Bali Hello - Again
I am home again in Tucson not even 24 hours and after posting what appeared to be my farewell address that I forgot to post the day I was leaving so posted earlier today, I realized there were still a number of events I intended to write about in the last few busy days there that I didn’t get to. So, I will continue with another post or two, as if I was still there, in the next day or two before my memory exits stage left. Writing some more will also give me a little more transition time to hold onto Bali before being totally consumed by the ongoing present at home and catching up here. This, in spite of teachings of being in the present by Suzuki Roshi in Zen Mind , Beginners Mind which, by the way will be republished for the 50th anniversary of its first release soon. David is currently working on that with some updated corrections......
We return to last Monday November 4th, the day before my departure with what you know by now is pretty much same o same o beautiful paradise sunrise, sounds, sights and frangipani fragrance - when in paradise it can become like the movie Ground Hog Day so you must not give in to that attitude that it’s all the same because in truth, the moment you’re in is the only moment like it, so it must be savored, caressed with more awareness, differences and subtleties parsed from what appears to be just the same as always but cannot truly be. I assumed my place at the patio table I usually sit at and started on my farewell address ahead of time and that I intended to also squeeze in some summary reflections as well as add the rest of the days last minute events as they accumulated. When you think about it, that would be a writing challenge to jump about the time line figuring out what to put where when you don’t even know what is yet to happen! Yet here I go........
I got about two sentences in when I heard a motorbike pull up outside the gate, fierce killer guard dog Bandi barked, then the gate bell clanged, more barking, then she stopped upon hearing familiar voices as the gate was pulled open.
It was the carpenter and his son who were here to figure out how to build a protective cover over the electric water pump motor that somehow miraculously avoided being shorted after several years being exposed to monsoon rains - why press our luck. After consulting with them what would be the best approach, they came up with a better idea so both mounted back up on single motorbike and headed for supplies. No sooner sitting back down to write we heard the tell tale clanging sounds of another festive event happening on adjoining street so went the short distance to corner and it was deja vu all over again - another funeral procession......
I watched until the procession moved off noisily down the street. There is no silence observed for the dearly departed - maybe after the body is first washed, prepared and openly displayed in the home anywhere from several days to weeks, there might be time to sit and quietly reflect but from the moment the casket hits the streets to cremation it is continuous movement and sounds of life. Someone told me this is because the spirit is present and still part of the community even though they are moving on and to show they are not alone.
Once again sitting down to write only a few more lines and up comes our carpenters on the motorbike carrying an arm full of long pieces of lumber and supplies for the project which they immediately start in on with sawing and hammering.
By now it is time for me to go the hospital for my noon appointment with the orthopedic doctor to have follow up hyaluranic acid injections to my previous cortisone injections for my swollen and painful knees that started plaguing me soon after I arrived with all the activity I waded into. My hips have been replaced about eight years ago due to osteoarthritis and I’m trying to save my knees from the same fate but it’s not looking good at the moment - am trying my best to delay that. We were going to have the Bemo driver Nyoman take me but Kadek the housekeeper, after discussing with David, was willing to take me on the back of her scooter if I was game.
My ride is here - Kadek Limo Motorbike Services....
I had somewhat easily avoided renting a scooter while here after being advised against it by everyone, especially wife, and seeing how obviously dangerous it was not to mention licensing, insurance, rental cost , et. I put it out of my mind until NOW...... in a flash I decide on my last day to risk life and limb as a passenger with no control over my own fate but see photo/story opportunities so what the heck, what are the odds - off I go with my cell phone at the ready to record maybe my last moments. Carpe Di....um?🤔
Step right up folks if you dare to watch - the spine tingling thrills, the potential for spills, the howling wind rushing by, the screaming whine of high speed scooters or is that my not so silent scream of terror?!, cars, trucks, pedestrians, lampposts with my name on it, oh my!
