It's not settled yet...

With Puan Nur needing to go home by Tuesday night latest, and after finding out that Sharifah would be discharged on Tuesday afternoon, we had made plans to send Sharifah and her baby to the temporary shelter as soon as the 2 were discharged. I had told Sharifah on Monday to call me first thing Tuesday once the doctors confirm that she'd be discharged. Before that, on Sunday, when Puan Nur and Sharifah went to visit the baby at ward 6C, they were told by one of the nurses to inform them once Sharifah was discharged from the maternity clinic, so they could send the baby over to her.

By 10 am, Sharifah called me to confirm that she'd be discharged. I told her to get her mother to come and settle whatever necessary and that I'd come over in the afternoon. I figured since her own mother was around, there shouldn't be any problem for the hospital to release them. Around 1 pm, as I was on my way home, Puan Nur called me up, to say that although Sharifah had been discharged, they were still waiting for the baby to be discharged. Puan Nur said she'd call me once the baby's discharged, so there was no need for me to come too early.

By 2.30 pm, Puan Nur called again, to tell me that the nurse at ward 6C told them that the baby could not be discharged as the case had been handed over to the hospital's social & welfare department, and as such the baby could only be discharged upon clearance from that department.

I decided to go to the hospital and get Sharifah and Puan Nur to see the officer in charge at the social and welfare department. I have heard of the officer's name before but never had the chance to meet him. That would be a good opportunity for me to meet up with him.

So yes, we got to meet him without any problem. Apparently he too had heard a lot about me (nothing bad, I hope!) but never got the chance to meet me either.

Anyway, with Puan Nur agreeing to take responsibility over Sharifah and the baby, the officer printed and signed the letter there and then. Relieved, Puan Nur and Sharifah went back up to ward 6C while I waited downstairs (it wasn't visiting hours at that time).

After a short while, Puan Nur called again, sounding rather frustrated. They still could not get the baby discharged. They still needed the OK from the specialist before the baby could be released. Adoi!! By then it was almost 4 pm, and since Puan Nur needed to go home by hook or by crook on the same day, there was no way we could send Sharifah and the baby to the shelter home that day. I then decided to take Puan Nur to the Registration Dept to register for the baby's birth cert and let Sharifah wait with her baby.

Ahh... the baby's birth cert. I had earlier told Puan Nur and Sharifah about the birth certs of fatherless babies I had encountered before whereby they didn't have father's names. All the while Puan Nur thought that bin or binti Abdullah would automatically be added to their names (for Muslims). So they got worried that once the baby is old enough to go to school, she may get teased by her friends... "apasal kamu tak ada nama bapak?" and the likes.

I would be worried too if I were Puan Nur and Sharifah. So I suggested to them to do something that I myself had never even thought of before. I told them to include "Abdullah" in the form as part of the baby's own name. Say, if they wanted to name the baby Cek Mek Molek (that's not the baby's name lah, but I don't use real names here anyway kan?), in the form under the child's name, put it as Cek Mek Molek Abdullah. If the officers ask, just insist that they wanted Abdullah as part of the baby's name.

So yes, Puan Nur followed my suggestion. And no questions asked by the officers. Imagine how happy we were when the guy showed us the printout of what he had entered for registration... Cek Mek Molek BINTI Abdullah. Yes, the binti was there! The father's particulars were still entered as "maklumat tidak diperolehi" but at least the girl can write down her name with a binti to add. And her MyKid and later on MyKad will have a binti added to her name. Alhamdulillah. Now I know what to suggest if I encounter any other similar cases (although frankly, I hope I won't have to handle any more of such cases).

On our way back to the hospital, Sharifah called her mom. Apparently, while the 2 of us went to register for the baby's birth cert, the specialist came over to check the baby and gave the go ahead for discharge. Still, it was too late to send them to the shelter home, so we decided to bring them to the flat first. Puan Nur would go home, settle whatever that she needed to settle today (Wednesday) and by Thursday come back to Ipoh. She wants to personally send Sharifah and baby to the shelter home so our plan is to send them on Friday.

Meanwhile, Sharifah would be alone with her baby at the flat. We were quite concerned that there may be some kaypoh neighbours asking lots of questions if they hear the sounds of a baby crying. But guess what? The darling little girl is such an angel! I went to check on them today, and was told by Sharifah that the baby only cried a little (even then, not loud at all) when she needed a change of diapers. Even when I went today, she was asleep most of the time. When she woke up, she didn't cry either. I took the opportunity to hold her, and oh yes, she's such an angel! Geram pulak, rasa nak cubit-cubit...

Hai... penangan dapat dukung cucu... :)