Dírbheathaisnéis 12 – Jackie Robinson!

Autobiography 12 – Jackie Robinson!

In the last chapter, I was writing about the summer holidays, and what I used to do during those wonderful summers that stretched out almost forever at the time. But unfortunately, all good things come to an end, and eventually I had to go back to school. That change was quite difficult, because it not only involved going back to classes, but also having to gather my wits and say goodbye to my home and family until the next holidays. After the summer, I used to live in the school for three months until I had a good break at Christmas. I needed a little self-discipline after being locked up for so long. But unlike most students, who had to stay in school every weekend, I used to have a couple of days off every week at home, which I loved.

My life at school, however, was lonely. I was a fragile boy with asthma, so field sports were not for me. I developed a good camaraderie with the football and hurling players, but I didn’t have that opportunity. I played handball and although there weren’t many students playing, there were a few other regular players who I made friends with as a result.

I loved academic life, and I studied or read every chance I got. I stood out because almost everyone else in the school preferred to be outside, playing together. There were a few other students who were interested in the same things as me, and we got along really well from the start. It takes one to know one, as the old saying goes, and it was certainly true in my case.

My cubicle in the Dormitory

In my first year at school, I was in the small St. Columba’s dormitory. It was a gentle introduction, for there were only ten of us, and we had a supervisor – a young man who was studying at the seminary, named Jackie Robinson. My cubicle was by the door, and I didn’t have much privacy, but I didn’t care. I was the second smallest boy in the dormitory, and the other boys would play together before we went to bed every night. I didn’t usually take part in those games, although the smallest lad, Seán Ó’Cúiv, was always in the middle of the action. I had asthma and consequently wasn’t very strong. When Jackie heard the scream coming out the door and into to the room he was in, he would come in and settle us down. Then he would turn out the light. We would go to bed immediately, as we were tired after classes, studying and playing and running whenever we got a chance.

Because I wasn’t playing with the other boys, I drew their attention, and they were asking me questions trying to understand why I wasn’t joining them in their games at night. I didn’t want to seem like a loser, and I made another excuse that I was tired or something like that. But the boys didn’t believe a word of it, and they started to tease me every night. One time, Jackie saw me blinking my eyes to hold back the tears. He had a word with me discreetly and asked me what was going on. I told him that the other boys in the dormitory were ganging up on me, and hurling insults at me and calling me nasty names. He nodded his head and walked away. I still remember that the insults and names stopped before long. The other boys started chatting to me, and after a while I was comfortable in the dorm, laughing and talking to every boy there.

The next time there was a loud noise in the dorm, Jackie ran in to stop it. He looked at me knowingly, and said: “And you too, Michael - go back to your cubicle and take your pillow with you!” A big smile spread across his face, and he was out the door. I was one of the guys now, and I was very proud of that.

I still don’t know what Jackie did behind the scenes, but it’s clear that he had a few words with each of the guys. Because we all respected Jackie very much, we listened to what he had to say to us. He did the job without me knowing, but at the same time I knew he did the job. I learned a great lesson that our ancestors have well said: there are many ways to skin a beast. Without a doubt, diplomacy is the best way to ensure peace. I had a better life at school after that, and I am always very grateful to Jackie for what he did for me.

Fibriliú Atriach – cuid 2!

Atrial Fibrillation - Part 2!

I had been as brave as a lion up until the day before the operation. But then the truth hit me, and I realized for the first time that it was a heart operation. I had understood the words earlier but I did not understand them personally and as they applied to me. That operation would have been easy for another person, but now I understood correctly that it was not for another person. I might die, I told myself. Don’t be silly, said another voice in my head. It is a minor operation, and I will be back home tomorrow evening. All right, said the other voice, if everything goes without a problem, but there might be a problem, and what would happen then? The other voice was ready for it. You are as safe as a bank note, son! Doctor Gibson performs the same operation day after day, and his patients have never had a major problem. And another thing, he told you about the new, even safer surgical technique that he is currently practicing. The surgery is shorter, and people are back to their old selves more quickly too. I understand, says the first voice, but can’t I avoid any risks and continue with my medication regimen? But there are risks involved in that direction too. Your atrial fibrillation is getting worse over time, and it’s already a life-limiting condition. Not only that, but it’s more likely than not that you’ll have no other option but to have the surgery in the years to come. In that case, the surgery might not be as successful when your disease is more advanced.

