Fuzi's anxiety

Fuzi called me yesterday. She just realized that her blood test at the hospital next week so happens to be on the same day as her case at the Mahkamah Syariah. Realizing it just a few days before the day (it’s supposed to be this coming Wednesday), she started to panic - which was why she called me to ask what she should do.

Actually, there’s nothing for Fuzi to worry about. The blood test can be done before or after the specified date as long as the results reach the HIV clinic before her appointment with the doctor. And her appointment is 2 weeks after the blood test, and so there’s ample time.

Unlike some clients who aren’t compliant with their appointments and medications, Fuzi on the other hand is the kind who goes “by the book”. If you tell her 10 am, it’s 10 am. If you tell her tomorrow, it’s tomorrow. If you tell her cannot, it’s cannot. Yep, that’s good really, although at times she tends to panic even when the situation is rather flexible.

Anyway, I told her not to worry and just go to the Mahkamah Syariah first for her case. If the case ends early, then she can go straight to the hospital after that for her blood test. If not, she can always go to the hospital the next day.

Oh, Fuzi will also need to bring Ijam along for the blood test as he needs to get another blood test done before he starts on his medication. That may be a problem as Ijam is afraid of needles. One time when he knew his mother wanted to bring him to the hospital, Fuzi had to chase him around the house to get him. Finally she managed to coax him… I mean… BRIBE him by offering him a new toy if he agreed to go. And he did go. It didn’t matter if Fuzi bought him a cheap toy, as long as it’s a new toy!

I guess for next week’s appointment, Fuzi needs to bribe him with another toy.

I just hope things will go smoothly for Fuzi – her court case and the blood tests for both herself and her son.

Actually I can’t wait for the court case either. I sure hope Fuzi will be able to get her marriage cert legalized at last so she will no longer have to worry about her children’s citizenship status. And I hope the fine imposed on her will not be too high.

Of PLWHAs and Volunteers

We had just finished the elections of office bearers during our AGM last week when a call came in on my hand phone from an unfamiliar number. I jokingly told my colleagues somebody was already calling me to congratulate me on my new post…

I was taken by surprise when the guy who called introduced himself as so and so from Cameron Highlands Hospital. He said Yah was in Cameron Highlands that day and did not bring along her medication – her HIV meds which she was not supposed to miss. So she went to the hospital to ask if they could supply her with the particular meds. Not knowing the name of the drug, she just told them “ubat yang warna biru tu”. Duh! When they insisted to know the name of the drug, she gave them my phone number, telling them that I was the one who’s taking care of her. (Huh?? Since when did I become her nanny?!)

I told the guy I’m from an NGO which provides support service, and as such matters regarding medication etc must be referred direct to the HIV clinic, not to us volunteers.

Yah… Yah… who does she think I am… easily giving away my phone number to others? And what was she doing in Cameron Highlands?! If it was a planned trip, she should have remembered to take her meds along. Did she go for an unplanned date or something?

Aduuuh… I miss the old Yah lah. I mean the pre-Mr. Darling Yah. *Sigh*…

Anyway, lucky me, during my recent holidays, none of my PLWHA clients called. I only told Fuzi about it when I visited her last week but none of my other clients knew about my trip to Langkawi. Good thing none of them had problems to discuss during that time. So that was really a good break for me.

But just one day back from Langkawi, I received a text message from Shila, telling me that she had missed her medication for 2 consecutive nights already. When asked why, she said she was so tired she slept early and as such she missed her medication which she’s supposed to take at 9 pm. I told her that even if she was tired, she should have asked someone else in her house (her mother or her sister) to wake her up at 9pm to enable her to take her meds. Or at least she should just set her alarm to ring at 9 pm so that she’d be reminded of her medication whether or not she’s sleeping at that time. She has not been doing so because she said so far she had not missed her meds.

That’s the trouble with some of these clients. I always tell them to set the alarm (either alarm clock or their hand phone) so that they’d be reminded EVERY time to take their meds. But NOOOO…. they always insist they won’t forget and as such there was no need to set the alarm. So stubborn! *Sigh*…

Last night we had our Board Meeting – the first board meeting after our recent AGM. Hence the first board meeting I chaired. Last night’s meeting was more to determine who’s taking which portfolio. Something like sorting out our cabinet lah – except that we didn’t have to worry about watikah perlantikan or angkat sumpah… (sumpah-menyumpah maybe lah!)

I am still handling the Education Fund and Sponsorship for Children, so those of you who are sponsoring any children through Buddies, you can still liaise with me on this matter.

Other portfolios include Outreach, Client Welfare, Training, Volunteer Care, Fellowship, Fund Raising, HIV Clinic and Buddy Bears.

