Dec. 6, 2019

   Not much to tell over the past 2 i/2 weeks. My recovery has been phenomenal, people say. I just heard a few people saying what they experienced when visiting me when I was sick and down and out. One said that I talked to her for a long time but she couldn’t understand a word I said. Another said that I didn’t recognize her and talked to her in either Zulu of Xhosa. Others said that when they saw me they thought that it was all over for me….that I would never get out of that bed. I am hearing more and more of these stories. I never felt that way at all. I knew that I was drugged (they brought my meals up to me as it was hard to get out of bed ) and I was pretty much confined to my room. No masses, no hospital, no Savannah Park. By the 20^th I was almost back to my old self, except for the spasms that kept coming and continue to come even now. But it seems that I have told you some of this already.

   One of the highlights of this time was my birthday lunch. Some time back my friend Shirley asked where I would like to have lunch for my birthday. I thought this over for a few days and then got back to her and said Italian. I love Fetuccine Alfredo (it is a pasta with white sauce, not tomato sauce. I started taking it because when I eat tomato based pasta, I leave the menu on my shirt. White sauce doesn’t stain as badly.) She came with the parish priest of her parish (we are good friends and Shirley is already 85 yrs. Old and deserves to have someone drive her around.) They found a delightful Italian restaurant not too far away called LUPA ( a female wolf—you know the story of Romulus and Remus being reared by a mother wolf, the foundation of Rome). I ordered my dish and they brought it and I thought that I would have to ask for a doggy bag. But, ha,  I ATE THE WHOLE THING. So my appetite is back.

   I had to have some things done to the car like an oil change and it is very expensive. My friend who passed away used to do it for free and only now I realize what a gift he gave me,

I also went to the urologist for my annual prostate check up. No cancer. He said that my urological health is like that of a 40 yr. old. Nice to hear good news.

I blessed a car, had a home mass, and will be conducting a wedding soon. So I feel that I have improved greatly.

The only bad thing , and this is very bad, is that I doubt that I will be going back to the States (via Europe) any more because the flights are too long to be able to survive the spasms. When I went to Zambia in September, I noticed that the flight from Lusaka to Joburg was 2 hrs. I also noticed that I was very aware of the spasms that whole time because I had nothing else to do but sit and watch my legs and grit my teeth. Maybe (I pray for this) something will happen to take the spasms away. If I am busy doing something, I can ignore them and focus on what I am doing. So I can handle them. Thank God that they don’t interfere with my driving.

I also went to the bank today to have Br. Tendai, who is our bursar, be added to the sisgnatories on my bank account. The only two who are still on the account are Fr. Guy (long dead) and Fr. Winfried, now semi-retired and possibly going back to Austria in his old-er age.  

I found out that the sisgnatories cease having authority to use the account if I die. Everything is canceled. It is only the executer of my will who will be able to access my account. So now I have to start thinking of a will and including that in it. Mariannhill Congregation as the executor.

Anyway, that’s about it for now. I feel much better and am getting active again and everyone says that I look  so much better. Thanks to the Lord and you and your many prayers.

I will catch you before Christmas. Stay well and don’t let the material preparations for Christmas over whelm you but think of your spirit as well, what Christmas means , more than Santa Claus

Love and Peace, Cas