India Journal 2006 #2-Aug 19, 2006

Well, almost 2 months have gone by since my first post here and things have taken shape, although not as I had imagined they would. Well, not entirely true. Some things have happened as planned but there have been new scenes added to the script which I was not expecting, although, perhaps I should have been.
I have finished working, this past Tuesday, August 15th, to be precise. And I am very pleased with that. I have already signed up for unemployment and, assuming there will be no hitch from Bituach Leumi (who have to approve my claim for unemployment) I will be collecting on a regular basis, against a once a month visit to sign in. However, things being what they are in this world, signing in is very different from what it was last time I had to. I put my ID number into a computer, had the computer record my fingerprint, and now, once a month when I arrive, I just have to click in my ID number and place my finger on the designated place. I then receive a note, which has either a picture of a house on it (meaning, "go home, we have no work for you") or a smiling lady (which means "come in to see me, I might have something for you"). The whole thing takes 5 minutes, once a month, and for the next 8 months I should be getting a regular income, about 70% of my full income for the past 3 months. Not a bad deal at all.
The unexpected thing was, about 2 months ago my father
was admitted to hospital...
for a couple of pints of blood to relieve his serious anemia, and while there, for one day, apparently picked up a vicious staph infection. He wound up spending 6 weeks in hospital and then rehab and, bottom line is, this seems to have finally "done him in". He has left the apartment where he lived in assisted living with my mother and is now in permanent geriatric nursing care (in the same building) He is in a very bad state, unable to do anything for himself...needs diapers, wheelchair, help to even sit up and is being fed blended food. It is all very trying for everyone involved and will not go into details here, as I really cannot put into words the devastation we are all feeling and experiencing at his situation. I never in my life imagined my father would end his days in this state and we are not as yet succeeding in coming to terms with it.


For the time being, I have postponed my September 15th ticket to October 6th. Only time will tell what happens between now and then. I have not spoken to my parents yet about my going away for 3 months, because as of now, unless something changes drastically, I will not be able to leave them for any extended period of time. I am sure this situation will not go on for long, and if I don't go in October, I will take the loss, cancel my ticket, and plan to go in February or there abouts.
I have not changed my plans for India, nor lost sight of the final goal of semi-retirement there. I have just put the final implementation on hold for now to see where things lead.
We are all going through a transitional period now, myself, my mother and my father, each of us in a different stage of our lives. We will now have to learn the lessons of this transition, and then move on to wherever we are directed by Higher Wisdom and Love.
So for today,
Namaste to all