My Atok Jah

Around 2 weeks ago, I had a frightening phone call in the middle of the night. It was my sister. "Kak Lita, Tok Jah sakit kuat...this time it looks serious. She has stopped talking altogether and seems very, very weak...nampak macam nazak..". That night I couldn't sleep well. I was contemplating whether I should go back to JB right away or wait for a while. Now, my Tok Jah has not been in such good health of late, given her age (she's 80 plus I think...) But she has been one tough lady. Everytime she got sick, she always bounces back to health and back to her talkative self.

So, with that faith, I put off going back to JB that morning. I got updates from my uncles and aunties in JB every couple of hours about her. The last update from my Auntie, I was told that she was not doing well at all. In fact, she said few signs of being nazak were evident. My mind began to race on what to do next. My colleagues in the office said, better go and see her before she's gone. So at 4.30 pm, I packed up my office stuff, headed to Ampang to pick up my two sisters and a cousin and headed back to Subang to pack my overnight bag. It was really exhausting. It was a hard day at work, the jam to and from Ampang was crazy and by the time we reached Subang it was almost 7pm. At 7.30 we were off to JB with me behind the wheels and the girls. At around 12 midnight we reached Tok Jah's house. Almost everybody was there. Uncles, Aunts, cousins..Some were on their way from KL.

I ran to Atok's room. There she was...cutting a fragile figure sunk in the queen sized bed...She was awake. She saw me and my sisters and acknowledged our presence with the look in her eyes..No sound came out from her...She seemed drained out. I was worried and so were the others present. I tried to look for some signs of life in her eyes...I wasn't sure... That night, we all sat vigil around her until at 4am, I took one look at her sleeping and declared I need some sleep after driving for hours from KL.

We checked into a nearby hotel (Atok's house was full that night!) and slept and slept and slept. It was almost 11am when we woke up! We quickly bathed and rushed back to her house which was only 5 minutes away. There she was... I must say she looked so much better than last night. She still didn't speak but at least she looked alert. I was soo relieved. She ate a bit..not much but at least she was eating.. That afternoon, a decision was made. We were to bring her back to KL for proper care and supervision. She was to stay with my Aunt in Bangi. She was so fragile that we hired an ambulance to transfer her back to KL.

Now, a fortnight later, my Tok Jah is still around although she's bedridden now. I have visited her twice ever since. She is doing ok given her age, fragility and bouts of sickness. I for one, know that this lady is one tough cookie and I believe she is going to live much longer that we expected!

To my dearest Tok Jah...get well soon. We missed your "swearing"! Hehehehe....

p/s To my Chak in Penang, I love you too. Next time I shall write about you too ok! Stay cool.


Atok, the night we arrived from KL.


Atok and I. The next morning.