* THIS IS NOT A NEW POST. IT'S AN OLD POST WHICH I NEVER GOT TO POST, AND FOR SOME REASON WAS LOCKED OUT OF MY BLOG PAGE. I FINALLY FOUND ACCESS TO THE BLOG, AND AM POSTING THIS OLD REFLECTION WHICH NEVER GOT TO BE POSTED. BUT THE MESSAGE STILL HOLDS TRUE, AND THIS IS WHY I AM POSTING THIS REFLECTION. PLEASE NOTE THAT I AM NOT ABOUT TO GO INTO SURGERY.
I know that many parishioners who personally know me through my serving them as a priest have been praying for me as the days progress toward my planned surgery to replace the empty parts of my skull with two KEEP plates that are coming in from Switzerland. This was arranged for me by the dexterous surgeons who in the last part of May 2021 performed the surgery to remove the two parts of my skull as they realized that they were bleeding from the accident that occurred to me while I was exercising early on 24 May. I have no recollection of that accident having happened. All I can recall is that one day I woke up after the surgery that took place in Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
And I am profoundly grateful to my parishioners who have been praying almost incessantly for the success of the second operation, after which I will slowly recover and get back into parish life to serve them as one of their priests in the Immaculate Heart of Mary parish in Singapore. Knowing that there are many who are praying for the intervention of the Holy Spirit as the surgery progresses gives me a tremendous amount of confidence. The original date of the surgery was slated to be Thursday 24 September, and it is also the feast day of St Padre Pio, whom many are praying to for his intercession for me.
I had set my heart on undergoing that complex surgery on 24 September but I had also been nursing a coughing bout that was accompanied by the expectoration of thick phlegm. On Friday, 17 September, I had an appointment to see the surgeon at the hospital for a pre-surgery interview where I was analyzed for my suitability and readiness for the 24 September surgery. It was there that the anesthesiologist had a one to one with me and my brother, and patiently explained to me that with the state of cough that my body is going through, it is unwise to carry on with the surgery on 24 September. There are complications that can result if what is infecting my lungs with this bout of flu affects my recovering process post-surgery, and suggested (with consultation with his senior surgeons) that the surgery now be moved to a later date instead. It will now most probably happen sometime in October to keep my post-surgery condition controllable and not be complicated due to me infecting the process of recovery.
I will admit that it sounded like a very positive thing that the surgeon is making such an arrangement. Understandably, when I informed some friends of the movement of the date, they were visibly disturbed and showed great concern for me. I kept assuring them that this was most probably moved in order for me, the patient, to benefit in a better way post surgery.
There will often be moments in life when the things we have either been planned for us or the things that we have planned for, get affected by a change of date. It is tempting to blame anyone, including God, when such things happen to our plans in life, but this would be a dangerous thing to do. God is ultimately in charge of what happens to us, and if the dates and time table changes, it is best to believe that God has allowed it to happen. Blaming God with disdain impacts negatively our faith life, and ultimately our relationship with God.
There are many feast days that the church celebrates and observes in the month of October, and one of them is 18 October, which is the feast of my patron saint, St Luke the evangelist. I would have no qualms if the surgery is moved to that date. I would be submitting myself to the patronage of my own patron saint who has walked with me through the ups and downs of my personal life.
Other notable feasts in October are 2 October of the memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels, October 4 the memorial of St Francis of Assisi, and 7 October, which is the memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary.
The hope of the surgeon is that as my coughing fit heals and I recover from it, there should be about a 14-day period where my body isn’t plagued with the flu bug and they can carry on the planned surgery without the danger of my causing infection to my healing due to the surgery. I even had to undergo a chest X-Ray at the hospital just to be ensured that my lungs are clear within. I will only know the new date as the results of the tests that were done to my body and blood emerge. Right now, the date of the surgery is still not confirmed.
Do I hope that my parishioners and friends will still continue to pray for the success of the surgery? I certainly hope so. Nothing gives a patient who is undergoing an extensive surgery more than the confidence that those who know him are praying earnestly for his recovery and the deft surgery skills of his surgeon.
Now, each day that progresses, I am constant in taking the medications that were administered to me by the doctor I went to see when my coughing started. I am also praying daily for the help of both Mother Mary and the Holy Spirit to help me in my path out of the coughing and the fullness of the phlegm in my lungs.
If you who are reading this blog are one of my friends who are assisting me in prayer, thank you so much, and may God give you the grace to continue in your prayer for me and the success of the upcoming surgery to my skull. Till I see you again after recovering from the work of the surgeon’s hands, I want to wish you the choicest blessings of God.
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