good sign that he's getting better. And hopefully me too.

More violence

Bedouin woman hawking

More bruises are appearing throughout my body. It's scary ... but I think it's due to the heavy blood-thinning medicines that I'm taking. In the night the chest pain is terrible and sharp so I can't sleep. It's a horrible feeling to be tired but not able to sleep. And I almost blacked out this morning ... again I think due to the blood thinners that cause a drop in the blood pressure. Superior told me to stay in bed for another week.

More violence around the country. A terrorist attack near Hebron yesterday. Awful. Other arabs tried to help the jewish victims but were shot at. Many arabs tell me they don't want violence as it leads to collective punishment, closure of borders and lost of jobs. However there's always that fringe extremists from both sides of the spectrum that cause such tragedy and hatred, sustaining the feud for the past 60 years.

Home

With a pressure band

 I'm recovering well, I think, after the medical intervention. The right arm is still bruised and hurts when I sleep. And yesterday I tried to clean the floor but had a sharp pain in the chest. I just cannot strain to do anything. People are telling me it might take even 2 weeks for me to recover. I'll have to be patient.

Foodwise it's congee and fish, everyday and every meal. I'm still not sure what I can and cannot eat as all the instructions are in hebrew. I can't get my doc to translate it as I'm mostly confined in bed all week. And there're 6 tablets to be taken every morning. Most are blood thinners so I was warned not to cut myself as it'll be difficult to heal. 

Anyway the hospital is famed for its cardiology so I wasn't too worried. The cardiologist is an experienced christian whom everyone from muslim to jew praised as the best in the country. The entire procedure which took an hour and a half (instead of three as predicted) under local sedation on the arm ... and no painkillers after the operation. As someone told me ... israelis are tough and they treated me as one. It was a surreal experience to feel needles, sires, fluids going around my body while the doc kept talking to me. We switched between arabic and english so I was constantly kept alert throughout the procedure.

Now it's time for recuperation and sorting a new lifestyle as in food, exercise and less stress. And everyone is saying I've been overworked. Well ... I'll have to survive this week first to see what comes next.

Strike

 The past few days have been running around the clinics and hospitals to get tests done in preparation for the operation. This morning I brought all the results to my doctor who reviewed them to see if they're in order. Found out 3 documents were still missing: a blood test that was not completely done the first time (Clalit negligence), 2 x-rays and my doctor's summery report of my health history. So it was a 4 hour session at St. Joseph hospital for the tests to be done and waiting for the results. Now I hope I have everything ... except one prerequisite, upfront down payment prior to admission to the hospital for the operation. A sum of about 10,000 shekels. I hope I can pass this hurdle. Still not sure how many nights I have to stay in hospital.

Shops on strike

In the meantime East Jerusalem and the West Bank are on strike due to the nightly raids by Israeli army, resulting in clashes and deaths. Looks like both sides are not stepping back. 

I'll be offline and not uploading new blogs from Sunday onwards while in hospital. So watch this space ... if it gets updated after Wednesday, it means I'm alive.

End of holidays

Sunset yesterday

 The whole country is shut down due to the last day of Sukkoth, the feast of booths. Groups of jews have marched down our street, spitting at us and our entrances. Let's hope this will stop by tomorrow. It's utterly unacceptable.

Clashes and riots continue in the surrounding towns and villages as security forces raid and arrest suspects. Villagers and townsfolk retaliate. And the vicious cycle continues. 

I'm feeling quite unwell today. My right leg is numb and my right hand is cramping every few minutes. I wish I could go to hospital sooner. It's scary to live like this. I don't know if I can hang on that long for another week. 

Long weekend

Indian pilgrims

 It's a long weekend for us because after the Sabbath begins the last day of Sukkot, which is a solemn day of rest so the whole country stands still. Borders will be closed so I can't go to Palestine though I had planned to do so. The superior had asked me to go buy some things for the parlour. But now it'll have to be delayed by a couple of days.