That was fun and an exercise in trust and surrender but no worry, this time......Kadek got me safely to the hospital intact and with no red lights flashing or the sound of ambulance siren - always a better way to arrive. This is actually my third visit to this newly opened hospital - the first was accompanying David who had an appointment with his cardiologist on my second day in Bali and the second was three weeks later to get cortisone shots for my knees and now this follow up for another round of injections. I sat in on David’s first appointment which we had to wait a while for as the doctor had gotten called in for an emergency heart surgery. We passed the time pleasantly catching up so no problem. When we finally met with the doctor and David got his questions answered, he asked the doctor if I could ask a few questions and review some my is issues which he was happy to do. This was useful since three weeks later in my trip he met with me and gave me a prescription for one of my blood pressure meds I had just run out of - unfortunately they didn’t have that med there and possibly only a generic version at a pharmacy downtown so I decided to take my chances and forego a few more days until I got back to the states. Remember, I took my chances on the motorbike ride later at the end of my trip, heart still beating - same concept 🤷♂️🤞😉.
My three hospital visits in a foreign country went remarkably well and in many ways better then in the states. I walked in without appointments, just a generally understood good time of day. My first visit I signed up with very little information requested of me and issued a hospital card as a newly registered patient and guided through a very smooth process to meet with the orthopedic doctor with very little wait time - less then even with an appointment in the states for sure. The doctor spoke fairly good English, I explained my situation and he agreed to inject both knees, no problem and did so expertly with little pain. He then prescribed two medications for swelling and pain, both of which I was familiar with and I picked those up later at the pharmacy downstairs after a short wait. He suggested I return in two weeks for injections of hyaluronic acid as a lubricant which I was familiar with, but explained I was leaving in five days - no problem, he could do it on my last day and then I could follow up back home with the second and third injections of the recommended series. Amazingly, my total bill for the three visits including shots and medications, was around $300 US! Would have been in the thousands of dollars in the US if I had to pay out of pocket, fortunately nothing since I’m one of the fortunate ones to have good insurance and they may very well reimburse me for Bali expenses. No complaints from me on this one plus my experience was actually pleasant and professional in a brand new, very clean hospital excellently staffed.
Done with my appointment, I called up David to see if Kadek could pick me up so I could throw the dice one last time. She agreed, would be on her way and as I waited in the lobby and then out front I took a few pictures of the nice new facility.
Instead of employee cars in parking lot like US, mostly the affordable and easy to get around in heavy traffic ubiquitous motorbike ....
Check in...
New addition going up...
My doctor is coming in from emergency admittance to meet with me...
Front entrance
Doctor will see you now, come on in.....
We return to last Monday November 4th, the day before my departure with what you know by now is pretty much same o same o beautiful paradise sunrise, sounds, sights and frangipani fragrance - when in paradise it can become like the movie Ground Hog Day so you must not give in to that attitude that it’s all the same because in truth, the moment you’re in is the only moment like it, so it must be savored, caressed with more awareness, differences and subtleties parsed from what appears to be just the same as always but cannot truly be. I assumed my place at the patio table I usually sit at and started on my farewell address ahead of time and that I intended to also squeeze in some summary reflections as well as add the rest of the days last minute events as they accumulated. When you think about it, that would be a writing challenge to jump about the time line figuring out what to put where when you don’t even know what is yet to happen! Yet here I go........
I got about two sentences in when I heard a motorbike pull up outside the gate, fierce killer guard dog Bandi barked, then the gate bell clanged, more barking, then she stopped upon hearing familiar voices as the gate was pulled open.
It was the carpenter and his son who were here to figure out how to build a protective cover over the electric water pump motor that somehow miraculously avoided being shorted after several years being exposed to monsoon rains - why press our luck. After consulting with them what would be the best approach, they came up with a better idea so both mounted back up on single motorbike and headed for supplies. No sooner sitting back down to write we heard the tell tale clanging sounds of another festive event happening on adjoining street so went the short distance to corner and it was deja vu all over again - another funeral procession......
I watched until the procession moved off noisily down the street. There is no silence observed for the dearly departed - maybe after the body is first washed, prepared and openly displayed in the home anywhere from several days to weeks, there might be time to sit and quietly reflect but from the moment the casket hits the streets to cremation it is continuous movement and sounds of life. Someone told me this is because the spirit is present and still part of the community even though they are moving on and to show they are not alone.
Once again sitting down to write only a few more lines and up comes our carpenters on the motorbike carrying an arm full of long pieces of lumber and supplies for the project which they immediately start in on with sawing and hammering.
By now it is time for me to go the hospital for my noon appointment with the orthopedic doctor to have follow up hyaluranic acid injections to my previous cortisone injections for my swollen and painful knees that started plaguing me soon after I arrived with all the activity I waded into. My hips have been replaced about eight years ago due to osteoarthritis and I’m trying to save my knees from the same fate but it’s not looking good at the moment - am trying my best to delay that. We were going to have the Bemo driver Nyoman take me but Kadek the housekeeper, after discussing with David, was willing to take me on the back of her scooter if I was game.
