Solstice My Love - Chapter 8

Saturday, last night aboard Solstice my Love - Chapter Eight

Cabin 3581 Time 2235

At three thirty in the afternoon I released my last patient aboard the Solstice, Christiana. She cruises with her husband and son. Christiana Einhorn is a very atractive woman at her late fifties shapely and very blonde. On the third session of the five turned out that her father was a Jew converted to Christianity because of his love for her mother, the beautiful and very Catholic. So her mother was able to rescue her father from the Gestapo when the Germans occupied Luxembourg.

Luxembourg covers an area of 58 km at the widest point and a length of 90 km. It has 400 thousand inhabitants of which 200 thousand are foreign workers. Christiana said she has relatives in Israel by her father. I did not ask if Einhorn, Unicorn, is her last name due to marriage or was received from her father. This is a name used by Jews and Christians alike.

Within four days after the peak of last week and after a series of correspondence with the boss in Miami, it was decided to leave Dana onboard, to bring a replacement for me and to transfer me to another ship in which I will act as a sole practitioner. I received this decision with mixed feelings but I refrained from feeling as a victim and respected the boss and his decision.

This was later proven to be a wrong administrative decision that will be evident in my writings from the deck of the Liberty.

Since Wednesday when I found out finally where I am leaving to the following Sunday I was packing up, say goodbye to people and concerned with the continued success of Chinese Medicine aboard the Solstice after I am gone. I invested here all my heart and all my energy so Acupuncture will succeed and prosper. I don’t want to see it all go down the drain.

Despite working without a lot of desire and most of the new patients were referred to Dana as a gesture on behalf of the sisterhood and the Irish desk, I managed to finish the week well enough although I carried only 34 treatments. It's an anti - climax in relation to the high record of last week where we had 126 treatments. That is 18 patients on average every one of the seven days of cruise!.

This average is a bit misleading since there are two sea days and five days of port where the guests disembark including the day of Embarkation which can have work done only in the late evening. This means that the average for each of the four days of actual treatment time came to 30 per day...

I said goodbye to all the senior officers with whom I worked as Michelle the OMM (On Board marketing manager): "You are going to make much dough in Liberty, this ship is amazing," Lutz (sous chef) "Take it easy mate", Sadok the Tunisian, "Can’t buy the herbs that you perscribed for me, I sent all the money I received on Monday to the family back home ", Rob the black musician:" Don’t worry Bro, you’ll be good, let's Chill Out come hear us tonight give top jazz", and I even said goodbye to captain whom I met walking down the stairs: "Are you leaving already? I planned to come to you for the start of Easter on Monday."

In the morning staff meeting, like any sea day starting at seven-thirty, Joanna mentioned that I was leaving and since this is the last day of the cruise she suggested I see them all off at the 2100 meeting. I preferred to say goodbye in person to those I wanted to part with them during the day and skip the meeting tonight. You know how is the last night before you are moving...

I received from Tyson a big hug and a lot of warmth and support from some girls at the spa. Nikisha from Jamaica - a manicurist, nail builder and an amazing artist - "Yaaman you don’t need all that nonsense ... Good luck in the Liberty and forget about all the petty people here".

Nazel the Filipino wiped a tear of emotion, Michelle whom I had the only massage at the spa from: "Get them Tiger, Fly Birdy Fly and have a lots of luck" [I've met her and Predrag 6 month later on board the "Summit" my third and last ship], of course the spa manager Joanna: "I worked with many Acupuncturists along my seven years with the company - I've never seen any of them at your level - So sorry you're leaving ... big brother ". I replied that my sorrow is mainly because I know we could be a great team together, and complimented her on human management savvy she imparted since she arrived only two weeks ago.

The same empathy came from Nadine the delicate massage therapist from Germany who referred Kim to me. Kim 52 decided to take a fiver but later added 2 treatments to complete 7. Kim is a lady who owns a company selling vehicles which she took over after her first husband died. This was 8 years ago and now she employs 80 workers.

Kim really reminded me of a Canadian-French lady whom I had treated a few month earlier. L. owned a family firm with a thriving cave mining fungus to serve as a breeding ground for mushroom growers farmers worldwide. It is a business founded by her father, she bought it from him and from her brothers and she has run it with her husband very successfully. As happens often in these situations she lost a lot of feminine essence in the process. She was treated successfully and followed my suggestions to emphasize her femininity.

Kim was on the cruise with her second husband and her adopted daughter. With her second husband Kim has a relationship that is quite problematic. Catherine (11, Russia), suffers from hyperactivity and uses very heavy drugs, enabling her to concentrate on studies but damage her appetite so she eats late at night...

I tried to help Kim in many levels including alternative child counseling for Catherine. We are not allowed to treat with Acupuncture children under 16 and so I offered a short and intuitive consultation and recommended on taking "Tranquility", this is how Xiao Yao San is called here. It will hopefully replace gradually the drugs to calm the liver and strengthen the child's digestive system. I urged Kim to continue both her treatments and her daughter’s with a Chinese Medical practitioner at home.

I could clearly see that the main problem with Kim is a lack of self esteem. This lead her to make serious mistakes in her personal life. Besides acupuncture, nutrition and herbs all I could do was to cultivate and further emphasize her hidden femininity.

I chose Nazel to refer her to so he will design her hair. She of course never thought of such self-care action until the idea was raised by me. During a series of intensive daily therapy, as it happen on Cruise ships, patients trust me and my recommendations.

