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I'll be travelling on Thursday...
I'll be going to London, it's been too long since I've smelt that damp air,
I'll try posting then...
Monday, August 29, 2005
A trip to support a friend and search for a soul
I'll be travelling on Thursday...
I'll be going to London, it's been too long since I've smelt that damp air,
I'll try posting then...
Sunday, August 28, 2005
Whale Shark at Dubai Marina
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Junior was taking an afternoon swim at the Dubai Marina during lunchtime... Seeing him was an amazing experience, I believe most of us onlookers wished we could go into the water and swim beside him.
A man climbed over the railing and tried to touch him but he was out of reach, I was running along trying to take as many shots as I possibly could of this beautiful creature and amassed around 41 images!
My day haden't started of well, and yet after this small yet extraordinary adventure, I had hope and was positively energised... today was going to be a beautiful day!
I remembered my dream, the colour of the ray was the same as that of this beautiful creature. You cannot but be amazed by it's enchanting and humbling serenity. Life wasn't all that comlicated, yet we humans seem to have an uncanny talent of creating complexities to no end.
May you, also, have a pleasant and serene whale shark day!
Constantine
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Of Al Hamra street in downtown Beirut, there's a quiet warm cafe. I walked by it a couple of times... and then, slowly and quietly I'd come closer to probe, peek and delve into this cosy warm perhaps even cute cafe, just of Al Hamra street. There, I sat and ordered my Turkish coffee, sweet, unfortunately the young man brought with the sugar on the side... and I sat, I observed and slowly the older guy started to speak, he asked my where I'm from, and I told him: "Iraq"
His name is Constantine, he's 50 years old and he gave me advice for free.. He said: "When you're in a relationship, scratch under the surface every now and then..."
A certain something...
There's a certain smell about a place that always reminds you of someplace else... of anywhere else, but right here, right now...
Someone, to watch over.
It was nearly 2.30 am. And even then the streets were buzzing, she went to the sandy parking lot and didn't find his car; mayb, maybe he went to grab a bite? He wasn't at his usual restaurant or rather his car wasn't there.
In the back of her mind a voice had been whispering.. "Internet Café"! and his car was there. so she parked three cars behind. No, that was not convenient. Ok so she parks 6 cars ahead, again that's not good, too far horizontally and easy to discover. She decides to park across the street with the car facing the opposite side. Yes! Quickly she sets the car in motion. Quickly, before he leaves.
She parks and waits.. listening to haunting songs, songs that remind her of their passion their love, songs that seem to intensify her pain. Someone leaves the café, and goes to their car, a range rover, then someone else leaves, and so on & so forth, and she blinks, looks downwards and then up. She sees him close to his car. Damn it she didn't see him as he left the café! well of course not, she was expecting him in dark colours and it's the weekend, he'd be in lights.
He gets in his car and closes the door, pauses, and opens the door again, and for an instant her heart stops; has he seen her? Is he coming over? Yes she wants him to see her and NO! No she doesn't 'cause she'd seem weak. Yes she wants him to see her, 'cause she knows it'll make him smile, but she cannot afford it...
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
7 Kisses - (Remembering Beirut)
أرد أبوسنَّك سبع بوسات
الأولة والثانية على الشفتين
الفوق تين والجوَّة قمر الدين
والثالث والرابعة علي الخدين
هين وهين
والخامسة والسادسة بين النهدين
أما السابعة فجوَّة الصدر بشبرين
Monday, August 08, 2005
Therapeutic embolization of renal angiomyolipoma - POSTPONED
Postponed to Sunday the 21st of August 2005
Dear Friends... who are family.
Good Afternoon. Now, how do I say this? O.K. On Either Saturday the 13th of August or Sunday the 14th of August 2005 I will go in for a minor procedure at Al Zahra Hospital in Sharjah. This is called embolization.
WHY?: As I had discovered a benign lump on my right kidney which is approximately 7c.m. X 7c.m. and is called an ANGIOMYOLIPOMA. It causes me discomfort on occasion and therefore I need to have it removed.
