Shalom My Gantseh Megillah Family and Friends,

This is my first message to all of you in a very long time. As many of you already know I have been going through a terrible time with my health. I was hospitalized for almost six weeks with a severe liver infection. It was determined that this occurred due to a blockage of my common bile duct, making it impossible for the liver bile to drain. This caused all of this bile to form an ever growing pond of these digestive juices which ultimately bred infection. An external drain had to be installed so the bile could drain from the bile duct into a bag at my side. I am told this will be a permanent fixture in my life as any surgical correction would be far too risky in my case.

I was released from hospital shortly after Labour Day, and for about four weeks marked improvement was obvious. While at home I continued IV antibiotics, which in time caused kidney failure and severe dehydration. I was back in hospital for about eight days and then put on an oral antibiotic that harbour far fewer and has less potential for severe side-effects. At the moment, I am making very small baby steps in a positive direction, which in this case is a very good thing. Of course, my Arnold is taking wonderfully loving care of me. It is he, more than anyone else, who is keeping me going like the Energizer Bunny.

Arnold and I wish our entire Megillah family and their loved-ones a very joyous Chanukah. Kindly remember to do some of your holiday shopping using the Amazon button on the lower right-hand side of every Megillah page. Your purchases and direct donations help us to keep our publication alive. We expect to begin our regular monthly Megillahs after the first of the New Year. You can make a Chanukah gelt donation here.

Thank you all for your kind notes, cards, phone calls and emails with your loving and sincere support for us during this ongoing medical crisis. I’m a fighter, and this situation is not going to get me down.

Happy Chanukah,
Michael