Just when I thought there’d probably be no more contacts with my PLWHA clients this week after having sent all the cash donations and Raya goodies to them, yesterday morning just as I was about to leave for work, Rashid’s wife called.
Rashid needs to go for his hospital appointment tomorrow in Ipoh but he is too weak to even get up. The last appointment he went to, although he was quite weak, he could at least get up to walk to the taxi we arranged for him. This time he’s already bedridden and so someone would need to carry him down from his house to whatever transportation arranged for him. Other than their 3 small kids, only Rashid’s wife and her mom stay in that house. So, who’s going to help carry Rashid down from his house? (They stay in a kampong house.) Even if I were to go all the way to their house (not in Ipoh), I don’t think I’d be able to help carry him. Hospital ambulance? They'd only go for emergency cases. Appointments cannot be considered emergency.
Rashid’s wife didn’t know what else to do. She called the ID clinic to seek help (thinking maybe the nurse could arrange for an ambulance to come) but was told by the nurse to make her own arrangements to bring him for his appointment. Well… the nurse has many other things to do and so arranging the patients’ transportation is definitely not part of her job.
The problem is, when these patients miss their appointments, they always get scolded for not sticking to their appointments. It didn’t matter what excuses were given. They are always accused of being irresponsible and troublesome.
Well, yes I admit, there are irresponsible and troublesome patients who come as and when they like… non-compliant with their appointments and medication etc. But then there are also genuine cases like Rashid – too weak to walk and too poor to arrange for other transport -- who may miss his appointments not because he’s too lazy to come but because he’s bedridden and his wife doesn’t know who to seek help from (oh, with Rashid’s condition… forget neighbours!).
Their house is too far from Ipoh for me to go personally (not that I’d be able to help much even if I do) so I gave Rashid’s wife a few phone numbers to call to seek help from. So far she hasn’t called me again so I hope she has found a way to bring Rashid for his appointment.
On another note, Kak Hawa, the lady in charge of the shelter home where I sent Zana (her earlier stories here: part 1, part 2, part 3 and part 4) sent me a text message telling me that Zana has started working as a security guard at a flat and she’s now renting a room nearby. And while she’s at work, the landlady takes care of her baby. Alhamdulillah, good news at last! I hope Zana will not bring any trouble to her new landlady. She’d better start thinking of her future and more importantly, her child’s future.
Rashid needs to go for his hospital appointment tomorrow in Ipoh but he is too weak to even get up. The last appointment he went to, although he was quite weak, he could at least get up to walk to the taxi we arranged for him. This time he’s already bedridden and so someone would need to carry him down from his house to whatever transportation arranged for him. Other than their 3 small kids, only Rashid’s wife and her mom stay in that house. So, who’s going to help carry Rashid down from his house? (They stay in a kampong house.) Even if I were to go all the way to their house (not in Ipoh), I don’t think I’d be able to help carry him. Hospital ambulance? They'd only go for emergency cases. Appointments cannot be considered emergency.
Rashid’s wife didn’t know what else to do. She called the ID clinic to seek help (thinking maybe the nurse could arrange for an ambulance to come) but was told by the nurse to make her own arrangements to bring him for his appointment. Well… the nurse has many other things to do and so arranging the patients’ transportation is definitely not part of her job.
The problem is, when these patients miss their appointments, they always get scolded for not sticking to their appointments. It didn’t matter what excuses were given. They are always accused of being irresponsible and troublesome.
Well, yes I admit, there are irresponsible and troublesome patients who come as and when they like… non-compliant with their appointments and medication etc. But then there are also genuine cases like Rashid – too weak to walk and too poor to arrange for other transport -- who may miss his appointments not because he’s too lazy to come but because he’s bedridden and his wife doesn’t know who to seek help from (oh, with Rashid’s condition… forget neighbours!).
Their house is too far from Ipoh for me to go personally (not that I’d be able to help much even if I do) so I gave Rashid’s wife a few phone numbers to call to seek help from. So far she hasn’t called me again so I hope she has found a way to bring Rashid for his appointment.