WHAT IS AN ANGIOMYOLIPOMA?: Angio meaning blood related i.e. blood vessels - Myo meaning muscle tissue - Lipoma meaning fat. And for once FAT is GOOD!!! why because a good fat content makes it benign and therefore not a malignant tumour.
HOW?: Through Embolization.
WHAT IS EMBOLIZATION?: "Embolization is a way of occluding (closing) one or more blood vessels that are doing more harm than good. Various materials may be used, depending on whether vessel occlusion is to be temporary or permanent, or whether large or small vessels are being treated. The material is passed through a catheter (a small plastic tube) with its tip lying in or near the vessel to be closed. This approach can be used to control or prevent abnormal bleeding as well as shut down the vessels that support a growing tumor. Therapeutic embolization may also serve to eliminate an arteriovenous malformation (AVM), an abnormal communication between an artery and a vein. The term "embolization" derives from embolus, which can be any object that circulates in the bloodstream until it lodges in a blood vessel?in this case, a synthetic material or medication specially designed to occlude the blood vessels." http://www.radiologyinfo.org/content/interventional/catheter-embol.htm
WHO DOES IT?: An Intervention Radiologist: A radiologist who specializes in the use of fluoroscopy, CT, and ultrasound to guide passage through the skin by needle puncture, including introduction of wires and catheters for performing procedures such as biopsies, draining fluids, inserting catheters, or dilating or stenting narrowed ducts or vessels. http://www.radiologyinfo.org/content/interventional/catheter-embol.htm
HOW IS THE PROCEDURE PERFORMED?: "The first step is angiography (injection of x-ray dye into an artery or vein) to locate the exact site of bleeding or abnormality. A sedative is injected through an intravenous line to relax you. Occasionally a general anesthetic is given instead. The radiologist will numb an area of the groin just over the hip joint with a local aesthetic. A thin plastic tube (catheter) is introduced through a very small incision into the femoral artery, a large groin blood vessel, and guided by TV monitoring as close as possible to the area of abnormality. Contrast material then is injected and a series of x-rays are taken where even tiny thread-like vessels can be seen. An appropriate embolic material then is chosen and injected through the catheter to lodge at the treatment site. Repeat angiograms are done until bleeding is controlled or there is an enough embolic material in a tumour or vascular malformation. At the end of the procedure the radiologist removes the catheter and presses on the groin area for a short time to prevent bleeding from the site of catheter insertion. You can expect to stay in bed for six to eight hours afterwards." http://www.radiologyinfo.org/content/interventional/catheter-embol.htm
WHAT WILL I EXPERIENCE?: "The intravenous (IV) sedative will make you feel relaxed and sleepy and you may nod off for brief periods, but generally you will remain awake throughout the procedure. You may feel slight pressure when the catheter is inserted, but no serious discomfort. Most patients experience some side effects after embolization. Pain is the most common, and can readily be controlled by oral or intravenous medication. It occurs because the oxygen supply to the treated area is cut off. Women who have embolization of fibroid tumours may have severe pain or cramps, not during the procedure but for eight to 12 hours afterward. Occasionally pain continues for as long as three or four days and may require IV treatment in the hospital. Mild headache may follow embolization of an intracranial arteriovenous malformation (AVM). Most patients leave the hospital within 24 hours of the procedure, but those who have considerable pain may have to stay for up to 48 hours. A majority of patients can resume their normal activities within a week. You may or may not remember some things about the procedure. Your radiologist probably will want to check your condition six weeks after embolization and again after three months and six months.
Dear Friends... who are family.
Good Afternoon. Now, how do I say this? O.K. On Either Saturday the 13th of August or Sunday the 14th of August 2005 I will go in for a minor procedure at Al Zahra Hospital in Sharjah. This is called embolization.
WHY?: As I had discovered a benign lump on my right kidney which is approximately 7c.m. X 7c.m. and is called an ANGIOMYOLIPOMA. It causes me discomfort on occasion and therefore I need to have it removed.
