I'm so 2012..
Assalamualaikum and hello,
Yes, yes...am back...how long for, I don't know...
This blog has been long idle...I'm beginning to question its existence...so many times I have contemplated looking for the "delete blog" button and then I re-read my past postings, decided against it. This is my syok-sendiri sanctuary when I need it..what gives? So many times, in the last 6 months since my last posting, I had wanted to revert to it...alas..with so many things happening that needed my limited attention, I have to admit that this santuary of mine has taken a back seat.
Life goes on..with significant and insignificant happenings...some worth mentioning, some totally not worth any attention. Just to share what's been upor down with my life, if you care to read..
MAK
Mak turned 73 in June last year.
She has always had heart arryhythmia since she was 40 with blood that are too thick and an abnormal valve condition (which we only discovered recently) She is slow in movement and can't carry heavy loads, conditions that we have accepted. My late Abah was her pillar of strength, shopping for the home,market-ing, all the hard labor of home. When they started having grandchildren, she's only able to carry the babies when they were tiny and almost weightless, which ruled out my son, Imran when he turned 2 months for he was a big baby..ahh... missing my kids' baby days.
After Abah passed on 10 years ago, Mak being the ever positive, put up a brave front and griefed quietly. Life, after all goes on. I don't know whether it was loneliness or old age, but her health deteriorated over the years. What we thought, was a normal knee pain that she complained about intermittenly became a case of chronic osteo athritis, the last 5 years which is painful with every move. A knee replacement operation was risky with her heart condition.
We had a few scare, with her health where she had to be warded for a few days, a few times during the last few years. In one occassion, she completely lost her memory for 24 hours, not recognising my siblings and her speech went off. This was never explained, the doctors left baffled when she recovered on her own.
In July last year, while I was at work, I received a call from my brother down south, to say the Mak has been hospitalised as she complained of irregular heartbeat the night before. My bro was trying to cushion the blow and didn't tell me much. I tried to keep cool, as I couldn't go back immediately for work reasons (which sucked big time). The next morning, I had to host an event but my heart was uneasy. I called my bestest friend in JB, Umi & told her to go to the hospital the same afternoon, so that she can check out my Mak and to inform me of her condition as soon as possible. And while I was teling her all these, I can't help but bawled my eyes out..just couldn't contained the tears from falling...The feeling of helplessness, that I couldn't be near her.
Lunch time, I received a call from Umi, from the hospital...to say that Mak is alright and I even spoke to her myself. Told her I will be back during the weekend and she even said not to come home if I was busy. She's always thinking of others and imposing is not her thing, my Mak. So I felt quite relieved that she was doing ok and was only under observation.
The next morning, Thursday (19 July 2012) , early, I received a call from my brother. Mak had a stroke in the mid of the nite on her hospital bed. The maid was with her and at fajr, Mak was not responding. I kept cool, informed hubs and anxiously waited for Friday before we can go back.
Nothing could have prepared me for the sight of Mak lying on the hospital bed like she was. She recognised us, barely..but it was a consolation. Her speech was slurred and her right hand flops everytime I tried to move it. For the next few days, I took turn with my sister and the maid to be in the hospital with Mak. My brother came down from Canberra for almost 3 weeks and my nephew also took the shifts. With Ramadan, we fasted and broke our fast at the hospital. All through the weeks Mak remained very positive and calm. I went back to SA, with my sisters and brothers left to tend to Mak, coming home every weekend without the family to visit and do what I can to help.
When her condition seemed unchanged, we moved her to another hospital. It was just constant monitoring from then on, as her blood thickness and sugar level yo-yoed daily. And until that stabilised we couldn't bring her out. Everyday we would encouraged her to work her hands and chatted with her. And when I'm there,I kept telling her to affirm again and again that she's well and recovering which I felt lifted her spirits up.We kept reminding her that Syawal was coming and she wouldn't want to spend Raya in the hospital. I went back to JB almost every weekend.
My youngest sister practically uprooted herself, left her husband in their home in Taiping and became the best nurse for Mak. And for that all of us, brothers and sisters are trully thankful.
Fast forward, now almost 6 months after that stroke that affected Mak's entire right side of her body, yes, she has lost more weight, she is still on diapers, her osteo-arthritis made it impossible for her to walk, she sometimes ramble when her mouth is ahead of her mind but otherwise her sugar level, blood pressure and thickness is controlled. We set schedules, have it pasted on the wall for any caregivers' reference. With the sick (especially my Mak and all of us), setting a routine is crucial. My sister is an excellent caregiver, better than the rest of us (6 of us combined). The maid learnt the ropes of caring for the sick and when she had to leave, the new one quickly has to learn. Again, my sister was the patient one, with the maid and all of us, who couldn't be with Mak full time. We are deeply, deeply indebted.
She is someone who has been quite independent all her life, never expecting anything from her children. She remains positive and high spirited, with the ability to laugh at herself, which I find so endearing.
She's here in my home now, finally coming out 6 months after her stroke. All skin and bones, it pained me to watch her daily. She's like a child again. The time has come for us to take care of her the way she did us.
In the mean time, are we taking care of our health to avoid all the possible problems in the later part of our life? Move along now, go for a walk, eat well and have a positive attitude towards life,it will help you in future, InsyaAllah..
