Friday, 25 December 2009

Just chillin....

Where has this week gone? I can't believe its Frantic Friday again already. Mind perhaps today isn't going to be so frantic... mum is off to visit my sister, and dodi has gone off on a bike ride (euphemism I discovered yesterday for 'visit to the pub') with my daughter and her boyfriend.

Sadly good Pictures, Images and Photos I am not allowed to engage in my usual frantic Friday activities, baking, cleaning etc etc so have planned a 'just chillin' day out for me.... which obviously involves Pride and Prejudice video followed by a nap, then a spot of Star Trek - with the lovely Beta Spock.... and no my affections for Alpha Spock have not diminished.... oh and then maybe - if the strength lasts out perhaps the last few chapters of A Body in the Bath House by Lindsey Davis.

But first a little humour, which I guess I ought to apologise for... but then my sense of humour has always been a little avant guarde....

From the mouths of babes...

In the first book of the Bible, Guinessis, God got tired of creating the world, so He took the Sabbath off.

Adam and Eve were created from an apple tree.

Noah's wife was called Joan of Ark. Noah built an ark, which the animals came on to in pears.

Lot's wife was a pillar of salt by day, but a ball of fire by night.

The Jews were a proud people and throughout history they had trouble with the unsympathetic Genitals.

Samson was a strongman who let himself be led astray by a Jezebel like Delilah.

Samson slayed the Philistines with the axe of the apostles.

Moses led the Hebrews to the Red Sea, where they made unleavened bread, which is bread made without any ingredients.

The Egyptians were all drowned in the dessert.

Afterwards, Moses went up on Mount Cyanide to get the Ten Amendments.

The First Commandment was when Eve told Adam to eat the apple.

The Fifth Commandment is to humor thy father and mother.

The Seventh Commandment is thou shalt not admit adultery.

Moses died before he ever reached Canada.

Then Joshua led the Hebrews in the battle of Geritol.

The greatest miracle in the Bible is when Joshua told his son to stand still and he obeyed him.

David was a Hebrew king skilled at playing the liar.

He fought with the Finklesteins, a race of people who lived in Biblical times.

Solomon, one of David's sons, had 300 wives and 700 porcupines.

Jesus enunciated the Golden Rule, which says to do one to others before they do one to you.

He also explained, "Man doth not live by sweat alone."

The people who followed the Lord were called the 12 decibels.

The epistles were the wives of the apostles.

One of the opossums was St. Matthew who was, by profession, a taximan.

St. Paul cavorted to Christianity.

He preached holy acrimony, which is another name for marriage.

A Christian should have only one wife; this is called monotony.

Thursday, 24 December 2009

Nes Gadol Hayah Poh

Literally translated Nes Gadol Hayah Poh means "A great miracle happened here!"

Usually associated with the favourite game of driedel but definitely can be applied to 'here'!...

Perhaps the miracle was not in the fixing of the malfunctioning gall bladder but in catching the pesky little thing before it burst inside me.

The consultant spoke with me early yesterday morning. He asked how I felt.

"Wonderful" I replied... the three things that I figured out very quickly was

a) I was back in my room - which meant that I had only three holes and so could go home the next day. ohhhhh Praise G-d!

Then b) the excruciating pain in my right side was GONE..... ohhh tears of joy and much more praises for His Goodness.

Then c) my eyesight wasn't functioning so well and it was already 2:30 - which meant I'd been in theatre longer than an hour... humm?

Then he said:

"Ah yes your gall bladder was a real mess. It was the size of a man's fist (normally bout the size of an index finger) - it was red, inflammed, infected and full of bile. A gall stone had blocked the exit and so had filled up. I emptied the bile into your system and flushed everything out - which meant I could get the now deflated gall bladder out through the hole.

I gave you an extra dose of morphine and a lot of antibiotics in theatre and you will get three more doses of antibiotics before you go home.

What time would you like to go?"

You know I dread to think what would have happened if the bladder had burst. I think you will agree with me when I say:

Nes gadol hayah poh!!! "A great miracle happened here!"