WHAT IS AN ANGIOMYOLIPOMA?: Angio meaning blood related i.e. blood vessels - Myo meaning muscle tissue - Lipoma meaning fat. And for once FAT is GOOD!!! why because a good fat content makes it benign and therefore not a malignant tumour.
HOW?: Through Embolization.
WHAT IS EMBOLIZATION?: "Embolization is a way of occluding (closing) one or more blood vessels that are doing more harm than good. Various materials may be used, depending on whether vessel occlusion is to be temporary or permanent, or whether large or small vessels are being treated. The material is passed through a catheter (a small plastic tube) with its tip lying in or near the vessel to be closed. This approach can be used to control or prevent abnormal bleeding as well as shut down the vessels that support a growing tumor. Therapeutic embolization may also serve to eliminate an arteriovenous malformation (AVM), an abnormal communication between an artery and a vein. The term "embolization" derives from embolus, which can be any object that circulates in the bloodstream until it lodges in a blood vessel?in this case, a synthetic material or medication specially designed to occlude the blood vessels." http://www.radiologyinfo.org/content/interventional/catheter-embol.htm
WHO DOES IT?: An Intervention Radiologist: A radiologist who specializes in the use of fluoroscopy, CT, and ultrasound to guide passage through the skin by needle puncture, including introduction of wires and catheters for performing procedures such as biopsies, draining fluids, inserting catheters, or dilating or stenting narrowed ducts or vessels. http://www.radiologyinfo.org/content/interventional/catheter-embol.htm
HOW IS THE PROCEDURE PERFORMED?: "The first step is angiography (injection of x-ray dye into an artery or vein) to locate the exact site of bleeding or abnormality. A sedative is injected through an intravenous line to relax you. Occasionally a general anesthetic is given instead. The radiologist will numb an area of the groin just over the hip joint with a local aesthetic. A thin plastic tube (catheter) is introduced through a very small incision into the femoral artery, a large groin blood vessel, and guided by TV monitoring as close as possible to the area of abnormality. Contrast material then is injected and a series of x-rays are taken where even tiny thread-like vessels can be seen. An appropriate embolic material then is chosen and injected through the catheter to lodge at the treatment site. Repeat angiograms are done until bleeding is controlled or there is an enough embolic material in a tumour or vascular malformation. At the end of the procedure the radiologist removes the catheter and presses on the groin area for a short time to prevent bleeding from the site of catheter insertion. You can expect to stay in bed for six to eight hours afterwards." http://www.radiologyinfo.org/content/interventional/catheter-embol.htm
WHAT WILL I EXPERIENCE?: "The intravenous (IV) sedative will make you feel relaxed and sleepy and you may nod off for brief periods, but generally you will remain awake throughout the procedure. You may feel slight pressure when the catheter is inserted, but no serious discomfort. Most patients experience some side effects after embolization. Pain is the most common, and can readily be controlled by oral or intravenous medication. It occurs because the oxygen supply to the treated area is cut off. Women who have embolization of fibroid tumours may have severe pain or cramps, not during the procedure but for eight to 12 hours afterward. Occasionally pain continues for as long as three or four days and may require IV treatment in the hospital. Mild headache may follow embolization of an intracranial arteriovenous malformation (AVM). Most patients leave the hospital within 24 hours of the procedure, but those who have considerable pain may have to stay for up to 48 hours. A majority of patients can resume their normal activities within a week. You may or may not remember some things about the procedure. Your radiologist probably will want to check your condition six weeks after embolization and again after three months and six months.
About one in five patients treated for fibroids will develop what is called post-embolization syndrome, which consists of fever (up to 102° F) that may be accompanied by loss of appetite and nausea or vomiting. The syndrome may occur after any embolization procedure, but is more prone to develop when a solid tumour is embolized. The symptoms usually resolve within three days, though they sometimes last longer and require medication to improve symptoms. These symptoms are the body's reaction to breakdown products from the tumours and are most common when very large tumours are embolized. " http://www.radiologyinfo.org/content/interventional/catheter-embol.htm
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
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