The extremely sensitive Nazel did a great job without me telling him anything. Grateful Kim felt obligated to buy many retail hair products from Nazel to use at home. It was hard to recognize her when she came out of the Salon of Nazel, she shone and beamed in her glamorous femininity and smiled happily all over the ship.

A woman must feel desired. Undesired woman becomes bitter and cynical and it does not allow for movement or life in her vicinity. This is true even in cases of infertility. In my experience I noticed that there are women who cannot conceive when they are full of resentment and bitterness. Maybe because there is no space left...

Once again THE CHURCH OF FEEL GOOD acquired a new believer. Kim might have taken a lot of renewed self-esteem and peacefulness and perhaps even new ways to deal with the complications of her life. She thanked me warmly at the end of the seventh treatment.

These are the kind of moments that give each practitioner the strength to keep on giving. Only the gods can give all the time without getting anything back...

Joan 65 was stricken with arthritis in her hands and scarred from innumerable surgeries all over. At the end of the quintet she was able to hold the ear of a cup of coffee in the morning - something she could not do very many months. Her fingers and her bones were deformed and curved from the arthritis and lost their flexibility. This is the last stage of Arthritis when the Kidneys’ energy is affected. She was all excited at the temporary victory of her body that closed on her. A new horizon of hope opened for her after the introduction of Chinese Medicine with its natural solutions.

My boss suggested in the e-mail in which he announced the transfer to call him during the weekend. I took advantage of the global Skype acquired and talked a long time. Maybe he was afraid I should break down after last week's stunning climax and the subsequent transfer. He was very kind and let me know what is happening in the Liberty as for Acupuncture.

It turned out that I was replacing a Portuguese lady therapist that her English is not so good, so she was unable to present seminars or to produce significant income. She was transferred to San Juan Puerto Rico, to a cruise ship for Spanish speakers.

I was surprised that Martin had not contacted me. Weeks later when I met Martin at Cozumel Island in Mexico, a third and last meeting, I discovered why it was so. He was ordered very firmly to not contact me.

I'm going to take all the lessons and insights learned aboard the Solstice and plan with the spa manager (for a change it would be this time a man named Yoan) how acupuncture on the Liberty will become a generator of revenue for all spa through conscious process of mutual referrals, as started with Nazel.

I like to come to the rescue or as a savior to the scorched earth at the Liberty. It might become a garden with my help. Such a situation can only get better and I'm the expert in identifying what is missing and incomplete, being a Chinese medical physician.

The Solstice was an excellent school for me. During my work aboard I did a lot of adjustments to my work of many years on land. These adjustments are required to work at sea in the service of tough U.S. commercial company. I do not envy the guy who replaces me. I was told that it is a man. He'd have to deal both with a stressed partner and with last week's record that will forever be thrown in his face.

I spoke with Joanna to take care of the guy the first few days and I made everyone I could from the team aware that they should help him at first. I do not know him personally. I look at things on the level of a mission and spreading good and in my heart I wish them both, Dana too, much success and cooperation. As for Dana, maybe someday she'll understand she got from me a huge fishing rode after so many fish. Dana did not change more than a few words with me this week. When I learned of the transfer I told her jokingly cowboy style "The Solstice is not big enough for both of us, so I'm going to a bigger ship"...

To facilitate the easy landing for him I left a letter in my cabin explaining where all the things he needed on first days onboard. I have listed my personal email address with an invitation for him to consult with me if he feels any need. And he indeed contacted me later. He has asked for my advice of how to do better on board the Solstice as for sales. I was surprised and disapointed at how Dana had not shared her gained experience for that matter. Later on I've found out from Martin that she did less in sales than the person who has replaced me...

As for the Liberty. We will cruise again for seven days but in the Western Caribbean. Route: Miami - Costa Maya, Mexico - Belize - Cozumel, Mexico - Miami. Every second week we will land in Tahiti and Ocho Rios in Jamaica. Except for Labadie in Tahiti all other places are new to me. It's amazing but despite all my years in California I have never had an urge to cross the border into Mexico. It is going to happen very soon...

Remember the couple Ivan and Judith Weinbaum? He was wounded in the shoulder in the War of Independence, and returned to South Africa. Judith is a descendent to a family from Jerusalem. Both were treated aboard. I am reminded that they built a guesthouse on the isolated island in Belize. Maybe I'll see them in Xanadu. Their business card still with me.

Wow Solstice, how I love this ship! In the evening after the last treatment with Christiana I climbed with the transparent elevator to deck 15 which is the upper deck.

On the real grass covered golf course was the wedding of Marcus Katz at sunset with fireworks. Even now, after 70 days on board, I've discovered new things such as an entire area with glass blowing craftmen with a hot oven.

It may sound strange but I was beginning to miss this ship while I was still on board...

At six in the morning begins the release process, it involves completion of various tasks according to a travel form, followed by customs check and passport control in Fort Lauderdale, a trip to Miami port with all my personal gear and a climb aboard Liberty Of The Seas.

This ship belongs to Royal Caribbean the mother company of Celebrity and used to be the largest in the world until the monstrous Oasis of the Seas has launched.

The Liberty is larger than the Solstice but the Solstice is my first love and first love one never forgets ...

Effi Kfir L. Ac

A little sad and a little excited…

10 hours from Fort Lauderdale and the end of my last cruise onboard the Solstice…

*****

This ends the 8 chapters series under the title of: “Solstice My Love”.

Back to the first chapter press here

From now on look out for: “Liberty my Darling” (a new series…)

*****

Email - effikfir@yahoo.com

Phone - 054-4804538

Website - www.kfir.net