Monday, 21 December 2009

A Reluctant Evangalist

One of the questions that have been plaguing me during this Life Lesson experience is in hospital they are very keen on political correctness. Which in this case means - meeting the diverse religious needs of the population of the UK.

However, when asked, 'What religion are you?' I shift about uncomfortably, go red, and then have one of those really LONG interesting internal arguments with self... usually with the chicken half of me bleating 'Just go with C of E.... much easier'....

Now since no immediate answer is forthcoming, I am prompted with what the questioner feels is helpful advice...

'You know, Catholic? Church of England?'

The wolf side of me speaks (much to the horror of the cowardly chicken)....

"Messianic"

My questioner now frowns and asks

a) how is that spelt?

b) what's Messianic?

and at the last pre-op checks...

c) do we need to observe anything special for that then? (Clearly this Ward Sister had come across odd religious persons before).


Now a) and c) are so much easier to answer than b).. so having shared the correct spelling and discussed dietary requirements (vegan) and been reassured that modesty will be preserved (I won't be actually NAKED under my gown will I?).

The tricky part is the explaining of ones beliefs... in like one sentence.... so far I haven't been doing too well in this matter. Yet I feel I should be better prepared.

I am not....

How can I explain to jaded hospital staff my hope in a loving, caring Creator - when clearly I am in pain, suffering and facing an operation? If there is a G-d, they argue, why hasn't He fixed me?

And I am reminded of Shaul (know as Paul of Tarsis). Three times Paul asked the L-rd to heal him of his illness , but those prayers were not answered in the way he wished.

The answer to Paul’s prayer is: “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness (infirmity).”


As I look back over these last few weeks, my recall is scattered between hours of unbearable pain when I couldn't think at all to hours that I spent being sick and apologising to everyone and anyone for being so much trouble to them... is that 'grace' I wonder?

And I wonder about tomorrow. I have been told that I will be hooked up to a 'patient operated drug relief IV' - a morphine drip no less. Morphine is a pretty powerful drug and not a particularly pleasant one either..... just how bad is the pain going to get?

I suspect it might just be a time when I begin to understand 'His Strength in my weakness'...

Thank you so much for your prayers and words of comfort... I am truly sorry that indeed I am being such a pain...




External Links:

Paul's work as an Apostle


Galatians 4 - Paul's Illness

Sunday, 20 December 2009

Obviously one is a tad disappointed...

This is not meant as criticism in any way shape or form of my Heavenly Father ... but I know, and I know that you know too, that the Creator of the Universe, who could if He wanted - fix my gall stone problem with a blink of an eye..... and yet here I am facing a stint in hospital where I know I will end up in pain... apparently they blow you up (yes my mind boggles too) with CO2 so that they can then 'rummage about' (technical term) and then snip out the malfunctioning bit... hopefully I am going to end up with 3 more navels... but if things don't go so well I will end up with 3 navels PLUS a huge smiley face. Well 15-20cm is a huge scar in my book (whatever 15-20 cm is in proper English measurements I don't have a clue).

So far despite my pathetic pleas, and yes, be assured I do a REALLY good line in 'pathetic' - a miracle has not taken place.

I sense one of those life lessons coming on.. and am mildly concerned... experience tells me that it is going to hurt hummm....



But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,


Friday, 18 December 2009

Frantic Friday comes around again!

How fast are the weeks flying by? Only last week I was sitting and feeling fairly sorry for myself because I was too ill to travel and meet up with some lovely girl-friends for a fabulous girlie-weekend...

Today is going to mega Frantic and a bit traumatic... we are having a duck dinner with roasties, loads of veggies and onion gravy followed by a fruit pudding with sauce for dessert... hope hubby has remember to put the wine to chill?

But the trauma will occur way before that - I'm off to have the hair cut. I loathe having the bonnet sheared - it never comes out like the picture - still I have hats if all else fails.

In the meantime, I will comfort myself with this lovely verse:

Those who know your name will trust in you,
for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

Psalm 9:10


.... and yes, having my hair cut is THAT traumatic.


......... and yes, I am the world's best drama queen EVER... according to my daughter that is....


Shabbat Shalom Mishpocha!







Shim'on-Ahavah Shalom Shabbat
(said Hebrew the what wondering were who those for just)