Yesterday I called up a dear friend, it has been a while since the last time I called her. I will definitely straight away call or text her as and when she‘appears’ in my mind..guilty feelings would struck me if I don’t.
So the night before yesterday I texted her and asked her how is she doin;..as twas quite late I dared not disturb her. Till the next morning she didn’t reply. I felt uneasy. At 8 am I called, she didn’t answer. I called her again at 2pm, her daughter answered the phone..thank goodness. She said she’s okay, just got out from the hospital after being warded for two weeks. She’s a bit weak yesterday as she took the prescribed medicine later than she is supposed to. She said she wanted to call me back..but she got up late as she was chitchatting with her husband until 4 am and it’s a routine for her and hubby to do so and I said how nice..i wish I could do the same. She said its okay, just take it as it comes. She misses our friends, she kept askin how is everybody doin’ and sent her regards.
Her life now revolves around the canteen at a Uni that her family runs and her house. During the day, she has to stay in a room behind the canteen, as no one will take care of her at home. I’ve been to the place, it is not so comfortable, just nice for a place for her to lie down and her kids to lepak. Yesterday she told me shes very bored. Having to gave up her job as a lecturer and an active person and her husband has to quit his job too, to manage the family, are very devastating. She tried to drive her kids to school recently and she did ( she just wanted to do something ) and when she got home she almost fainted. Her lack of antibody in her, forbid her to move around too much...but still she asked me to bring her out somewhere during Uni break next month. I agreed.
I think I wrote a little about her in my previous entry during my ex-schoolmate gathering. At school, I was barely close to her. According to some friends who is close to her, she was a bit mysterious, always likes to hide certain things, about her family and where she stays, and was always complaining about having massive headaches.
About 1 year plus ago, I was looking for all our ex-schoolmates to rekindle. I got her number. I called. She said she will call back, she didn’t. About 4-5 months after that I called her again. She sounded a bit weak and I asked her about her well being. She then told me a very shocking news, i trembled, my hearts beats so fast. She was diagnosed having leukaemia close to final stage and she was pregnant 4 months. As per normal during pregnancy, hafta go thru the blood test, and that’s how she knew about it. When doc told her the news, she drove home like a mad woman, feeling so depressed. Doc advised her to let go of the baby, it’s a 50-50 chance for her life and the baby. After doing a lot of thinking, she decided to take the risk, and she has to go thru mild chemo treatment so that it won’t effect the baby so much.
During her pregnancy, we invited her to join us to the gathering, she was excited. We collected some contribution for her, upon receiving it, to say thanks, she cried, I can’t stop my tears, I know I shouldn’t. and since then I became close to her. She told me although that she cant barely move for about a few days after the gathering, she was still very happy.
Miracles do happen, she successfully delivered her baby boy on 07/07/07 and she called me first to inform. Twas a premature caesarian delivery, and the baby n mom is fine. I was happy, visited her at the maternity ward and she looks so much better than before, the baby that she delivered has released a bit of her pain..
About three months ago, she called me crying, sayin that she’s bedridden due to the chemo pills effect. That was the time I visited her at the room behind the canteen. I didn’t even dare to touch her, twas too painful for her. The baby was so quiet and constantly smiling, the lil bundle of joy knows that the mom is sick, Amazing. A couple of weeks after that she was feeling so much better, as she has reduced the consumption of the chemo pills. I was relief. The pills are not cheap, rm100 per pill, but good thing is,.there are an assoc that donated it to leukaemia patients, so its free. I looked at the stack of pills placed in her med box, I think it was about 150 of it.
I tried my best to be cheerful everytime I call her. Although, deep inside I am sad. But I know shes a strong person and she constantly reminds me to take care of my health. Moral supports from her family esp from her husband and her 10,8 and 1 year old kids, helps a lot.
My thoughts are always with u Suzy….
PEACE
Neeza Shahril,