I had somewhat easily avoided renting a scooter while here after being advised against it by everyone, especially wife, and seeing how obviously dangerous it was not to mention licensing, insurance, rental cost , et. I put it out of my mind until NOW...... in a flash I decide on my last day to risk life and limb as a passenger with no control over my own fate but see photo/story opportunities so what the heck, what are the odds - off I go with my cell phone at the ready to record maybe my last moments. Carpe Di....um?🤔
Step right up folks if you dare to watch - the spine tingling thrills, the potential for spills, the howling wind rushing by, the screaming whine of high speed scooters or is that my not so silent scream of terror?!, cars, trucks, pedestrians, lampposts with my name on it, oh my!
That was fun and an exercise in trust and surrender but no worry, this time......Kadek got me safely to the hospital intact and with no red lights flashing or the sound of ambulance siren - always a better way to arrive. This is actually my third visit to this newly opened hospital - the first was accompanying David who had an appointment with his cardiologist on my second day in Bali and the second was three weeks later to get cortisone shots for my knees and now this follow up for another round of injections. I sat in on David’s first appointment which we had to wait a while for as the doctor had gotten called in for an emergency heart surgery. We passed the time pleasantly catching up so no problem. When we finally met with the doctor and David got his questions answered, he asked the doctor if I could ask a few questions and review some my is issues which he was happy to do. This was useful since three weeks later in my trip he met with me and gave me a prescription for one of my blood pressure meds I had just run out of - unfortunately they didn’t have that med there and possibly only a generic version at a pharmacy downtown so I decided to take my chances and forego a few more days until I got back to the states. Remember, I took my chances on the motorbike ride later at the end of my trip, heart still beating - same concept 🤷♂️🤞😉.
My three hospital visits in a foreign country went remarkably well and in many ways better then in the states. I walked in without appointments, just a generally understood good time of day. My first visit I signed up with very little information requested of me and issued a hospital card as a newly registered patient and guided through a very smooth process to meet with the orthopedic doctor with very little wait time - less then even with an appointment in the states for sure. The doctor spoke fairly good English, I explained my situation and he agreed to inject both knees, no problem and did so expertly with little pain. He then prescribed two medications for swelling and pain, both of which I was familiar with and I picked those up later at the pharmacy downstairs after a short wait. He suggested I return in two weeks for injections of hyaluronic acid as a lubricant which I was familiar with, but explained I was leaving in five days - no problem, he could do it on my last day and then I could follow up back home with the second and third injections of the recommended series. Amazingly, my total bill for the three visits including shots and medications, was around $300 US! Would have been in the thousands of dollars in the US if I had to pay out of pocket, fortunately nothing since I’m one of the fortunate ones to have good insurance and they may very well reimburse me for Bali expenses. No complaints from me on this one plus my experience was actually pleasant and professional in a brand new, very clean hospital excellently staffed.
Done with my appointment, I called up David to see if Kadek could pick me up so I could throw the dice one last time. She agreed, would be on her way and as I waited in the lobby and then out front I took a few pictures of the nice new facility.
Instead of employee cars in parking lot like US, mostly the affordable and easy to get around in heavy traffic ubiquitous motorbike ....
New addition going up...
My doctor is coming in from emergency admittance to meet with me...
Front entrance
Doctor will see you now, come on in.....
It’s a wrap - time now to leave Bali and be home, turn my mind towards the present. I’m sure there will be times memories will pop up and I will further reflect on the many interesting experiences I had there, of my friends old and new and the people and culture of Bali, all of which has enriched my life and for which I am extremely grateful. 🙏
A couple parting videos that I was duly instructed to make as I was leaving...........☺️
ONE LAST TOUR
TO THE AIRPORT 👋
Excellent. One little note here. Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind is not being republished. It's never been out of print and has been a steady seller since it came out in 1970. I just did an Afterword for the 50th anniversy issue which is an update of the one I did for the 40th anniversary issue. There are other versions of it too like a pocketbook comes to mind.
ReplyDeleteIn the twinkling of an elephant's eye you are back in Tucson, USofA. What is reality?
ReplyDelete