I had just returned from a visit to the Cardiac Intensive Unit at Sultanah Bahiyah's hospital in Alor Setar. I went to visit Hamid's mother in-law who was admitted to the CIU last night. I expected to find a fragile, petite old lady looking sickly. Instead, masyAllah, she looked so cheerful and happy to be surrounded by so many visitors. Noor and I entered the ward without any special pass. Only two are allowed in at a time. Noor just walked in confidently without anybody stopping him. I just followed. ... :-)) There we found Mala, my sister in-law with Mak Cik. She happily greeted us and there I was, teasing her and making jokes to get her laughing and smiling happily. She wanted to tell us what had happened last night when she fell unconscious at her youngest daughter's house with whom she was staying now. Luckily her son in-law is a doctor with the hospital. Since we did not have to use the pass, we stayed for almost an hour while the other children, grandchildren and relatives took turns to come and see her.... ;-}
We knew Mak Cik and got to know her when we always made it a point to visit her during Hari Raya. Her house at Titi Haji Idris was deep in from the main road and in the middle of acres and acres of padi fields. Hamid used to say that the height and size of the house could accommodate three large lorries...:=D)) When Hamid was advised by the doctor to get out of the city and learned how to breathe (half of his lungs were badly affected by TB), this was where he went for almost 2 years to recuperate and rehabilitate. He used to wake up at 4:00 am and just breathed in the fresh air. Since we did not have any relatives here, Mak Cik became our auntie. Another one whom we are close to is Zeti's mother or Kifli's mother in-law whom we call Mak Lang, who lives in Kuala Nerang. We went to visit her last week as she had also undergone an angioplasty too.
Mak Cik was so happy because she considered it a blessing that Allah had given her this trial in her late life. Due to this condition, all her 9 children came back along with grand children who were not having classes or other commitments. She was so cheerful and talking so much I was afraid of the reading on her monitor which was so erratic !!!! I was afraid for her as if she was my mother. Tomorrow, she will undergo a surgery to insert a balloon catheter into her heart. She is in her 70's.
I was just making a comparison with the condition of my own brother, Abang, who had been warded since last December for a heart bypass, lung infection, throat infection and lately for diabetes. He has an adopted son as he has no children of his own, who has just started his new job being a fresh graduate. My sister in-law is also facing her own health issues. Thus, Abang only has a male personal nurse whom the family hires to take care of him and keep him company 24 hours a day ( 2 nurses on 12 hours shift ). He is lonely. I could see his loneliness and aloneness. Abang used to be an active person with his Pondok Jenderam project, his ceramah, organising talks here and there, entertaining foreign visitors to his Pondok, in fact he was a very busy man. He was always surrounded by people. He had never been warded and he was always fine for a man his age. In fact the first thing my sister in-law did was to keep his mobile phone at home upon doctor's advice as he was always making and receiving calls. Now he could only whisper hoarsely. I wanted to stay and keep him company but I could not as I live here and he is in HUKM KL. Even though he is my half-brother (my father's first wife), he is still my brother. I make it a point to visit him whenever I go down to KL.
Two very close people in my life. Almost the same situation. Both had never been warded before this. Both had heart problems. Both were in their 70's. One is so cheerful and surrounded by so many people who love her. While the other, so lonely with only occasional visits now from his siblings as everybody is busy. Both are so accepting of their trails and tribulations. One can see the patience and the pain. What we can do is to learn from them how to accept this with grace and an open heart that with these trials and tribulations, we are able to redeem ourselves of our past sins and wrong doings. I can only pray for both them "May Allah grant them patience, strength and the tenacity to face this. Not alone but with much love from all those near and dear." Aamiin.
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