Yesterday thousands of zionist christians took part in the Jerusalem March, to fulfil Prophet Zechariah's prophecy that all nations will come to jerusalem to celebrate Sukkot. It's quite a divisive event because zionist jews applaud it as christian support for their cause, but ultra-orthodox jews see it as christian appropriation of a jewish feast. Today these zionist christians have a free day so you see them wandering about the New and Old Cities taking selfies. 

I've been trying to rest but things happen and I had to go to my office in the evening. After waiting there for an hour I was informed that the meeting will be postponed. So I walked home slowly. It takes me an hour to walk there nowadays ... which for others would only be 20 minutes. That's how bad my heart has become. And I have to sit and rest several times along the way.

I've noticed that there're lots of indian, vietnamese and indonesian pilgrims coming here. But none from Singapore, Hong Kong. I wonder why.

Clashes

Arabs in East Jerusalem went on strike yesterday ... which was good because it cleared the streets for thousands of jews to go to the Wailing Wall for the annual blessing by Jewish priests. It made the job of the police alot easier. However in the surrounding villages and towns, clashes and riots took place. Some quite violent. Arab teens continue to be killed by Israeli raids into arab villages and the arabs are protesting these incursions that lead to deaths. The northern town (refugee camp) of Shufat was rocked with violence yesterday and Nablus was locked down by Israeli army as well. The tensions are worsening by the day. 

At Clalit pharmacy

For the past 48 hours I've been travelling between my Clalit insurance clinic and St. Joseph Hospital and Shaarei Zedek hospital to organize the elusive operation that should but didn't happen due to the jewish holidays. Finally this morning Shaarei Zedek called to fix a day a week from now, so I was told to prepare myself for it.  By the way Clalit is a huge insurance entity that runs its own clinics, doctors, pharmacies all over the country. An annual policy for a foreigner costs US$1400, which doesn't sound  much ... unless you're poor. It doesn't cover dental services. Anyway I'm glad I bought the policy because now I need its services. It has links with other specialists and hospitals so I've been assigned to Shaarei Zedek where I've been told has the best cardiovascular dept in the country. Well if I survive the op then I'll testify to that.

Wait

Festive spirit at Damascus Gate

 This morning I was back in Shaare Zedek hospital. It's a medium sized hospital but is very specialized such that it's comparable with the world famous Hadassah hospital which is situated on the next hill. It was less than I anticipated. Without any other indication except "Go to 10th floor and ask for Adin" I went to the information chart by the elevators. 10th floor said "Maternity." Something was wrong so I walked to the next building and on the elevator chart, 10th floor was cardiovascular dept. Took the ride up and here were several people in the lovely waiting room with a skylight. I went to the receptionist and made my request and she very nicely brought me to an office where Adin was working. She took my particulars and said because it's Sukkot the doctors are not working so I have to wait till Sukkot is over. Meantime just don't get stressed till a heart attack or stroke hits. So I've been told to stay in bed and wait it out.

Full moon

Full moon over Damascus Gate

The past few days have been very trying. Been diagnosed with severe ischemia but need more tests to precisely locate it. Been feeling very weak and unable to walk or climb stairs. Nausea and numbing right arm. But because it's the jewish feast of Sukkot that lasts 8 days, no one is sure when my blood test results will be out - one said by noon, another said after 2 days ... it depends if there are lab technicians working. Same for hospital admission and surgery schedules. No one is sure if the dept is open or if doctors are working. It's been very stressful to try and get info or confirmation for anything. It's all waiting and waiting for the end of Sukkot before we actually can know if anyone is working at all.

Meantime the full moon is out and it is lovely. There're daily clashes and violence here in our area ... but the moon stays aloof ... far away from our problems.

Over the City Walls

Back to school

Friars at prayer

 Today life is back to normal. People go back to work. Borders are reopened. Transport fill the roads again. 

But in 5 days time, again everything will be closed down as the feast of Sukkot begins. It'll last for 8 days. It's tough for those who need the bank or immigration or other government services. Autumn is always the time for closures. A long holiday for locals but for caregivers made up of filipinos and indians, it's extra hardwork since local jews cannot work. That means cooking, cleaning etc. I was talking to some of them and they said after Sukkot is over, they need a couple of weeks rest to recover.