Yes, yes...am back...how long for, I don't know...
This blog has been long idle...I'm beginning to question its existence...so many times I have contemplated looking for the "delete blog" button and then I re-read my past postings, decided against it. This is my syok-sendiri sanctuary when I need it..what gives? So many times, in the last 6 months since my last posting, I had wanted to revert to it...alas..with so many things happening that needed my limited attention, I have to admit that this santuary of mine has taken a back seat.
Life goes on..with significant and insignificant happenings...some worth mentioning, some totally not worth any attention. Just to share what's been up
MAK
Mak turned 73 in June last year.
She has always had heart arryhythmia since she was 40 with blood that are too thick and an abnormal valve condition (which we only discovered recently) She is slow in movement and can't carry heavy loads, conditions that we have accepted. My late Abah was her pillar of strength, shopping for the home,market-ing, all the hard labor of home. When they started having grandchildren, she's only able to carry the babies when they were tiny and almost weightless, which ruled out my son, Imran when he turned 2 months for he was a big baby..ahh... missing my kids' baby days.
After Abah passed on 10 years ago, Mak being the ever positive, put up a brave front and griefed quietly. Life, after all goes on. I don't know whether it was loneliness or old age, but her health deteriorated over the years. What we thought, was a normal knee pain that she complained about intermittenly became a case of chronic osteo athritis, the last 5 years which is painful with every move. A knee replacement operation was risky with her heart condition.
We had a few scare, with her health where she had to be warded for a few days, a few times during the last few years. In one occassion, she completely lost her memory for 24 hours, not recognising my siblings and her speech went off. This was never explained, the doctors left baffled when she recovered on her own.
In July last year, while I was at work, I received a call from my brother down south, to say the Mak has been hospitalised as she complained of irregular heartbeat the night before. My bro was trying to cushion the blow and didn't tell me much. I tried to keep cool, as I couldn't go back immediately for work reasons (which sucked big time). The next morning, I had to host an event but my heart was uneasy. I called my bestest friend in JB, Umi & told her to go to the hospital the same afternoon, so that she can check out my Mak and to inform me of her condition as soon as possible. And while I was teling her all these, I can't help but bawled my eyes out..just couldn't contained the tears from falling...The feeling of helplessness, that I couldn't be near her.
Lunch time, I received a call from Umi, from the hospital...to say that Mak is alright and I even spoke to her myself. Told her I will be back during the weekend and she even said not to come home if I was busy. She's always thinking of others and imposing is not her thing, my Mak. So I felt quite relieved that she was doing ok and was only under observation.
The next morning, Thursday (19 July 2012) , early, I received a call from my brother. Mak had a stroke in the mid of the nite on her hospital bed. The maid was with her and at fajr, Mak was not responding. I kept cool, informed hubs and anxiously waited for Friday before we can go back.
Nothing could have prepared me for the sight of Mak lying on the hospital bed like she was. She recognised us, barely..but it was a consolation. Her speech was slurred and her right hand flops everytime I tried to move it. For the next few days, I took turn with my sister and the maid to be in the hospital with Mak. My brother came down from Canberra for almost 3 weeks and my nephew also took the shifts. With Ramadan, we fasted and broke our fast at the hospital. All through the weeks Mak remained very positive and calm. I went back to SA, with my sisters and brothers left to tend to Mak, coming home every weekend without the family to visit and do what I can to help.
When her condition seemed unchanged, we moved her to another hospital. It was just constant monitoring from then on, as her blood thickness and sugar level yo-yoed daily. And until that stabilised we couldn't bring her out. Everyday we would encouraged her to work her hands and chatted with her. And when I'm there,I kept telling her to affirm again and again that she's well and recovering which I felt lifted her spirits up.We kept reminding her that Syawal was coming and she wouldn't want to spend Raya in the hospital. I went back to JB almost every weekend.
My youngest sister practically uprooted herself, left her husband in their home in Taiping and became the best nurse for Mak. And for that all of us, brothers and sisters are trully thankful.
Fast forward, now almost 6 months after that stroke that affected Mak's entire right side of her body, yes, she has lost more weight, she is still on diapers, her osteo-arthritis made it impossible for her to walk, she sometimes ramble when her mouth is ahead of her mind but otherwise her sugar level, blood pressure and thickness is controlled. We set schedules, have it pasted on the wall for any caregivers' reference. With the sick (especially my Mak and all of us), setting a routine is crucial. My sister is an excellent caregiver, better than the rest of us (6 of us combined). The maid learnt the ropes of caring for the sick and when she had to leave, the new one quickly has to learn. Again, my sister was the patient one, with the maid and all of us, who couldn't be with Mak full time. We are deeply, deeply indebted.
 |
| Sleepy us at the hospital, while waiting for her blood check |
She's here in my home now, finally coming out 6 months after her stroke. All skin and bones, it pained me to watch her daily. She's like a child again. The time has come for us to take care of her the way she did us.
In the mean time, are we taking care of our health to avoid all the possible problems in the later part of our life? Move along now, go for a walk, eat well and have a positive attitude towards life,it will help you in future, InsyaAllah..
Comments
I wouldn't worry about how often you blog, cause it'll be a good place to come back to when you need a pick-up or a good rant.
Hope your mother gets better too!