Emergency Call Back

Both Rebecca and I thought that all was well last Saturday afternoon, until dinner time when we arrived at Block 85 market. We had just ordered two bowls of hokkien mee, when Rebecca suddenly received a phone call from her younger brother, telling her to rush home immediately!

So I cancelled the order and we rushed back to her home. We fought out that her Dad was seriously bleeding from his recent surgery for piles, since about a week ago. Over this week, it has been a very trying time for him, as he had to struggle with the pain, as well as trying to urinate and pass motion. For many days, he could not pass out this waste and the pain was causing him to lose sleep.

Closer towards last weekend, after much prayer, Uncle John was able to urinate and pass motion. However, it seemed to be more of passing out blood and clots into the toilet bowl.

Even despite his condition, over these past few days, he still took the time to read a Christian book on how to conduct new believers Bible Study! I was shocked that he still carries this passion, despite being in so much discomfort! It really made me yearn more to discover my passion in life. But I have not found it yet…

Last Saturday evening it suddenly got worse, and the wound would start to bleed whenever Uncle John stood up. He could not even stand coz the blood would just flow out from his surgery wound.

All of us were very worried and there was anxious discussion, procrastination by Uncle John, searching for the clinic’s 24 hours hotline, unanswered calls to the HR person in charge of Uncle John’s company, the arrival of his sister Catherine, calling of the doctor who operated on Uncle John, calling of Aunty Stephanie and deciding which hospital to got to… which surgeon is experienced and reliable…

Rebecca’s neighbors came in to see how Uncle John was doing. They still didn’t look friendly to me, even after more than 5 years. I wonder why. Must I always be the one who take the initiative to talk to them? They are the ones who should be comfortable coz its familiar territory and people. I am a stranger in this land…

Finally, it was decided that we should call for the ambulance. At the meantime, we did what we could to help around the house, while Uncle John lay on the bed with a towel placed under his shorts. Then we gathered at the bed-side to pray for Uncle John. The ambulance came shortly, and together with the other 3 ambulance staff, I helped to carry Uncle John in a bright orange colored stretcher upstairs towards the lift.

Uncle John was heavy and I was wondering why the hospital didn’t send enough staff to help carry him. What if I wasn’t there? I am sure that Aunty Molly would have enough strength to assist in the carrying, but that wasn’t the point! How can the hospital not send enough staff to carry the patient? I was able to help with the carrying, but back in mind I was thinking how useful it would be to be strong and fit, in times of emergency… be it for men or women alike.

It was my first time seeing ambulance staff arrive at a home to carry out a patient. For a moment, it looked like some TCS serial drama, but I steadied my mind to remember that it was not. It was no show, this is real. At the back of my mind, I was hoping that Uncle John would be able to recover ASAP as he has been bleeding and suffering for over a week already. Yet another part of my mind wondered what if one day it was time for Uncle John to return to Heaven? How would it be like in this house, in this family? Would the scene look like this too? Hmm… It’s just a thought, but this could happen to anybody. And worse still, the person may not even be at home. I know my grandfather just collapsed and died from a sudden heart attack at the coffee shop across his flat.

Anyway, Aunty Catherine, Aunty Molly and Evelyn went along to the hospital, while I walked across to Block 85 to buy dinner for Rebecca and myself, coz we abandoned our dinner and Rebecca’s coffee earlier to rush back home. The hokkien mee that I bought didn’t taste nice, maybe its because its near the shop closing hours and the fella didn’t have much mood to cook it properly. But then again, neither did we have much appetite… but nevertheless, it was still important to eat some food. After eating, I went home coz it was already past 1am, and there was church service the next day.