A few days ago a childhood friend Ravi called. I didn't recognise his voice at first. He is now a policeman in Penang. He called to inform that the gang is to organise a reunion meeting in another friend's house, Ah Hin. Besides the two of them others, Ah Bin, Lawrence, Franco, Pete Black, Vincent and even Ah Lai, another doyok (police) from Sarawak is attending. They requested my presence.
I said I'll try to make it but I was actually salivating at the prospect of meeting so many old friends. If my eldest brother had been alive, he would surely agree to go. My second brother too, had he not recently moved to Johore, would definitely have agreed to attend.
Of course knowing them, there would be plenty of beer to go round. I am a different man now. I have stopped taking alcoholic for 26 years come this 31st, but the joy of meeting old friends is just too inviting. Let them drink all they want and let me be the only sober one around but to pass this reunion, I don't think so.
I was ready this morning to go to BM. My plan was to go to my late brother's house, have lunch there, go for the gathering at 6.00 and excuse myself at 10.00pm so that I would be in time for the Man Utd game at 11.00. As the rest were getting ready, I got a call from Ravi.
The gathering is off. Ah Hin, our host, is not in the right frame of mind. Yesterday, his doctor told him that a part of his lower limb might have to be amputated due to diabetes. It came as a shock to him and he is today making his way to KL to get another opinion. I am sad to hear of such a devastating news. If it is devastating to me, just imagine how he would have felt. I can imagine him feeling that the whole sky has just crumbled and engulfed him, suffocating him with fear. Then I heard another news which I was not ready for. Christie just had his toe amputated, victim of the same dreaded disease.
Suddenly, missing the gathering is no longer the issue. I felt so bad for my friends especially Ah Hin whom I heard is so down. I am just thinking of the right words to say to him. I don't know how he would take it. Do I call, or do I just send a message and see his reaction. If its quite okay I'll follow it with a call, but if he sounds dejected, then maybe another day.
UPDATE:
I made the decision to call him and he indeed sound worried but he was not truly down. Ravi gave me the wrong info. It is not diabetes. Apparently there is a blockage leading to his toe and it has been going on for a long time. His toe has been deprived of proper supply and may have to be amputated. Tomorrow he is going to see another specialist and, if need be, has his toe removed.
I hope I do not sound happy but luckily it is only the toe and not the whole foot.
"A man of principles will resist an evil system with his whole soul. Non-collaboration with evil is a sacred duty!" -- Gandhi
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10 comments:
You should go...KTN..for even half an hour...meet all your old buddies face to face...tell them you do not drink beer anymore....they will understand and tell them...you need to go for important family business...no need to tell details.
Let them know...you postponed your family business for one hour ...just to meet them.
You see...if you tell all truths....all will appreciate and understand....especially being a non beer drinker now...nothing to be shameful about.
Monty,
I think you got me wrong here. The gathering is off so no point going. My predicament is, do I call him or do I juat send an sms and then see how he takes it. If I call him, I am afraid it will only make him worse. Some people just don't like to talk about it especially if their limbs are to be amputated. If I just sms him, he might think that I do not place much importance in our friendship. He might think why don't I call?
You see I got a friend who told me how he called a friend who got cancer and it only make it worse. It seems that this friend had wanted to shut himself out, because he couldn't accept his fate.
If I had not heard of this story before, I would have called immediately or if it is only a minor ailment I would have called immediately but this is a big think. Anyway I have made the decision. I am going to call him.
Monty,
It after replying to you, I made the call. He was okay. Yes, he said the doc told him that his toe was in a bad state and may have to be amputated but its not due to diabetes but because of blocked blood flow. I don't know we could get that. Yes, he sound worried because the doc said that it was quite bad.
I am not saying I am happy but in this case, I would say, luckily it is only the toe and not the foot.
I am relieved, now I got to call Christie because his toe was already amputated.
Salam Cikgu,
I believe modern medicine and alternative can work hand in hand together to assist patients in solving their medical woes; perhaps, Ravi should seek either acupuncture or Malay traditional medicine first?
Salam Che'gu:
Sorry to what happened to your 2 old mates.
I do hope both gets well soon.
Shah,
Its not Ravi who has got the injured toe, its Ah Hin. One thing though, Ah Hin besides being a very successful businessman, one of those who does the work for UMNO bigshots, he is also a Buddhist Bomoh himself.
Doc,
There is such a thing as a blocked artery near the toe?
Sir,
You really have an interesting motley of friends. Hope one day I have the opportunity to shake your hand. At moment stuck in Sabah.
Well, CAKAPAJE made an interesting comment abt modern and traditional medicine working hand in hand.
I recommend a fiction Natural Causes by Michael Palmer. The writer is an ER specialist and on the side he gives support to doctors under stress. He weaves his values, observations into his stories.
For a peek into hospital politics and pharmaceutical industry's manipulations to get drugs registered under the FDA, Michael Palmer's Miracle Cure is true to life.
i bet if you start the 1st page, you will find very hard to put down. The plots are very exciting.
Fictions by authoratative writers give us a better picture of real life.
cikgu,
from my point of view, not sure about artery blockage but diabetes could easily be worse than the former right? worst-case scenerio, losing a toe wont have major effect on him but ofcourse, lets hope by seeking 2nd opinion there's actually an alternative to getting it cut off.
anyway, IF, the reunion had taken place, i'd say go for it. you dont need no booze to have fun. besides, meeting them old buddies can sure take you back down memory lane. thats just priceless man..
Che'gu:
Yes, an artery could be blocked anywhere,not only the toes. In fact, ppl who had heart attacks had blocked arteries in their heart.
When an artery is blocked,the blod supply distal to it will be distrupted. As a compensation, the small vessels will open up to help blood flow to that particular area. However if the block is slightly higher there might not be alternative flow.What hapens then is the cells and tissues distal to the blockage will start to die.The tissue will become dark from blue balck to black.This is called gangrene and most of the time will require removal to avoid any infection from the dead tissue spreading elsewhere or infecting the blood system.
At the moment I have a lady with Diabetes and her Right big toe is becoming darker by the day. The hospital and me had adviced her for amputation for fear of spreading but she refuses and insist for dressing. Her infected wound is getting better but her Rt big toe is becoming worse by the day.She is already blind due to her diabetes and the big toe's problem is getting worse.
Sometimes you need to get rid of the diseased toe to save the foot or the whole leg!
As for the banner, well I do not know how to make it wider. maybe we can ask Kerp to ask Mob.
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