The first day of classes started today for us. School routine is back. Some students are still not back yet but they'll need to be back by the next 2 weeks as registrations will close. Students are requesting tables in the library and the rush for the best ones have started.

I'll be returning to hospital for my results. Then see the doc there. Then go to my insurance clinic and see my insurance doctor. It'll be a long day.

Today

Bare feet Jews

 It's Yom Kippur today. The streets are empty of people and vehicles. All public transport stopped since yesterday. Private cars too are very rare ... the occasional arab car passing by. Even the arab shops in East Jerusalem are mostly closed because the borders with Palestine are closed and shoppers can't come to Jerusalem. Locals too stay at home to avoid clashes and violence. It's all quite surreal. Once a year the whole country is like this. Eery. 

The few Jews I saw going to the Wailing Wall were bare feet ... a sign of penitence. Police presence were not as numerous as I had expected. There were police horses but we see them almost daily nowadays. Police at the regular checkpoints still stop arabs to check their IDs and permits. Strangely even New Gate which leads to the Christian Quarter was also blocked by metal barriers. Only pedestrians are allowed to walk in or out. They're really judaizing the Christian Quarter.

Empty Damascus Gate

My feet are still slightly swollen and my left ankle is hurting alot ... an old injury when I fell and twisted it in Bethlehem a decade ago. My breathing is difficult and chest still hurts as if the heart is bursting. I do feel very unwell. There're moments when I think my heart will stop as walking or climbing stairs have become an impossible task. There are moments when I just want to sit down and give up. All my energy is gone. I have nothing left. 

Feast

Statue and relic of 
St. Francis

 It's the feast of St. Francis today. Yesterday evening's vespers included the Transitus ceremony in which the death of Francis was remembered. I guess it was crowded in church. I didn't join in as I was feeling ill. My hands and feet are less swollen but I'm constantly breathless with chest pains. It's not been good these past days as I've been struggling with this deteriorating health issue. It's been very difficult. And the ongoing house renovations aren't helping.

Anyway for the feast of St. Francis, the statue and relic are brought out for veneration. A huge temporary altar is set up next to the lectern for this purpose. It's rather nice.

Meantime tonight begins the jewish Yom Kippur ... a day of penance. The whole country comes to a standstill. But violence continues with shootings and assaults by both sides of the conflict. Open daylight shootings took place in Nablus where taxis and buses are targeted. It's dangerous travelling there. Thank goodness I'm too sick to travel.

Well school has finally started and the routine of studies has resumed. The libraries are busy again. I don't know how much I can do now that I'm ill. I just don't want a heart attack in the middle of work. Or off work for that matter. Everyone is telling me to relax and don't stress. Easier said than done.

Sick

Jerusalem
artichokes

 I've been feeling quite sick since Wednesday. My feet and hands have swelled quite alarmingly. I am breathless and tire out easily. Some of my superiors noticed it it and sent me to my insurance clinic for a doctor's preliminary check-up. The doc there pressed my calves and there were depressions. He said it looked significant enough for an echo cardiogram and fixed an appointment for me as soon as the Sabbath is over. However that hospital is too far away and I have no transport, so I called our St. Joseph hospital if the tests could be done there. Well they could do it, but they cannot charge my insurance as the hospital has no agreement with the insurance company. i have to pay cash.

So early this morning I went to St. Joseph's for the tests. I was quite fatigued not simply because of my heart condition but because I was suffering a massive diarrhea attack. I was running to the toilet in the middle of the tests. After 2 hours I was ready to go home and rest. The diarrhea hasn't stopped though and I'm still in pain. It's quite a trial. The results will be out next Friday. 

Golden Spider Lily

Anyway the autumn flowers are blooming and that makes me happy. The Jerusalem artichokes are neither artichokes nor from Jerusalem but they have fantastic happy flowers. And this year my golden spider lilies are blooming profusely ... 5 in all!!! I had pruned the roses in August so they've been blooming very well. That's a trick I learned from the Parks and Recreation department of the Municipality. Whenever they start pruning the plants in the park, I do the same. Right now they're pruning trees.