On another note, Kak Hawa, the lady in charge of the shelter home where I sent Zana (her earlier stories here: part 1, part 2, part 3 and part 4) sent me a text message telling me that Zana has started working as a security guard at a flat and she’s now renting a room nearby. And while she’s at work, the landlady takes care of her baby. Alhamdulillah, good news at last! I hope Zana will not bring any trouble to her new landlady. She’d better start thinking of her future and more importantly, her child’s future.
14 comments:
Pi,
There are times when it is so difficult to enlist help when all one needs to do is lift a sick person. The fear of contracting the disease from a suffering patience is of course so real among us.
Zana's ability to find employement must applauded. At least she is financially capable to maintain herself. This is one of the rewards to your selfless effort Pi. I salute you.
Hopefully Rashid's wife is able to get the help she needed to send Rashid to the hospital. I guess this is going to be one on going problem each time she needs to send Rashid for his appointment?
it is indeed tough for people who geninuely needed the help yet cant received any..
great to know that at least Zana is supporting herself and her baby. what about her little gal, is she able to see her at all?
u take good care too ok Pi Bani..i hope the people ure taking care of do realised how lucky they are to receive so much help from people like u and Kak Hawa.
kak Pi,
this is mere a suggestion. that coming form me, could well be a dumb one but this worth giving a shot.
for those who are too weak and known to be bed-ridden, find sponsors to equip them with wheelchairs. only for home-to-car use. it does not necessarily have to be the light-weight quickie, the metal-frame should be good enough. and wont be as costly. better still if they get assistance from the local JKM, those guys should be able to help out.
but still, could be a dumb idea.
Salam 'Aidil Fitri kpd Puan sekeluarga dari bakaq a.k.a. ~penarik beca a.k.a. sang kutu sekeluarga.. من العائدين والفائزين
Zawi,
Yes I know, the fear is so real no matter how much we explain to them that the virus does not spread by touching the infected person. I remember one of the earlier HIV+ I had to help into my car... I had to do so alone. But that one I could still manege - she was quite skinny by then and I didn't have to bring her down any stairs as her house was a single storey house. Her neighbours just watched me struggling.
Winnie,
Yep, I checked with her. She finally managed to get an ambulance service. Rashid now is hospitalised again.
As for Zana's little gal, nope, so far still no signs of Zana meeting up with her. That one is a bit tough to arrange.
Kerp,
Well yes, it is a good idea and we do that sometimes. But in Rashid's case, he stays in a kampong house yang bertangga tu - not OKU friendly lah. How to bring the him AND the wheelchair down the stairs? So, they still need help carrying him down.
Bakaq,
Terima kasih. Salam aidilfitri juga untuk Bakaq sekeluarga.
Hi Pi,
Somehow what you said to Zawi struck a painful fibre in me: 'But that one I could still manage - she was quite skinny by then and I didn't have to bring her down any stairs as her house was a single storey house. Her neighbours just watched me struggling'...The bit..HER NEIGHBOURS JUST WATCHED YOU!! Duh!
I think the civics lessons that were taught in schools during the Convent and other missionary schools were different. There was substance then (to my mind anyway, from personal observations). Not today!
At the end of the day it is not about 'kelas agama', it is about disseminating the right values in our people. Well just my thoughts.
HAnyway dear, here's wishing you:
SELAMAT HARI RAYA AIDILFITRI. There's nothing to maaf you. You have been good. Me? Insy I have been good to you too (kalau I mengata you pun atas perkara2 yang betul dan mengata pun depan you)...ha ha. 0-0!! *smile*
Eid Mubarak!
K.Ruby,
In the case of the neighbours, I think they would have helped if they didn't know she had HIV. Not that they're not civic minded, but their fear of HIV is much greater. That's the main problem.
Anyway yeah, 0-0! ;)
Monster mom,
Same to you!
Zana kerja security guard? wow, not a typical woman's job. Harapnya ok la tu. Baiknya landlady dia tolong take care of d baby:)
Hazia,
FYI, memang Zana pernah kerja security guard when she was in Ipoh. So kira ada experience lah ni.
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