The reality of death

The whole of last week was an eventful one. First, my sister visited us in Singapore over the weekend. It was a lot of fun (it's always fun when she visits!) involving lots of window-shopping, eating out at restaurants which Brian and I typically do not go on our own and fantasizing about our dream Chan-family vacation (due to life circumstances we've not taken a holiday together as a family since I was 11!).

Then, on Monday (sister left for home on Sunday), I got a call from her in the morning that our maternal grandmother (we all, including Brian, call her PohPoh) is very sick. Then, at 5 pm, I got another call from sister that PohPoh has had a hemorrhaging stroke and has been sent to the hospital. We did not know what to expect as we waited anxiously for my parents to update us on her situation. By the next morning, it was decided that she'll be operated on. As PohPoh is in her mid-80's, the risk of such a surgery was expected to be high.

Brian and I were of two minds about dropping all we had to do and travel to Ipoh Malaysia to see her. On one hand, my parents told us to wait and see, on the other hand, we didn't want to arrive at her bedside when it's too late. Unlike my sister and other cousins, I share a special bond with PohPoh as I was left with PohPoh for the first few years of my life as my parents worked in another city. Needless to say I'm her favorite grandchild.

Though I was scheduled to go to Jakarta on Friday for work, by late Tuesday afternoon I was on a flight to Kuala Lumpur to meet my sister who then drove us to Ipoh (two hour drive). By the time we arrive Ipoh, PohPoh had already come out of surgery. She was still semi-conscious when we visited her but doctor said she's a very strong woman. True enough, she was discharged from the hospital today (merely a week after her stroke). Seeing that she's okay we left for home the next day.

I even made it to Jakarta for a weekend of speaking engagements. Brian had to come with me last minute as my colleague was not well and could not make it.

The difficult part begins now for my family in Ipoh - PohPoh is now staying with my parents and it's been very hard taking care of her. Besides, my mom is not young herself and she is narcoleptic. We're hoping to hire help to assist my mom with PohPoh but the hiring process takes time. Our family needs lots of prayers right now.