A REPORT says the founding prime minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew, 91, has been sick with severe pneumonia and is on ‘mechanical ventilation’ in the ICU of a hospital ( Feb 22).

A Wall Street Journal story (Feb 21) notes that Mr Lee has had recurrent ill-health in recent years and was hospitalised on the previous two Chinese New Years’ as well. In a book published in 2013, the Asian statesman said he feels weaker by the day and wants a quick death. It is noted that he’s visibly slowed since his wife of 63 years Kwa Geok Choo died in 2010.

One would like to point out that though his wife’s passage understandably affected him greatly, he has three children, including the current PM Lee Hsien Loong, other relatives and many world leaders and ordinary mortals like me who esteem him immensely, for he not only provided exemplary governance and progress to Singapore, but has been a source of inspiration for many nations. So, all these folks would like to see him around hale and hearty for as long as possible and quite a few would also be praying for his good health.

Once, my late mother had been in hospital at age 91 for some other problem but had contracted pneumonia over there. I treated her through acupressure according to the method explained by the renowned American acupressure expert, Dr Francis M. Houston, in his remarkable book, The Healing Benefits of Acupressure (1991).

The point is located “on top and centre of the nose where the bone ends and the cartilage begins.” Some local children suffering from pneumonia, too, were cured in this way. His doctors are also advised to check his plasma or leukocyte ascorbate level to see if it’s not too low.

One has had a sort of spiritual attachment to Singapore ever since one made some good friends from the island while studying in the US many year ago. It is earnestly hoped Mr Lee will recover fully, much to the joy of his relatives and admirers.

As far as his deceased wife is concerned, he may take heart from Cicero’s words: “The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living.” Also from Rossiter W. Raymond’s observation, “Life is eternal, and love is immortal, and death is only a horizon; and a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight.”

Khalid Chaudhry

Karachi

Published in Dawn March 2nd , 2015

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