Good Bye Mum!

From left to right : Standing around Mum are daughter Priyanka, wife Prema, sister Susi, daughter Praveena carrying my grand-daughter Kalavitha)

I still remember when Mum was first diagnosed with having diabetes. It was in the year 1969 and I was about 12 then; being 12 didn’t afford me much information of what the disease was all about. I used to see Dad checking out her sugar level every other day with litmus paper dipped in Benedict’s solution (I think). But she took it all in good stead and survived intact for another 42 years. Of course, along the way about 18 years ago, she suffered her first stroke that left her partially paralyzed.
Ever since then, she had been dependant on Dad who would religiously attend to her every need. It would have been difficult for both of them especially since they were both past their prime. But somehow, they managed…….
Then when Dad passed away 1 ½ years ago, I suppose my Mum lost her will to go through life. She must have felt extremely lonely as she was living with my sister in Kulim while the rest of us were all scattered all around the country. She has become so frail that we didn’t even disclose to her of my brother’s death early this year, afraid that it might worsen her condition.
Two weeks ago, I visited her when she was admitted to the BM Hospital for some complications. The deadly disease had taken its toll. It was heart wrenching to realize that she had suffered total memory loss and could only stare blankly at me when I spoke to her at her bedside. I knew then that the worst was in store.
So as all good things must end someday, she breathed her last on the morning of Thursday 12th May 2011 at the ripe old age of 80.
Good bye Mum! May your soul rest in peace!