 

I understand what you are saying, sensible voice, and although I am still worried about it, the right thing to do is to have the operation without delay.

With that I went to bed and in the morning I prepared to go into the hospital. I had a fasting day before the operation because I was going to have a general anaesthetic.

I was told to come in at eleven o’clock. After half an hour in the waiting room I was taken into the pre-operative room. I put on a surgical gown, and then I had to wait. My wife was with me and we were able to talk and chat together. Unfortunately, however, the surgeon had a few difficult cases that delayed my operation. It was a long day, and at five o’clock the surgeon arrived and was sorry that my case was delayed, and that he was going to do the operation anyway, and that I would have to stay in hospital overnight. My wife was then able to go home, and the surgeon would call her after the operation.

Bhí mé stiúgtha leis an ocras agus spalptha leis an tart, ach ní raibh mé in ann bia nó deoch a bheith agam. Tar éis tamaill, chuir an ainéistéiseolaí é féin in aithne dom, agus chuir sé cúpla cheist orm chun cinntiú go raibh gach rud i gceart. D’inis sé dom faoin bpróiseas maidir leis an ainéistéiseach, agus go n-ionsáfaí tiúb i mo scornach chun cuidiú le m’análú le linn na hobráide.

Finally, around seven o’clock at night, I was taken into the operating room and then onto the operating table. There were large machines on each side and a wall of screens showing all kinds of measurements and images. There were also medical staff in the room, all of whom were very busy doing various tasks. One person placed sensors on my chest and back. Then, I was laid down. The anesthesiologist was positioned behind me. The surgeon was not there yet.

The next thing I knew, I was in the pre-operative room, and awake. A nurse told me that everything went well, and that my heart was now in the right rhythm – which I saw on screens next to my bed. I was taken to another building on a trolley, and into a nice room with a nice view of the city of San Diego. I had to stay in bed for four hours, to make sure there was no problem with my femoral artery bleeding. A nurse gave me water and food (crackers). I ate everything there was and drank a lot of water. I couldn’t go to sleep because of a slight pain in my chest. The nurse gave me medicine to relieve my pain, and before long I was able to sleep.

Early in the morning, I ordered a big breakfast, and promptly ate it. Then, I texted my wife, and then I called her. She was so happy to hear from me, and she said that the surgeon had called her after the operation, saying that he was happy with the operation, and that I was recovering.

My wife arrived at the hospital, and by lunchtime we were checked out and on our way home. I had received post-operative orders, and the main order was to take it easy for a week – no exercise other than walking, and no heavy lifting. I followed the instructions without question, and I had no problems. I then resumed my normal activities, including exercise. I had no problems at all, quite the opposite. I felt better than ever, and I was able to do everything and more after the surgery than before. It’s almost two months since the surgery as I write this, and I’m going from strength to strength in terms of energy. If you have any irregularity in your heart rhythm, I would recommend that you go to the doctor immediately. And if you have fibrillation, be sure to ask the specialist about ablation. That surgery could radically change your life and give you back your health. And don’t worry about it, the benefits are definitely worth the trouble!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fibriliú Atriach – cuid 2!

Atrial Fibrillation - Part 1!

