To spur Hamada onwards a book written by Lieutenant Michael Morse of Providence, Rhode Island, called -Rescuing Providence -and signed especially for him, winged it’s way across the pond this week. Michael Morse has been an EMT and firefighter for 16 years. A highly decorated Lieutenant in the Providence Fire Department, where he works on Rescue 1. This book contains short stories of 34 nonstop hours in the life of a big-city fireman/emergency medical technician. Hamada will enjoy reading how these brave men and woman make such a difference in people’s lives. We too have much to thank our ambulance service for, in the saving of Hamada’s life on two occasions, and I respectfully thank Lieutenant Michael Morse for his wonderful words of encouragement and lovely comments and all good wishes.
http://rescuing-providence.blogspot.com
Author: Susie Page 24 of 30
Hamada’s still smiling but,
In purple see the changing light
the stormy days to passive nights,
in secrets of the soul display
a campaign like tinders falls astray,
and yet, as seasons daily change
you adjust to fight on moving range.
In repetition all a part
this set-piece for you
that’s learnt by heart.
I watch thee, I watch thee,
intrepid, fearless
and monumentally brave,
to eagerly face another day,
this gargantuan task,
in febrile waves you make,
the tiny steps you sweetly take.
This rape upon your ravished frame
comes back in haunting waves again,
this personal onslaught so powerfully dealt
in secrets of the soul displayed,
the campaign like tinders falls astray.
And yet in courage you edify
and make my heart to often cry…
@ Copyright 2008
A really special web-site for all sufferers and carers of people with Cancer can be found at http://www.whatnow.org.uk/
A great place to meet and make friends with others, who have also been affected in some way by Cancer. This most informative site has some great blogs, videos, people to meet, forums for friendly chats and some wonderful photos of celebrities from Mary McCartney, showing pictures of Darcey Bussell, Jude Law, Sir Paul McCartney, Gordon Ramsey and more.
This great web-site is certainly worth a look. I do recommend it.
I have written these poems to convey my feelings and to help me to understand why this has happened to this kind gentle Egyptian, who is still quite young. He never says “why me” perhaps if he did, it would be easier to bear, So we continue our journey with hope and the joy we have just being together – he is very tired but still he smiles that beautiful smile every single day.
The words of the wonderful poet KHALIL GIBRAN say it so much better than I can…
When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you, yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions
may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him…
~
As I sit at my desk listening to Luciano Pavarotti singing ‘Ai Giocchi addio’ from Romeo and Juliet, the phone rings and it’s our lovely Doctor from Lincoln County Hospital with the latest blood test results for Hamada. After the short course of ‘Filgrastim” the results show a very good improvement, how wonderful is that – so now with the sun shining through my window and this beautiful music – all is well in my world, for the time being.
It has been a challenging time since Hamada returned from Lincoln Hospital and a slow recovery once again from his second bout with pneumonia. He has been extremely weak and suffering with anaemia which is common in Myeloma. Hamada’s kidneys are unable to produce a special growth factor, known as erythropoietin, this stimulates the bone marrow to make red blood cells. He has a weekly injection to help with that. He is constantly tired but makes a tremendous effort to get up for longer periods each day. He has now had another bone marrow aspirate which involves inserting a fine needle into the bone marrow space at the back of the hip bone under local anaesthetic, and they aspirate/ suck out a few bone marrow cells to stain and view under a microscope. We wait now for ten days for the results once again.
The following is an extract from a wonderful poem written by Arthur Hugh Clough and brought to my attention by dear friends who live in our village, it is a wonderful poem of courage and hope, in the face of diversity and for folk who struggle daily, it is I believe a must to read.
Last two verses from – Say Not The Struggle Naught Availeth.
For while the tired waves, vainly breaking,
Seem here no painful inch to gain,
Far back, through creeks and inlets making,
Comes silent, flooding in, the main.
And not by eastern windows only,
When daylight comes, comes in the light;
In front the sun climbs slow, how slowly!
But westward, look, the land is bright !
~
He also thanks his dear family in Alexandria for their recent telephone messages and for the comment under the poem – ‘You Elude Me’
Hamada has been moved to a side ward in the Waddington Unit at Lincoln Hospital as he is today, ‘Neutropenic’ meaning his immune system is compromised due to lack of white blood cells and ‘reverse barrier nursing’ has started. The pneumonia seems to be a good deal better and he is quite cheerful but this is indeed a setback.
Hamada was admitted to Lincoln County Hospital, Waddington Unit, early yesterday morning with a high fever and it was confirmed today that he does indeed have pneumonia once again. I had monitored his temperature throughout the Sunday night hourly, and made a good judgement call in the early hours of Monday – he is comfortable but extremely ill again. I ask for the power of your thoughts and for those who believe, your prayers.
No wretched life from us can take
the steps of love the notes we make,
the frail frame that yearns to try
the arms that lift, the eyes that cry,
tiny steps are all you need
to close your eyes and dance with me
to swirl and sway, to waltz and salsa
maybe soon – but not today,
still just to hold and smell your skin
is all I need, not spin and twirl
your arms are weak your legs move slow
but in this room the music flows
do you hear Count Basie swing?
piano notes that damp your skin
just as snow when flakes begin
to see you there upon this floor
to hear that Sax in blues begin
to twirl and spin,
close your eyes and drift again
tiny steps are all you’ll need
to turn on floor, so close to me
for I will hold you never fear
and as we dance along this year
tiny steps are all you need
so close your eyes and dance with me…
@ Copyright 2008
We Dance Again – Now having music composed by the U.S.A band ‘DAYE’
and chosen by http://www.rescuing-providence.blogspot.com as a poem for their site