Of mortality

I just learned that a family member passed away earlier this afternoon. Alfatihah. He was diagnosed with liver cancer at the end of last year and by the time the diagnosis was established - in UMMC as he was originally from Kuala Terengganu, it was already too late and all that could be offered was steps to increase his quality of life. He was put on an expensive medication to help curtail the spread of the disease. He had a good 4 months period since taking the drug. He was able to return to Kuala Terengganu to spend the last few weeks of his life, to say his last goodbyes.

This took a turn for the worst a couple of weeks back. He turned jaundice and his children asked him to return to KL. He was admitted the day after and it was established then that the end was approaching. He was started on pain killer. Some fluids were taken off his lungs to ease his breathing. He did not suffer at all in the end.

How appropriate that I heard the news about his passing while I was attending a kenduri arwah, held 40 days after a death of another family member. This lash had relapse of her breath cancer. She was first diagnosed with it back in 1989 at the then University Hospital. She was operated on, following she had radiotherapy. She had almost 20 years of near-normal life. But time caught up with her.

Being an Oncologist, sometimes I disattached myself from the subject of mortality in order to function. But it still effects me if it were to happen on somebody I know personally. That was also the reason why I went to distance not to treat any of my family members - sometime they even accused me of not being helpful. But I guessed that was my coping mechanism .....