What was obvious during the last AGM was that we are really in desperate need of more volunteers. It’s the same pool of people we have to pull into the various sub-committees… and as such, I’m afraid soon we’re going to have a group of volunteers suffering from burnout (myself included).

So last night, we decided to create a new portfolio for Publicity and Recruitment. This sub-committee will have to come up with ways and means not only to publicize our NGO, but also to create more awareness amongst the public on HIV/AIDS. Along the way, we hope to be able to get more volunteers (especially the young and energetic ones) to join us.

Those of you staying in and around Ipoh - any takers?

Cuti-cuti Malaysia: Langkawi

Hi folks... I'm baaack!

A picture tells a thousand words, right? Well, for this posting I think I'll let the pictures do more of the story-telling...

Day 1:
We arrived at Kuah Jetty at about 2.00 pm - Nine of us: my partner, myself, our 4 staff, my partner's husband, their daughter, and one of our staff's husband. Only 2 males - and as such the 2 male species became our drivers!

As soon as we reached Kuah, first thing first, we rented 2 cars. Then off to Hotel Helang to check into our rooms. Wow, the rooms were spacious and each room had 2 double beds. If we knew earlier, we could have just booked one room for the 4 single ladies!

After a short rest, we headed direct to Oriental Village... that's where the base station for the cable cars going up Gunung Machinchang is situated. Gayat or not gayat, all our staff took the cable car ride.

Looking down from inside the cable car.

My office mates and I at the middle station. Squatting in front is my partner's daughter.

Upon reaching the top station, we immediately headed down the tracks to go to the "hanging" bridge. The walk down wasn't so bad, but getting back up was quite a task, especially for the unfit ones.

The bridge.

The bridge as seen from the platform at the top station.

710 meters above sea level.

Then, down at the Oriental village...

Me: Oi Lang, why you looking at my face? Look at the camera and smile lah!

Eagle: Oi makcik, how to smile? You realise or not there's a snake behind us?

Day 2:

Morning, off we went island hopping. Rented a speed boat to go around Langkawi and visit 3 of the many islands.

Welcome to Pulau Dayang Bunting!

The welcoming committee!

At Tasik Dayang Bunting, in the middle of the island.

'Em fish nibbling at my feet... eee geli...

Watching the eagles at Pulau Singa Besar

Arrival at Pulau Beras Basah. That's our boat - the one with white body and blue roof.

The white sandy beaches and clear water at Beras Basah.

Walked along the beach and saw this... anak pokok mengkudu.

As I walked further, this scene menyakitkan mata. See the plastic bottles?

After lunch, off we went to Underwater world. Here are amongst the species you can find at Underwater World....

And finally, some mermaids in one of the tanks... wearing tudung and one of them holding a camera some more!!

Oh OK, I actually saw our reflection and decided to take the photo...

3rd day:

Early morning, after Subuh prayer, I went for a walk with my room-mate. We walked about 2 km and as we got to the beach, this was the scene...

Then as we were walking back to the hotel, one red proton saga passed from behind us and suddenly stopped. The lady driver who saw us, turned around...

Lady: "Nak pi Padang Matsirat ka?"

Me: "Dak, nak pi dekat depan tu saja! Dok kat Hotel Helang."

Lady: "Ohh... ingat tadi nak bagi tumpang."

Yep, that's how friendly the locals are. The lady didn't even know me yet she offered a ride.

Anyway, we checked out at 11 am and then went around the island.

Uhh... is that a scare-crow in jeans and t-shirt?

After some last minute shopping at pekan Kuah, we headed back to the jetty, returned the rented cars and took the 3 pm ferry back to Kuala Kedah....

The Elections

Elections? Hmm… I didn’t touch anything on the general elections before this when so many other bloggers did so. As I mentioned before, I hate politics. As such I prefer my blog to stay out of politics.

So, why am I now blogging about the elections, 11 days after the 12th General Elections are over?

To those who clicked on the link to this posting expecting to read my take on the recent general elections, sorry folks, wrong blog!

I am not talking about the General Elections. I am talking about a different kind of elections.

For this particular election, we don’t have campaigns. We don’t have posters. We don’t fight to get elected. We instead fight NOT to get elected.

Yep, I am talking about my NGO’s election of new office bearers.

We had our AGM last night, and as usual, after the presentation and adoption of the various reports from the previous office bearers; were the election of the new office bearers.

Being a low-profile NGO with such a small number of members, our election of the new office bearers was such a simple affair.

“I nominate so and so.”
“I second.”
“I propose nomination closed.”
“I second.”