One minute, I felt fine. Then, without warning, it was as if a strong hand had grabbed my heart and started shaking and squeezing it wildly. I had a big problem! We went to St. Luke’s General Hospital in Kilkenny right away, my wife driving. There were many other people waiting in the emergency department, with all sorts of things wrong with them. It took me four hours to see the doctor and by then my heart had settled down. The first time the doctor checked my blood pressure I had high blood pressure, but when he checked it again it was normal. I said I was stressed, because my father had recently died, and it wasn’t easy for me to deal with that. The doctor told me that was the problem, and that it was important for me to do breathing exercises every day, and that it would help me to get rid of the stress of life. That was it! Let’s go home again!

To me, the situation was still unresolved, since I didn’t know what was wrong with me. I did what the doctor recommended, which I still do every day. That was all very well! We got back to California the next week, and we continued with our normal routine. It gave me a false sense of security for a while, and I was thinking that the doctor was right and that it was just stress. I had barely forgotten it when it happened again. I was able to go to my doctor the same day, and he did an electrocardiogram (ECG). He said that my heart was beating too early from time to time, but that was not a problem. I went home, but I didn’t feel right. I made another appointment with my doctor, and he did another electrocardiogram. “Oh!” he said. “I’m sorry I didn’t see this last time, but you have atrial fibrillation, or ‘A-Fib’!”

“That’s what I thought, doctor!” I said. “Atrial fibrillation runs in my family, so it’s no wonder I have it now.” I was then referred to a cardiologist. The cardiologist ran all sorts of tests on my heart—an ECG, an MRI, an echocardiogram, and a stress test on a treadmill. I still had A-Fib, and the cardiologist prescribed medication to stop the irregularity in my heart rhythm. It took more than a week, but eventually my heart rhythm returned to a normal, or regular, rhythm. Then the doctor prescribed a few medications, including an anticoagulant. He said that people with A-Fib had a much higher risk of having a stroke.

I continued like this for a few years, when I had another episode of A-Fib. The doctor prescribed medication, and when I took it, it stopped the A-Fib. He told me to take that medication whenever I had an A-Fib. At first, I only had an A-Fib episode a few times a year. But gradually, the A-Fib happened more often. Even though I was able to stop it, it wasn’t nice to be in A-Fib. I felt uncomfortable and anxious every time I had an A-Fib, and it took three or four hours for the medication to stop it.

Finally, the cardiologist said it was time for me to see an electrophysiologist. An electrophysiologist is a specialist who specializes in the electrical system of the heart. This system controls the heart rate as well as the contraction and relaxation of the heart muscle. When you have A-Fib, there is a problem with the electrical circuit in your heart, so that your heart does not beat regularly in a normal manner. As a result, the heart does not work as well as it should, in terms of circulating blood. This causes you to feel short of breath and tired, as well as feeling chest discomfort.

I saw the electrophysiologist right away, and he reviewed the test results from the cardiologist. Dr. Gibson is an honest, easy-to-understand man, and he said that I could continue with the medication, if I wanted. But he said that I also had another option, which was to have an ablation. He then explained to me what this medical procedure involved. I would be under general anesthesia during the operation. A catheter would be inserted into the femoral artery, and then up the artery and into my heart. Pulses of electrical energy would be used to kill the diseased tissue in the heart's electrical system. There would then be a good chance that the A-Fib would be gone completely or at least for a good while. “You have the information now, and you have to make the decision!” Dr. Gibson told me. “There's no rush – think about it, and get back to me with your decision then.” I didn’t have to think. “If I have a good chance of getting rid of that disease, even for a while, the benefit would be worth the trouble. How soon can the operation be done?” I said.

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Dírbheathaisnéis 11 – Raidió Luxemburg!

Autobiography 11 - Radio Luxembourg!

When I was a boarding student at Coláiste Chiaráin, I loved the holidays, because I got to live at home again, enjoying all the benefits that came with that – delicious meals, a comfortable bed and privacy. I also got to spend time with my own family and friends. And I got to go out by myself or with my friends, play games and do all the things that young people like to do. I had time to read books and watch TV at night, and I didn’t have to go to bed too early. In a word – I had freedom!

