Thurs 11.8.2022.
It's exactly 7 p.m. in Seremban. Just got home from what used to be the Tropicana Medical Centre, but is now The Thomson Medical Centre in Kota Damansara, thanks to the takeover by some loaded Singaporeans, or some loaded Singaporean company. Or so I heard. But coming up the elevetor to the 4th. floor and finding the wards named "the 5th. floor", it must be true. The SEA Chinese fear the number "4" like, well, what else, the death.
Idah and I went to show support for Ari who just turned 69 last month. Wheeled into the OT at 6 this morning, the 2 Malay cardiologists successfully carried out the by-pass on 2 heart veins from 8 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. Ari is now in ICU, recovering. But they didn't start until Thareez put in 50 of the 75 K cost asked. Nothing is cheap nowadays. Nothing is done "pro bono" nowadays. The 4 kids are collecting the remaining 25K. Insurance apparently will not cover all. This is reality.
But family love is also reality with Ari.
Idah cried all the way from Seremban. She paused when we stopped for tea & meehoon at the Serdang R&R. Upon entering room 16G on the fourth floor (called the fifth floor), Idah was joined by Wira in tearful embrace. I left the room for English breakfast at "the Gossip Cafe" on the ground floor to not join the crying.
Ari is the younger of the only two remaining brothers. Bangdek is in his early 80's. He's in Terengganu now, babysitting for his youngest daughter still in Mecca for the recent Hajj. But Ari is the more lively, the joker of the family, if you will. But this operation today was no joke. The 2 daughters even fasted today, in supplication to Almighty God for a safe procedure for dear "abah". The money is no joke. More family members would have come if this was other than a heart by-pass. They will come and visit.
Fortunately, traffic was bearable today. With the exception of missing the turn twice at the Kota Damansara junction, we arrived by car at the Thomson without sweat. I ought to have driven blindfolded. I stayed in Damansara Utama from 1978 to 1995. But the 17 years here have been oblitered by 27 years away. Large new buildings have come up, and multi-levelled new roads have definitely literally "come up". I was confused. But luckily not lost.
When this place was "Tropicana" Bangjat was hospitalised here. But this hospital stood out like a sore thumb then. New buildings almost hide it now. I even missed it the first turn. I had to make a u turn and come back to get into the road in front. Unlike before, there's a multi-storeyed car park built in addition to the open one they already had when Bangjat was here. In fact I managed to "lose" the car when we wanted to leave. I forgot which floor I parked, and literally search "high & low" from the 3rd floor up to the 8th, and eventually found my car on "3A". We forgot about "No 4" here !
Ari lost 2 older brothers and one younger one because of heart problems. The 2 older ones in fact had heart procedures done. The younger one was supposed to get one done at IJN but purposedly chose not to. This is not to be flippant about a sombre matter. Far from it, this is a stress on the caution for care needed when health issues creep on increasing age.
In fact Ari isn't sick but chose to have a full bodily examination by this hospital last month, to get a medical "all clear" as it were. I had said, in all seriousness, let's be careful when you send an old car for inspection. On the other hand, finding faults early could literally save lives. So I suggested that Ari look forward and do the necessary to make amends, and not succumb to any unpleasant surprises. Prevention is better than cure.
We are happy that the vital first step, the operation, has been successful. Now for the painful recovery. All the 4 children and their spouses were present. Idah was the only sibling. But others followed on smartphones and said their hopeful prayers.
Ari's only 69. Many more happy years are ahead, Insya'allah.
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