convalescence

written while warded... we do not ask to be warded in hospital on most ordinary days. i took mine as a near-privilege, to be exposed to a hinterto unknown social setting, with a group of people i would otherwise be sheltered from. now i know how prisoners in wartime are able to bond in such powerful moving ways- a new patient walks in and others are eager to show him around the place...how to operate THAT bed, buttons not to press, meal rotations...just basic orientation but it does wonders to a bored and ailing physique-i find simple offers to help with lifting a chair even though my fellow patient was all tubed up and walking (!), sharing of daily papers (never mind your language proficiency), extra crackers, political gossip and minute news of each others' treatment process.
all nurses deserve a place in heaven. they embody the kind of qualities that heal people and make this progressive society a far better place. it's sad that doctors are still bestowed with more esteem somewhat...a regional staff of caregivers work here...myanmar, china, malaysia, philippines. they are multi-lingual, persuasive, humourous, instinctual, persistent, alert...each good soul bantered with patients in their own special way; one filipino teasing a stubborn patient with hokkien while the staff nurse shared her sadness about what her despotic government is doing to people in yangon. the only disturbance we felt were nights punctuated with quarterly measurements of temperature and blood pressure. we put up well with this small inconvenience. there is more than sufficient cheer and daily sunlight placed in an avenue (occasionally) visited by glum doctors.
am otherwise 'basking' gratefully with daily visits and care received...from my doc friends right from the first few hours of admission to kind and caring individuals from my family, 5th canticle, pioneer, and uncle philip who arranged for communion. am nourished in more ways than one - too distracted and moved by all these lightstreams of care to feel pity or worry about my lifelong condition or future. one of my neighbours, a sage-like uncle even came by and prayed for me in mandarin, sensing we both knew christ. there is a caring note sent via sms each day and delightfully-shocking gifts from friends: from a ta-pau version of crab bee hoon (john-check how the legs are split and sprawled..pun izzit?!?), to crayons (mee yoo), newsweek (gp colleagues), a collection of fresh and synthetic sunflowers (norien and ig) and playing cards from one strange uncle. i am still at a loss as to how some of this news reached the ears of my present batch of students, way before i was discharged even...thank u, people for your kind regards and care...i know everything is given in good faith.