Entertainment personalities, the likes of Annie Lennox, Peter Gabriel, Elvis Costello, Ken Loach and Roger Waters show a unique bias when it comes to the Jewish state. Miss Lennox appeared before the television cameras, berating Israel for defending itself against Hamas. Where is she when thousands are being slaughtered in Syria and basic human rights are denied in Iran? Her silence is deafening! Has she suddenly developed a dislike for the spotlight?
An Eye-Opening Experience
By Henry
Tobias
I was recently hospitalized with serious sight threatening complications following cataract surgery. On admission to the ward, a young Arab doctor, his name showed on his I.D., explained that he needed to examine my eyes once again before the upcoming surgery. I was nauseous and vomiting, had hardly kept down any food during the previous week, a side effect of the high optical pressure, and so weak that my wife pushed me around in a wheelchair.
To say the least, I was feeling very sorry for myself, and didn't want to be poked in the eye again. The ophthalmic surgeon, who was to do the operation, had, I thought, done all the groundwork the day before and any more probing was adding insult to injury.
A nurse was trying to calm me down. Very uncharacteristically I said to the nurse, "I feel shit." I don't usually use bad language. She agreed that I was within my rights to feel sick, but another examination was necessary before the operation, an hour or two later. Both the doctor and the nurse were very reassuring. At the behest of my very loving, but worried wife, I stopped acting like a five-year old and let the doctor do his work. I apologized to him profusely, and was angry at my own behavior.
A bed had been allocated, but had not yet been disinfected. The young woman, who was in the process of cleaning, told me that she would be done in a short while. My wife and I waited patiently, and soon I lay on the very uncomfortable hospital bed.
I was aware of my surroundings, but not interested. My initial operation had been distressful, even painful, having been given minimum local anesthetic as no complications had been expected. My apprehension at the thought of another traumatic experience had me close to panic. I told the surgeon how I felt, and he assured me that he would be gentle. I soon found myself lying on a reclining chair, similar to that used by a dentist.
The area around my eye was prepared and then contrary to the doctor's promise, I saw this syringe and needle bearing down on my forehead, looking like an intercontinental ballistic missile and reason was replaced by fear. The pain seared my skull, as the anesthetic was injected. Hysteria overcame me as I writhed and complained. The doctor lost his cool, but only for a moment, and said, "I can't do my job if you don't keep still." Sense prevailed, the anodyne took affect and my head was thankfully numb.
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