Of the many holidays we had, the summer holidays were the best. I had a three-month break, the weather was mostly fine, and the sun didn’t set until nine or ten o’clock. It seemed like the summer holidays would never end, but eventually they would come to an end and I would have to move back to school.

I had a close friend called Tomás, who was a few years younger than me. We spent every summer together and we were able to play hurling and football, because we were at the same level, and we didn’t play them as contact sports. That way, we had access to the skills and pleasures of the sport. We would go out into the field behind my house, with sliotars and hurling clubs and play in the All-Ireland championship. Or we would play soccer in the back garden, with jerseys as goals. Whenever my parents saw us out in the garden kicking a ball, they would bang on the window and scream “Get out of the garden, you’ll ruin our roses!” But we wouldn’t stop, because wasn’t the World Cup wasn’t on and I was about to score a penalty. Often, our brothers and sisters would play with us and we would all have a lot of fun.

Sometimes, Tomás and I would go on adventures together, and we had plenty of imagination. There was an old harvester that was in poor shape sitting in the field behind Tomás' house. We spent a lot of time there every summer. For us, it wasn't a harvester, but a spaceship exploring the galaxy. We would get our inspiration from 'The Invaders' and 'Star Trek', science fiction series that were broadcast on RTÉ at the time. Everything else would disappear and we would be in space, fighting alien spaceships – and we would always win! We would visit new planets and meet aliens, both friends and enemies. Eventually, we would hear Tomás' mother calling us and we would wake up from our dreams for that day. But we were back on the spaceship the next chance we got.

Bhí teach iargúlta suas an bóthar amuigh faoin tuath, agus cé go raibh daoine ina gcónaí ann, ní bhíodh duine ar bith le feiceáil riamh ann. Bhí rud éigin mícheart, agus b’éigean dúinn spiaireacht a dhéanamh ar na comharsana sin, chun a fháil amach cad a bhí ar siúl acu. Bhí coill bheag in aice leis an teach, agus bhíodh Tomás agus mé féin inár bhfolach ann, ag iarraidh muintir an tí a fheiceáil. Is cosúil nach spiairí maithe muid mar, in ainneoin an t-uafás ama a chaithimis ag spiaireacht, ní fhacamar muintir an tí fiú uair amháin. Nó b’fhéidir go raibh siadsan ina spiairí proifisiúnta, agus ag déanamh monatóireacht orainn. Tar éis tamaill, d’d’éiríomar neirbhíseach agus tuirseach den obair sin, agus tháinig deireadh luath leis ár ngairmeacha bheatha mar bhleachtairí.

We both loved pop music, and we loved listening to the music of the day on Radio Luxembourg on 208 FM. We had a transistor radio at home, and every Sunday evening when the weather was nice, I would borrow it. We would take a walk up the road to a quiet, secluded spot, across the road from the aforementioned house, as it happened. We would sit down and turn the radio on to 208FM, and we would listen to Kid Jensen’s ‘Top 20’. We were in heaven listening to the 20 songs that were the most popular that week. I remember musicians and bands like: Don McClean, Slade, Gary Glitter, Gilbert O’Sullivan, Diana Ross, The Who, Winds, David Bowie, Mott the Hoople and T-Rex to name just a few. We loved hearing the new, fresh, modern sounds on that radio, many of which were earworms. Even still, to this day, when I hear tunes from that time, they take me back to the days of my youth – the sounds, the smells, the sights and the feelings from a time long gone. In particular, when I hear 'Get it on (bang a gong)' by T-Rex, I feel like a teenager on the side of the road with my friend Tomás, listening to the song on that transistor radio. How well I remember those days. I haven’t told you the funniest thing that happened to us while listening to the ‘Top 20’. We weren’t alone as an audience. When we turned around, there would be a herd of cows standing by the fence, entranced by the music – just like Tomás and I!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Litir ó Mheiriceá – D.O.G.E!