It was nominate-second-close-second, nominate-second-close-second. We didn’t have to vote for a single post. As a matter of fact we had to beg people to be in the committee. Obviously we're in dire need of more volunteers to join the organisation!

Our members if possible would prefer to stay out of the committee to avoid the extra work other than the voluntary support service for our PLWHA clients. We're all working people with other commitments and so additional responsibilites to our voluntary work may be quite taxing for some of us. The only post which we wouldn't mind accepting is probably just for the post of honorary auditor who is only required to audit (definition of “audit” will depend on whether the auditor actually bothers to go through all the documents) and sign the financial reports prepared by the treasurer at the end of every term to be presented during the next AGM.

I was the treasurer for the last term. By the time I prepared the financial report for the year ended December 2007 and called the honorary auditor to check and sign the statements, she actually FORGOT she was THE auditor!!

“Ha? I’m the auditor aaa?”

Aiyo, aiyo, aiyo, aiyo…

Well, the committee elections are over now. I am no longer the treasurer. YEE HAR!!

Time to rejoice? Well, not really.

I am now…

THE CHAIR.

Aww shucks!!

Well, since the next board meeting is due next Tuesday night, I reminded the newly elected office bearers about the meeting. The reminder came with a threat…

Those who fail to attend the meeting will be nominated as the next chairperson! Hehehe… (Don’t go using this kind of threat against politicians ye hear?!)

Before I assume my post as the chairperson, it’s time to take a break – from both office and voluntary work. Call it perfect timing or what… it’s time for the annual company-sponsored trip for my office staff. (Just a small group lah… my office got few staff only meh!) Last year we went for a 2D/1N trip to Genting Highlands. This year it’ll be a 3D/2N trip to Langkawi.

So I will be away and offline these next few days.

Langkawi, here I come!

p/s

I don't think I'd be basking under the sun at any of the beaches, so if you happen to be in Langkawi over the next few days and you so happen to bump into a dugong look-alike, that won't be me! Errr... duyong? Jauh sekali...

Fuzi's family - 2 years later

I was actually planning to visit Fuzi yesterday afternoon – diapers, milk powder and some other foodstuff for the other kids already loaded into my car. But just as I was about to have my lunch, a neighbor called to tell me about the death of one of our kampong folks. I figured it was only right to postpone the visit to Fuzi’s house to visit the family of the deceased instead.

And so I had to wait until today to visit Fuzi to send over the things and also to hand over the pocket money and bus fares for the 3 schooling children. Only Fuzi and her 2 younger children were home when I got there. The other 3 were in school, either for their school’s afternoon session, or for those with morning session, for some extra classes or co-curriculum activities.

I was assigned to be Fuzi’s buddy since 2006. Imagine at that time, the only source of income for Fuzi was the RM115 monthly welfare aid. What could one buy with RM115 per month? Even for one who doesn’t have anybody else to support, RM115 is not enough. Fuzi had to support 5 kids! Worst still, due to her HIV, she couldn’t breastfeed her baby and that meant she needed to buy milk powder too – something which is definitely not cheap. Fuzi couldn’t work, because if she did, nobody would be home to take care of her younger children while the older ones are in school. She did try to apply for jobs at some plant nurseries nearby where she hoped she could bring along her younger kids, but the other workers at the nurseries who knew she had HIV protested to their employer.

How Fuzi and her children managed to survive at that time, I myself wonder. Thank goodness, the teachers at her children’s school were kind and responsible enough to help out where they could.

Now, almost 2 years later, Fuzi’s RM115 welfare aid has been increased to RM400. An anonymous donor who had been following the stories in my blog had also been transferring a fixed amount of money into Fuzi’s bank account on a monthly basis. And beginning this year, Fuzi’s 3 schooling children’s educational needs are fully sponsored through our Education Sponsorship for Children which we managed to finalize late last year.

This is the lonely stretch of road Fuzi's children had to use to cycle to school. No street lamps. Thanks to the Education Sponsorship for Children, we have managed to arrange for school buses for them. A much safer way to go to school!

My heartfelt thanks to all sponsors and not forgetting the anonymous donors who had been contributing in cash and in kinds to help out, not only Fuzi, but other families as well.

Fuzi’s main problem right now is to get her marriage cert legalized so that her children’s citizenship status will no longer be subject to uncertainties. Hopefully the matter will be settled by next month when her case is called at the Syariah Court.

Financially, I am relieved to note that Fuzi is no longer as desperate as she was 2 years ago.

But then again, no money in the world will be able to compensate Ijam, Fuzi’s cute 6 year old boy who has to live with HIV all his life.

Sigh…