The
past few weeks have been testing, tiring and trying. First of, my sister had a
major surgery. I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t help care for her in
her recovery. I only managed to visit her with some black fish essence and then
bought some body support for her. Still, I was worried and prayed hard for her
speedy recovery.
Then
last Tuesday, my dad had chest pains. He went to the clinic and was advised to
go to the hospital. He went home, took some under-the-tongue medication and was
sweating profusely later in the same afternoon. My neighbour decided to call an
ambulance for him and I got home in time to accompany him to Hospital Ampang.
He started displaying symptoms which I later learnt were normal of someone
suffering from prostrate problems. They ran some tests on him and after a
four-hour wait, he was cleared to go home. I did ask if it would be better for
him to be admitted instead so that the doctor and nurses could have him under
observation but was told there was no need for him to be admitted.
We
got home at close to midnight and I spent the next hour cleaning up (he threw
up and I had to wash the floor mat too), clearing away the half-peeled garlic
on the dining table, clearing up and storing dishes in the fridge, bringing out
the rubbish (the collectors come very early on the designated mornings) and
last but not least, folding clothes and storing them. I had to take emergency
leave to monitor him on Wednesday.
On
Friday evening, he started having problems urinating. He would go to the bathroom
every 20 minutes or so and he couldn’t sleep as he kept having to get up. On
Saturday, I checked online resources and suspected he had prostrate problems so
I checked the over-the-counter options before going to the pharmacy. His situation
worsened on Sunday where he had the urge to urinate every 15 minutes. Finally
in the evening, I told him we should go to the hospital but he was afraid if he
would need to urinate when we were on the way and decided to go instead on
Monday. He then said that he felt better but was feeling pain in another part.
Seriously, I was at my wit’s end by then.
On
Monday, my neighbour helped drive him to the clinic. The doctor gave some
medication and we went back only for dad to remember that he forgot to tell the
doctor about his enlarged tummy, on the right-hand side. So again we had to ask
our neighbour to help rush him to the clinic (the clinic closes during lunchtime
at 13:00. Yes, how inconvenient). The doctor did a simple ultrasound and said
there was a lump. I felt like fainting then. He said he couldn’t do anything
and urge us to go to the hospital. He suggested Hospital Ampang reasoning there
was no need to go to expensive Ampang Puteri hospital. I then rang my sister to
ask her opinion. I just felt so alone and helpless and incapable of deciding.
We
left for Ampang Puteri after 15:00 and were at the emergency area by 15:15. I
had to wheel him around with one shoulder toting the bag which I’d packed in
case he had to be admitted. He was attended to shortly and the staff stuck a
tube so that he could urinate into the tube. Before long, the tube had filled
up.
A
nurse helped wheeled him to the ultrasound area. I had to wait outside. Then we
went up to the urologist clinic and had to wait about an hour before the doctor
saw us. He was thorough in his explanation. He also said that dad could go
home. When I asked if it would be better for dad to just be admitted for
observation, he said there was no need to do so. He then set an appointment for
next Tuesday.
I
went to perform prayers before settling the bill, collecting the prescribed
medicine and then waiting for the Grab driver to come collect us. We were home by
19:15.
Yesterday,
dad complained that the bag seemed empty, the urine didn’t seem to flow into
it. I really had no idea and was clueless. My sister came later in the morning
and took him back to Ampang Puteri. It turned out there’s a switch at the tube
and it was locked hence preventing the urine from flowing into the bag. Like duh.
My sister then brought dad back to her house, yes, in her still recuperating
condition. It’s a good thing my nieces are around to help.
As
for my brothers, the less I said about them, the better.
Dear
Allah, it’s been such a testing, trying and tiring time alright.
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