How to cook fish porridge

So the good sisters offered to cook something for me to eat as I've been living on milk, yoghurt and salad. Big time diarrhea.

So she asks me "What do you want to eat that we can cook?"
Me: Fish Porridge
She: You mean rice and fish cooked in water?
Me: Yes
She: OK, we'll fry the fish and then put it in the rice.
Me: No. They took out my gallbladder as well so nothing fried. Just boil the fish with the rice.
She: OK. So I'll add salt and spices.
Me: NO. Just boil rice with fish in water.
She: OK. Then I'll put fried onions instead.
Me: NO. I want plain fish porridge.
She: How can I cook fish porridge with only fish and rice???????

Lesson to learn: You'll never get nuns to do what you want. You get to do what they want. You can bash your head against the wall and be a martyr, but nothing will change. They have their agenda and the world has to fit into it.

Conclusion? Am eating salad with milk and yoghurt.

St. John of God

While the sun shines brightly here in Jerusalem, there was/is a tempest in most coastal cities; bringing heavy rain and hail. Up in the Golan, snow has began to fall again. But not a drop of rain up in the Judean mountains.  http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=211244

Yesterday saw clashes in Nablus (biblical Shechem; Jacob's well etc...) between Jewish settlers and Palestinians. Return of violence. http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/violent-clashes-erupt-between-israelis-palestinians-near-nablus-1.347710

I'm staying mostly in bed because of the pain; but lying in bed gives me backache as well, so I have to move around a little to relieve the pain. Diet is limited to fruit and milk. Feeling terribly hungry all the time. Soon this regime will slowly lead to non-oily foods. There's not much rest though, because they're demolishing part of the library just 3 metres away from my room - drilling, bashing .... it makes staying in hospital a paradise.

Today is the feast of St. John of God - the founder of the Hospitaller friars who work at the Holy Family Hospital where I was operated. A Spaniard by birth, John of God was admitted to a lunatic asylum where he experienced the inhuman suffering of the sick. This prompted him to found the Order of Friars Hospitallers that care for the medical needs of the poor. Well I personally experienced their generosity and christian charity during my 3 days stay in hospital and they are doing a great job! May St. John of God give the Order more vocations.

Thanks to Vancouver Chinese Catholics

Sincere gratitude to the kindness of the Vancouver C.C. I was able to pay US$1029 to cover the expenses of medical treatment, transport etc...  in Nazareth for the past for 4 days. Will celebrate a Mass for your intentions later next week when I'm able to go down to church.

Day after

Bravo to the Archbishop of Canterbury - the only one who dared to openly rebuke the Pakistani govt. for not doing enough to protect its christian minority. "The government is blackmailed by extremist" he said. I think the govt. is cowed by the extremist - it doesn't have any political or military or moral teeth.  It's a lapdog.  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12665572

Finally released from hospital today. Still in pain ... feeling sore all over. And nausea most of the time and dreadful fainting spells. Drove back to the south ... 2 hour ride. And had a coughing fit ... something real bad when you've got 4 holes held by staples in your abdoman. I was expecting them to pop everytime I coughed. As Sr. Carmel warned me ... the pain today will be worse than yesterday. It sure came true.

Am feeling weak, so will continue to rest.

Still alive

Ordeal over. Checked in at the hospital on Friday morning. Had all kinds of tests made. Then interview with anesthetist who insisted I get a steroid jab and nebuliser that night, and again in the morning before the op. All papers signed .... checked in later in the night but the nurse forgot all about me. Sat in my bed for 2 hours (till 9.30pm) then went out to ask her what happened to my IVand nebuliser. She was talking on the phone and said "Ohy I forgot you're here". So much for confidence in the medical service.

Next morning had anotehr round of injection and nebuliser - the docs wereafraid my asthma during the opt could be a major factor to the op.'s success... or failure. The sisters and brothers working in the hospital were very kind and came to follow me to the op. theatre. Then they applied the anesthesia. But let me tell yopu that was the worst moment in my life. I was not totally knocked out yet when they started cutting me open. I could feel the knife going through my guts and the PAIN ... I was screaming inside but I couldn't move or make a sound. I was trapped inside my body.I was totally immobile but my mind was screaming STOP! PAIN! I could feel the instruments go deeper ... and the pain... Luckily one fo the docs saw something in my reaction and told them to stop and added more anesthesia ... I got knocked out immediately. WHen I woke up it was and hour and half later. The nurses were slapping me and calling my name.Apparently I lost all consciousness and they were desparate to revive me. They kept shouting my name and "Wake up" and slapping my face till I was black and blue. Well I managed to show some sign of life and they were relieved and moved me to my room where I continued to sleep for the next 4 hours.

Later all the sisters and brothers came to visit me. I could feel the pain on my torso. They showed me the 4 keyholes they made in my torso. One was so big it took 3 staples to close it up. Yes I'm all covered with staples now. Will be removed in a week's time. But the soreness and pain... can't cough, can't laugh, can't stand up or sit down properly. But at least it's all over.

The 1st night after the op. was of course painful ... and I had this strange old man with long flowing hair and long beard ebtering my room twice at midnight. I yelled at him to get out. He's an mentally disturbed patient ... good thing he didn't decide to grab a knife and finish off the operation.

And after 48 hours, I'm finally allowed to eat solid food. Sister cut me an orange and apple and it taste so great. And I coild drink water as well. I was so parched. Hope to go home tomorrow and have a week's rest. The docs have warned about my diabetes and after the op. I must change my diet drastically.

Thanks for all your prayers and concern. Apparently it worked and I'm still here.

Headache and gratitude

Another martyr - Pakistan Minister for minorities was shot dead by Taliban because he opposed the blasphemy law. He was the only Christian minister in the Pakistani cabinet. The persecution continues and I don't see the world raising a hue and cry over it. Is it because Pakistan has no oil to exploit like in the arab lands? This fanaticism against christians must end, and it must take something drastic and quick; otherwise the Church in Pakistan will disappear soon.

The arab unrest has spread to Armenia yesterday. Heat is rising in Oman. Here we have had helicopters flying overhead for a couple of days now. Don't know where exactly is the problem ... and there're no news reports: probably a gag has been enforced.

Today I have this splitting headache that refuses to go away. I can hardly look with my eyes as the pain is making me squint. Makes me nauseous.

I'm so grateful to some of my classmates when they heard I'm going up north for my op. (which is minor, so no worries, people!). Some immediately offered to drive me there (a pretty long ride) and stay with me till I'm discharged and then drive me home. Transport is always a problem when traveling to and from the north; and frankly I dislike it intensely. Luckily Highway 6 cuts the distance and time by a quarter. But anyway the guys were so great to me. Grazie ragazzi! It's this community of students and friars that is so caring and selfless that makes me always so thankful to be here. Well one of them will drive me there and stay till I'm ready to come home, and then drive me back to the south. Imagine that! I actually get to choose my driver! Maybe he'll be driving back alone .....

Thanks

Thanks to the following Vancouver Chinese Catholics for their kindness:
1. Brian and Louisa Tam
2. Maria Lu
3. Magdalena Chan, Fatima and Eric, Amy, Brian and Louisa, and Marie Lee
4. Cindarella Lai

For donations to the poor and sporsorship of projects, please visit http://holylandassist.blogspot.com