Weekend

Beggars and hawkers

 It's the weekend ... and I had the Chinese Mass in the city. My chest pains were quite bad today and I thought I won't make it but George who drove me there kept encouraging me and stayed till I finished so he could drive me home.

The Mass was well attended and the faithful were very concerned for my health. They helped me up and down the stairs and carried by mass kit. They also bought soya milk and a kilo of mee hoon that I can cook and eat back home. That was very nice of them.

My superior insisted that I came home immediately after the Mass because I'm still unwell. So I did. Came home and slept all afternoon. My chest was still painful and I felt nauseous. Next week technically I should be resting but I can foresee lots of work waiting for me.

The weather continues to cool down and the humidity is very high. That hasn't deterred beggars and hawkers from the villages to come to Damascus Gate yesterday. Friday is the big day for business when muslims, christians and jews pack that area to go to their respective places of worship. It's very very crowded. And the tourists are as many as 3 years back.

Makloubeh

Some of the volunteers

The rains came and went. 3 hours on Tuesday and Wednesday. It wasn't enough but it was better than nothing. The temp has been dropping. The nights get as low as 10 degrees. I had to buy a new heater as I gave mine to a sick student. Every morning the ground is wet with dew. I just hope it'll rain more.

The exhibition was a great success. There were many more visitors than the past years as simultaneously there was a concert and conference organised by other sectors, all within the same area as the exhibition venue, so that contributed to the crowds. I had to thank the team of volunteers - all profs and students - from Milan for their hard work. I brought them to Jack's little restaurant and had asked him to cook makloubeh and fatteh which are not in the menu (or any other menu in any restaurant) so the team could taste real arab food. They enjoyed it very much.

I'm having less pain in the chest now but still feel exhausted easily. The medicines are strong and make me drowsy and lower my bp drastically so I feel giddy most of the time. Doc says 2 more weeks in bed ... and I really wish to make a full recovery. I need to rest.

Sick

Sunrise today

 More violence these few days as attacks continue to fuel tensions. Arabs attacking jews at prayer, Jews detroying arab olive trees during this harvest season. Also internal gangland murders continue decimate arab villages. It's a bad winter this year.

And the rains fell. Not very long ... just an hour or so, but it was good that it rained. The weather has cooled down alot ... 13 degrees. The skies are grey during the day. Everyone is wearing jackets and hoodies to stay warm. And the crowds of tourists are packing the streets of the Old City. So packed that Via Dolorosa from the 5th Station to the 7th Station came to a standstill as groups just blocked each other going up or down.

It's in the newspapers that the Sea of Galilee could be contaminated with a parasite that blinds people. Already a dozen cases are suspected. That means the Jordan River would also be affected. Tourists going down for "baptism" are risking their health. 

My chest has been hurting so much these few days. I can't sleep every night because it feels like a heart attack is about to strike. It's destroying every waking hour I have. Yesterday at the insurance clinic, the doctor said it'll take a month for any normality to take place in my body and I should be in bed resting and healing. Well .... I was called back to work by several departments. I went in the rain, barely breathing and in pain. But I had to work all the same. It's merciless here.

Exhibition

Welcome book at exhibition

 The exhibition on the Holy Sepulchre depicted in books of the 15th to 19th centuries has opened. The team of volunteers from the Milan University arrived to set it up. I had to go for the inauguration and give an opening speech. There was a nice crowd at the inauguration with lots of journalists.

I was very exhausted after 5 hours there. I walked home very slowly with chest pains. Went to bed immediately for the rest of the afternoon. Not feeling good at all. Tomorrow I'll have to go to my insurance doctor and submit all my reports. Then 2 weeks later a checkup with the cardiologist.

Exhibition

I did try to buy some medicine on the way home but all the pharmacies say a certain brand of antihistamine is no longer being manufactured and I must buy something similar but under another pharmaceutical company. Rather scary that medicines can start and end so quickly ... it's all about money. 

Jubilee

Patriarch presides the Mass

 Yesterday was the 3rd time I went out. It was the golden jubilee of the superior of the nursing sisters  working in the paediatric hospital in Bethlehem. I've known her for 30 years and she insisted I come to concelebrate the Mass. Luckily my superior was also invited so he drove me there. The Patriarch was there to preside with 10 other priests. After Mass there was lunch at our Casa Nova ... a pilgrim guesthouse. Anyway it was a good golden jubilee celebration in that it reminded and encouraged younger religious about their vocation and persevere so they can also reach their own golden jubilee.

After that I was totally exhausted and rested for the rest of the day. My chest was hurting. I guess I had pushed myself too far yesterday by going to the celebrations. I'd better spend today recuperating. The pain at night is quite uncomfortable and I woke up several times because of it.

The weather has changed alot. Chilly in the nights at about 12 degrees. Sunrise is quite late and it is still dark at 6am. And sunset start at 5.15pm. JJ goes to sleep early ... according to sunset so he has less time to play with me. Winter blankets and clothes are taken out and cleaned ... waiting to be used. Only one thing is missing ... rain. So far it only rained once since Sukkoth. We're hoping it'll pour heavily because it looks like next year would be a drought year.

Cold and humid

Chilly & lots of dew

 The far-right and extremist parties have won the elections ... which spells bad news for us non-jews. They have no tolerance for non-jews. However they'll have to form a coalition among themselves and with the huge egos in central play, they might just clash and the coalition collapse again. So it's anyone's guess if this govt will work.

There was a stabbing in the Old City this morning and the City was closed off. The tensions are not ending and seems only to be continuing daily. The new far-right govt is going to provoke more tensions by its exclusive view of a jewish state. We'll see how bad things will devolve. Already here our guys are expecting more spitting and cursing by jews when they pass our house. We'll be targeted by these emboldened extremists. Really I don't look forward to this at all.

I've been very tired easily. I'd like to think its due to the medicines ... but I really don't know. I need to see my insurance doctor soon next week. I'm just feeling unwell, lightheaded and nauseous. The chilly nights and very wet mornings with dew - high humidity - aren't helping though it makes the weather quite pleasant.

Check-up

Infirmary chapel

It's Election Day today. The whole country is anxious ... it seems an extreme rightwing coalition will win the elections. That spells bad news for local arabs, foreigners and just plain democracy will be at stake. I'll wait till late tonight to see the results. If it's anything to go by, the sky is overcast and a sickly yellow sun is trying to peer between the dark rainclouds. 

I was at our doctor's clinic in our Infirmary today. Gave him my report so he could translate it for me. Apparently I've a very heavy dosage of anticoagulants: aspirin, pluvex and something else that is attached inside the stent. And I've been taking it and other medications at the same time every morning. No wonder my BP drops drastically and I have blackout periods. Doc told me to stagger the different pills from morning, noon and evening so my body doesn't go into shock with too much chemicals. Oh well today I'll have to go through all the pill boxes to find out when I should them at different times.

I'm hoping it'll rain hard tonight and tomorrow regardless of the election results. We need clean air from the rains and a long comfortable sleep for convalescing people like me.