Letter from America - D.O.G.E.!

Donald Trump and Elon Musk have created an advisory agency outside the United States government that will advise Trump on how to cut a significant amount of spending from the federal budget. Musk initially thought he could cut $2 trillion, but later admitted that it would be a smaller amount. But cutting a significant amount – an amount that would make a big difference – will not be easy. To understand this, it is necessary to explain a few things about the US federal budget.

U.S.A. Federal Budget

The federal government has a budget of $6.75 trillion for 2024. The budget is divided into two parts: mandatory spending and discretionary spending. Mandatory spending cannot be cut, as Trump himself has declared, no matter how big or small it is. In that category, programs such as: health (Medicare and others): 28%; Social Security: 21%; defense: 18% and repayment of the national debt: 14%. That’s 81% of the federal budget, or nearly $5.5 trillion of the $6.75 trillion. Even if you cut everything in the discretionary budget (veteran benefits, transportation, agriculture, unemployment benefits, housing assistance, and more), you’d only cut $1.25 trillion. But it wouldn’t be realistic to cut everything discretionary.

We don’t know much about Musk’s intentions when it comes to cutting back. Incidentally, Vivek Ramaswamy, a former presidential candidate and tech billionaire, was originally Musk’s partner, but he’s leaving that position to run for governor in Ohio. But there are other tech stars like venture capitalist Marc Andreessen working with Musk at D.O.G.E. There’s no shortage of smart people, no doubt!

D.O.G.E. Plans

Musk and Ramaswamy wrote that the main focus would be “reductions in the number of employees across the federal bureaucracy.” Otherwise, however, the story is shrouded in secrecy. It’s no wonder that federal employees are wary of the uncertainty surrounding their careers. It’s easy to believe that those same employees are in a state of awe and fear, especially when you consider what Musk did to Twitter after buying it—namely, laying off 80% of its employees.

On the other hand, however, as other industry leaders have discovered, there are significant differences between government and industry. Cutting or even changing any aspect of government—from headcount to budget to the rules pages in the federal register—is a thankless task.

The challenges facing D.O.G.E.

In any case, it won’t be easy for Musk and his employees at D.O.G.E. achieve its objective. Here are a few difficulties they will face:

• Cutting the number of employees would not save a large percentage of the budget. Even if you eliminate 25% of federal jobs, you would only save 1% of federal spending.
• Federal employees would not humbly accept being let go. There are millions of them as members of unions, who will work on his behalf to protect their jobs.
• D.O.G.E. will not have any special power. D.O.G.E. will not be able to fire any federal employee, because they do not have that power. D.O.G.E. is a think tank that will be able to make recommendations to the government. Trump will have to implement them, and he must take political calculus into account before making any such decision.

Another Challenge!

This is not the first time that federal spending has been cut. In the past 50 years, annual federal spending has only been cut five times, and no reduction has been greater than 8%. Those cuts have occurred in special cases – after the 2008-9 financial crisis, and after the 2020-2023 pandemic. Even in the 1980s under Ronald Reagan himself, who created a commission to reduce federal spending and instructed its members to “work like a bloodhound without ceasing,” spending increased every year.

Conclusion

The United States Congress is in charge of spending. On the one hand, its members say that government spending needs to be cut, but on the other (and for good reason!) they are not willing to cut spending in their own constituencies.

This puts D.O.G.E. in trouble, and they are gradually learning the hard truth in that department. Musk recently said that a $2 trillion cut would be the best case scenario, and while he would try to achieve that goal, they are more likely to reach $1 trillion. D.O.G.E. has been putting its own employees in federal operations for quite some time, to gain a deeper understanding of their operations and inefficiencies.

Musk and D.O.G.E. aim to have the task completed by July 4, 2026. That way, if legislation is needed, Congress will have six months to pass it. When you consider how large and complex the U.S. government is, they’re going to need every minute of that time in D.O.G.E. for this massive and complex task!

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