• pigduck
• Jan 16,2008
• In: Family, Spiritual Affairs

In Loving Memory - 3 Months and 14 Days

If you’ve been following the news, you would have read that former Indonesian President, Suharto, is in grave condition.

He’s been fighting for his life for the past week and a half. He’s been in intensive care with multiple organ failure receiving dialysis and medications for his heart and lungs. He’s also on a ventilator and getting blood transfusions. They are now trying to stave off a sepsis infection and pneumonia.

He’s got a team of doctors making sure that he gets the best possible care. Funeral arrangements have been made due to his very unstable condition. He’s 86.

Isn’t it sad how the infamous president of Indonesia, the powerful man who amassed so much in his life time, who helmed Indonesia for over 30 years, has to wither away with the whole world watching. It’s his most private moments exposed. It isn’t very … pleasant, is it? Reading the daily report of his deteriorating progress. An oxymoron.

When I read of the news, it arrested my interest, not because of who he was. His legacy was not in my era but it was his failing health that piqued my interest. As grotesque and morbid as that sounds.

I can relate to his case. It sounds all too familiar.  

My father made it quick and easy for us though, right to the end. And maybe, we made it easy for him too, knowing it was time for him to stop suffering, to stop fighting for us and  to go.

Of course, my father held no titles, was not a head of state so it is different in that respect. 

In my mind I wonder, does Suharto have a lot of things left that he cannot leave in peace and that’s why he’s clinging on so tightly? Are his loved ones allowing him to go? Maybe it’s the ones who want him to be put on trial that’s delaying his departure. But seriously, what can he do now? I know it’s about being justice being served but suffering from blood infections and pneumonia is bad enough, having to be artificially supported by a machine to breathe is bad enough. Life’s like that. It’s not as fair as we hope it to be.

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I was reading the Star at breakfast and came upon this article in the submissions page, “Abdullah, a very caring premier.” Reading that brought tears to my eyes. From a patient’s view, something we don’t see very often. I will re-post it here.

Abdullah a very caring premier

I AM a Malaysian Indian stricken with both multiple myeloma, a type of bone marrow cancer and leukaemia. I thought life was over as I had no means to go overseas or seek treatment. 

In desperation, I wrote to the Prime Minister. I was laughed at and told that my letter would be thrown away as I was an ordinary citizen with no political connection. I was shocked when I received an immediate reply from the PM and the director-general of health.

How can anybody lament on being marginalised when even an ordinary Indian man like me was treated like an important person? 

Here we have, in Dr Chris Anthony’s words (The Star, Jan 1): “The greatest asset we have today is our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.” He loves and cares for each and every citizen irrespective of race, creed, age or background.

I was admitted to the Penang General Hospital and was in Ward A4 where the sister, nurses and haematologist Dr Goh took good care of me. Most of my battle for survival was fought here. 

After three chemotherapy sessions, I was transferred to the National Haematological Centre at the Ampang Hospital, Selangor, where I was treated by Dr Chang and his team.

I know life is short for me. Everything possible has been done for me, like more chemotherapy, a transplant and intensive care, regardless of who I am. 

In Ampang Hospital, this insignificant Malaysian Indian man was showered with so much of love and care. I met cancer patients from all over the country who prayed and shed tears of gratitude for the doctors and the leaders of this country.

There were patients of all races. We are only known as cancer patients. We pray for each other and rejoice when someone’s blood reading improves and cry when someone dies. Dr Chang and his team come to see us every day, even on Saturdays and Sundays.

Blood cancer patients need not despair if they do not have the means to go overseas, as our country offers the best available treatment. 

We have our own loving doctors and nurses to fight the battle with us. We are never alone although at times many of us feel like giving up.

I am indeed very proud to be a Malaysian for I know every citizen is accorded equal rights irrespective of race, religion or creed.

LEUKAEMIA PATIENT,
Sungai Petani, Kedah. 

It reminds me of one other submission I read a few months back when my father was first transferred to Singapore. I did an archive search and found it. Please read it below:-

Kudos to caring doctor

THIS letter is to bring to your attention the goodness and diligence of a doctor at Penang General Hospital (PGH). Dr Goh Ai Sim, the haematology specialist is an exemplary doctor and she is my dad’s doctor.

My dad has been a bladder cancer survivor for 10 years. His cancer recurred on Oct 30, 2006 and he was suspected to have leukaemia. He was immediately admitted into PGH and diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia and was administered his first course of chemotherapy treatment.

As head of the Haematology Department, Dr Goh still manages daily morning ward rounds.

Most times, she comes in the afternoon for ward rounds again. It is rare not to see her at the wards by 7.30am on Saturdays and Sundays.

This doctor gives nothing but the best treatment; not only in terms of medication, but her daily doctor-patient conversation is so much appreciated.

Her high expectations are reflected in her medical officers (namely Dr P.Y. Loh, the MO of my dad’s ward), housemen and team of ward nurses in A4. Everyone in her team provides excellent treatment and nursing care.

In February 2007, my dad was referred to Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (HUKM), Kuala Lumpur, as a potential stem cell transplant candidate. Dr Goh assisted in the transfer and continually follows up on my dad’s progress; this we found out recently.

After a successful stem cell harvest, my dad was home during the Worker’s Day holidays. We made a visit to PGH Daycare and met Dr Goh there.

She saw me (but not my dad standing behind her) and immediately asked her nurse to retrieve my dad’s medical file. This is a true doctor who remembers patients by name and not by medical case number!

As a doctor with 30-40 in-ward patients at any one time in PGH, her memory and dedication to each patient (in-patient and out-patient) is humbling and yet, awe-inspiring.

She is truly a first-class doctor.

If there is such a thing as a Doctor of the Year award, the least I can do is to nominate Dr Goh Ai Sim from Penang General Hospital.

OOI AI LING,

Penang. 

Maybe our perception of government hospitals need to change because there are a few good doctors out there but then again, who knows. Maybe blood patients and their families are just more grateful.