2 more women to check on…

I was getting ready to go out on Thursday morning when a call came in from SN at the HIV clinic. In front of her at the clinic was a young single mother with a 2 year old child who needed help. We only send volunteers to the HIV clinic on Wednesdays, so on that particular day, none of our volunteers were at the hospital.

Knowing SN, she’d usually only call me direct to refer me a case if it was a real desperate case. From the basic info I got from SN, yes, I agree this lady may be quite desperate.

The lady, Zalia, just recently got divorced, and the ex-husband just left like that without leaving her anything or giving any financial support for the child. Zalia is not working, and therefore cannot afford to buy all the diapers and milk for her child. SN asked if Buddies could help her out.

I told SN we can try to help, but I’d need to visit her first to assess her situation. We can’t simply give her assistance just by listening to her story. Some people want help but become reluctant when we ask if we could visit them at home.

I heard SN asking the young mother if she’d allow me to visit her at home. Well, not her home exactly. It seems she’s staying with her “mak angkat” instead of her own mother. Hmmm… does she have a problem with her own family?

I am not going to assume anything as yet. Zalia has allowed me to visit her, so probably one of the days this coming week, I may give her a call and visit her to get more info about her.

Yesterday, as I was driving at the PLUS expressway on my way to KL, a call came in on my handphone. When I answered the call, I heard a lady’s voice, “Ni Puan Afizah ke dari…. errrrr…. badis ke budis?” Hehehe… another one of those who’s not sure how to pronounce Buddies, but at least she bothered to ask how it’s pronounced rather than some people who’d straight away pronounce it as Buddhist…

I couldn’t hear her too well at the expressway and using my bluetooth to answer, so I told her I’d call her back when it’s more convenient. So yes, since I needed to do a pit-stop… errr…. pee-stop at Ulu Bernam, I decided to return her call then.

The lady who called me wasn’t the one who is HIV infected. It’s her sister, Mimi. Mimi’s husband passed away some time back, and her 2 children are grown up (in their early 20’s). At one time, Mimi was bedridden and all the while she had been taken care of by her sister, the one who called me. So no, Mimi definitely doesn’t need our help under children education.

According to the sister, Mimi can at times be very difficult. When she feels down, she thinks everyone hates her and she starts asking why she’s not dead yet. Although the sister tries her very best to understand and empathise, sometimes it is stressful for her as well. She has her own family to take care of, (and luckily her husband understands and doesn’t mind that she’s taking care of her sister) and when Mimi becomes difficult to please, then she too would feel so stressed out. She can’t let things out by simply talking things out with anybody, since Mimi has HIV, which is a very sensitive issue. So when she found out about Buddies, she thought she might as well give it a try.

I asked if it was alright if I visit them at home. I mean, Mimi may not be too pleased that her sister had told someone else about her HIV. According to the sister, just say that SN was the one who asked me to check on her case. Mimi usually listens to SN more than anyone else.

I promised Mimi’s sister I’d try to visit them after next weekend. Will be pretty busy this coming week, with an AGM to attend in Putrajaya on Saturday and our Family Day on Sunday, plus I’d need to slot in one of the days within the week to visit the young single mother with the 2 year old child since their case sounds more urgent.

Ooops… just as I was typing this post, Zalia called and asked when we could meet. She sounded rather desperate. Since she needs to go to the hospital on Monday for her blood test, I told her to wait for me at the hospital after her blood test is done.

So yes, on Monday I’ve got a date with Zalia…