New cases, old cases

When I joined Buddies in 2004, the volunteers who attended clinic duties were quite busy during clinic days. There'd be 4 or 5 new cases referred to us during each clinic. We used to go once a fortnight but because of the numbers, the Ipoh ID Clinic asked if we could be there on a weekly basis instead. The numbers later reduced to 2 to 3 new cases each time. Of late, they reduced even further, sometimes we go for our clinic duties and end up not getting any cases referred at all.

It's a good sign of course. It shows that the number of new infections had declined over the years. However, there had been times when no case referred was not necessarily a good sign. Sometimes, no case referred only meant that the new case did not turn up on the day of the appointment, which is definitely not good.

I was on clinic duty in Taiping yesterday. Although the other volunteers would usually call the Taiping ID Clinic first, to avoid driving all the way from Ipoh if there aren't any new cases, for me it doesn't matter. I have a client I regularly visit in Taiping, and so whether or not there are cases to be referred, the drive there wouldn't be a waste. Yesterday especially, I was already planning to visit the client in Taiping to deliver one of the refurbished desktop computers contributed by NGO Hub Asia.

Unlike my recent duties in Taiping Hospital, yesterday was quite a busy day. First up, there was a case of a newly diagnosed couple. Both in their early 50's, both contract workers. When the husband was hospitalised for TB, he was also tested for HIV. The moment his test results came out positive, his wife was immediately tested too. And her results too came out positive. The couple has 5 children, 4 girls and only the youngest is a boy, who will be sitting for his SPM soon. All 4 girls did not further their studies after SPM, not even for skill courses. I was told that only their eldest daughter has got a job so far, at a factory. The other three are still unemployed. One of the 3 got married without the parent's consent, and although initially she stayed elsewhere together with her husband, after they got a baby, and with the husband unemployed, the girl went back to stay with her parents, bringing along her husband and baby as well. So now this couple has additional mouths to feed.

After I was done talking to this couple, I was told there was no more case to be referred to me. As I left the room, I saw the 2 HIV+ orphaned siblings with their grandma outside. So I went to have a short chat with them to find out how they're doing. The younger boy, now in form 4, plans to start a small business after SPM. When I asked what kind of business he plans to do, the grandma said he wanted to follow into the footsteps of his aunt who now owns a small food stall. So I told him to go for a culinary course after his SPM. He seemed interested, but I will have to follow up next year after his SPM.

Just as I was about to leave the hospital, I met with another client, a lorry driver who has 8 kids. This time he came alone. The last time I saw him at the hospital, his wife had to accompany him. Back then he needed a walking stick to walk. This time, although he was still walking with a slight limp, he no longer needs a walking stick. Good for him.

I then made a move to Dahlia's house to deliver the computer, and some goodies for the younger kids. Dahlia's daughter Dilla, has taken a whole month leave from the culinary college, to concentrate on her SPM which she will be sitting for as a private candidate. Immediately after her SPM, she will move on with her course works at the culinary college, which she is due to complete in January next year. What she decides to do after that, I guess will depend on her SPM results.

As for Dahlia's 15 year old son who sat for his PT3 recently, he applied for a place in MRSM for next year and has been called for a written test on the 24th of this month. They were hoping for MRSM Taiping or anywhere else nearby in Perak, but instead was called for the written test to be done at an MRSM outside of Perak. On another note, Dahlia's no.4, a 6 year old boy, will start school next year. I will probably need to find a sponsor for the boy's education, just like his older siblings.

After I finished installing the computer at their home, a call came in from the staff nurse at Taiping ID clinic. She wanted to know if I had left Taiping because apparently there was another case (which she thought didn't turn up) she needed me to see. I told her I'd drop by the hospital again on my way back. And so back to the hospital it was.

The case the nurse wanted me to see was that of a frail looking 42 year old single mother of 2. When the lady, Farah, first told me she no longer had any school-going children, I thought both her children are grown up. I further believed so when she said her eldest daughter is married and the younger one, a son, is working. But I was surprised when she also told me her son is only 16 years of age.

You see, the girl got married at the tender age of 17 when she was in form 5, and stopped schooling immediately without even sitting for her SPM. And the boy went to school only up to form 2, because the mother couldn't afford to send him to school any longer. After leaving school, he started working as a casual worker at a nearby chalet, not earning much.

Farah herself is currently not working. She used to work at various factories on part time basis, without EPF or Socso. So how does she pay for her house rental? Sometimes her younger brother who stays nearby would help out, sometimes she'd plead to the landlord to postpone her payment or pay in part. To go to the hospital, she borrowed somebody's motorbike. When she saw the staff nurse earlier, she asked if she could have some cash so she could have lunch before going home (her kampong is not that near). Although the staff nurse sympathised, she didn't want to make it a precedent to give money to patients whenever they ask for it. I personally wouldn't encourage it either because once you start giving, chances are they may ask again next time.

Likewise, when Farah met me, she also asked if I could give her some money for lunch. My policy had always been to give them the fishing net rather than the fish. And after the short talk, I found out that Farah can sew and in fact sewing and handicrafts had always been her field of interest. Only thing is she can't afford a sewing machine. She seemed eager when I asked her if she's interested to make sewing her source of income if I can get her a sewing machine. It's definitely better than giving her cash whenever she comes to the hospital for her appointment.

At the end of it, I did give her a little bit of cash, enough for her lunch. At the same time I also told her that it was a one off thing and that I will no longer give her any cash after this but I'd try my best to get her a sewing machine for her to earn a living.

Hopefully things will work out for her.