Wednesday 17 June 2015

Beyond Blood

One of the medical assistants came in one day requesting a prescription for anti-hypertensive medications for a home patient. I'm normally very strict when it comes to giving out prescriptions, however he was a very senior stuff member and I didn't think he would be abusing medications per se. 

I noticed the prescription was asked to be made out to an elderly Chinese gentleman. My staff member was a middle aged Malay man. Out of curiosity I asked him who was this prescription was for, and who was the man that he was bringing these medications to. 

He shrugged it off initially but eventually admitted that this was a patient had known for many many years and was now elderly and limited movement. 

He would still go over to this patient's house and this patient had asked him to continue his medications as he could no longer go to the local clinic. I suggested he come over at least once in a while to monitor his blood pressure and to run routine tests for his blood investigations. 

My staff member smiled. "He's an old grumpy fellow but in all the years I've known him we've somehow ended up almost like family."

"That's dedication, to still care so much for the health of your patient. Doesn't he have children?"

He shrugged. "He does but he's somehow taken me on as an adopted son and I look on him almost like a father. The old man will get upset if I don't come over for Chinese New Year because he considers me family. He also insists on coming over every Hari Raya, even calls me son. I've somehow been adopted into the fold!"

 It's lovely to hear, a simple story about a Malay man with his own family, who had been adopted into this Chinese family, just by the continued good relationship between these two individuals. Somehow along the way, their hearts recognized something about the other, and they had built on that recognition.

Despite all the reporting about the seeming racial tensions, these conversations, these stories are what really make up the weave of our Malaysian society. Simple folk and their every day actions.

We are all humans first after all.

2 comments:

  1. This is a lovely story Aida. If only everyone was this way, then we'd live in a better world.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think there are a lot of people out there who are just decent human beings. Ignore the haters, and keep your faith in the human race. :)

    ReplyDelete