Good Bye! Grandma!
My grandmother was diagnose with liver cancer, and it was already in the advance stage. The doctors can't do anything to her because they worried that her body can't take it and it may even worsen the situation. All we can do is to make her as comfortable as possible, and prepared for the worse.
Ever since she was admitted to the hospital, we visited her everyday. Relatives and friends also came down to see her. I started to feel very heartbroken last Monday, because she cannot react to us anymore. Her nerve system, livers, kidney, and other parts of the body start to slow down. I even saw her tears rolling down her face. I knew that she was feeling very sad. We tried to massage her because this was the only way that we can communicate with her. We want to let her know that there are still many people who still care and concern about her.
Until yesterday, she left us. The doctor said that she left peacefully. She did not suffered much. And today, her body was cremated. This was what she wants, and we followed her instruction. She does not wants to have the wake because it was a waste of money and time, because we still need to work and study next week.
Everybody felt sad when she left us. But I think that this is a relieve for her, and I felt happy too. This is a process that everybody need to go through, the only matter is whether it happens to us early or later. We will definitely felt that something is missing in our life, but we can still remember her in our heart forever.
3:11 AM
New experience!
Today was a tried day for me. I need to take care of my grandmothers' house(since she was in the hospital) and also my 2 cousins.
Today, the main activities that occupied my day was all the household chores. Early in the morning at 8am, I start to sweep and mop the floor. Later on, I start hanging the clothes. This is the first time hanging clothes. In the past, my mother do not expect me to do this.
In the afternoon, I bought lunch from the nearby market for my cousins and myself. I also helped to guide in my cousins' homework. As there is some time before dinner, we decided to play Nitendo Wii.
Finally in the evening, I heat up the dinner prepared by my aunt. I decided to fry tomato omelette as there are only cabbage and melon soup(prepared by my aunt in the morning). I washed the dishes after dinner and went to bath.
What I did today is not what I need to do everyday. My mother never asked me to help in the household chores before. I finally understand why my mother sometimes complaint about her backache and dry hands. Being a housewife is never a difficult job, but also not an easy job. Although they may not need to bear all the stress from work, but they need to bear the physical pain most of the time. Through today's "training", I think should help my mother and also my grandmother, so as to reduce their burden.
7:17 AM
Worry
Just as my holiday started, my grandmother was warded into the hospital. Life is really unpredictable. She was still able to walk and talk one month ago. And now, she doesn't even have the strength to do so.
She has also changed a lot ever since she was ill. Normally, she will wakes up around 5 or 6 am. However, she was so tired and sleepy that she wakes up at 8 or 9 am. In addition, she do not have the mood to do the household chores because she has difficulty moving around. Every meal time, she also do not have the appetite to eat. She also finds it hard to swallow the medicines and will feel very nauseous. It's really pain to see her in this state.
Her condition is very critical. Hence, my mother and aunt decided to bring her to the hospital today. I wanted to go and find out what is the reason that cause my grandmother to be critically ill. However, my mother asked me to stay at home to take care of my cousins. In addition, it is also not advisable for us to go to the hospital as there are virus. I listened to my mother and decided to stay at home.
Until evening, when my mother and aunt came back from the hospital, we were told that grandmother need to be warded in the hospital for further observation because the medical report is not out yet.
10:19 PM
Ice cream that relieve my stress
Test, tutorials and projects. These three words kept swirling in my head. Until last Friday(14 May), I realise that my time is not enough. All the tests and project deadlines are drawing near and I only started the ICA1 of Family and Youth Work Module only. I started to get panic and keep blaming myself. I should have plan beforehand!
I did not waste a single minute yesterday. I woke up at 8.30am and prepared myself for the day. The first thing I did was to record all the tests' dates and project deadlines in my planner. Later on, I start revising to prepared for this week's tests(Monday and Wednesday). I also manage to complete two tutorials for this week too. That's how I use my Saturday.
Today, I woke up slightly later as compared to yesterday at 9am. I revised again for tomorrow's test to make sure I memorise all the theories and also did past tutorials. I was so engross in revising until my mother came to my room and say:"It's lunch time!" I started to feel hungry at that moment and went for lunch with her at a nearby food court.
During lunch, my mother was concern and asked me about my schooling. I told her my schooling was fine, but I was struggling with tests and projects now. She did not comment anything about it. We finished our food and I to go home first because she need to go to the supermarket. I headed home and continue my revision.
My mother reach home about an hours time. She came into my room, gave me a Wall's ice cream cone and went to iron her clothes. I was surprised and touch at the same time. I knew she was encouraging for me, encouraging me to treat this as an obstacle and overcome it. She believe I can pass and do well in all my tests and project.
I'm glad for what my mother has done for me today. The stress that I'm facing now is really a small matter. The stress that I might face in the workforce in future might be worse. So if I can't handle it now, what about my future? Now I realise that time is not waiting for you, you must plan ahead in order for you to control time.
3:52 AM
Happy Mother Day!
Today is a special day for all mothers in the world! To celebrate this wonderful day with my mother, we had dinner at Swensen together as a family. It's been a long time eating together as a family. Normally, I had my dinner alone. If not, I will eat either with my father or mother only.
We had a great conversation just now. We also chat about our recent activities. Especially for my mother, she told us that she was unhappy with her manager. But my father told her that she must learn to endure. "Everybody will face difficulties in their lives. But if we know how to endure, we can prevent unhappiness." said my father.
I agreed with my father. Just like me, I met some people who are always creating troubles. However, we do not have the rights to reprimand them. All we have to do is to complete our job nicely. That's the best thing we can do for ourselves. We must change according to the environment, not the environment change for us. We must endure to the people around us, not the people enduring us.
Although it's just a simple dinner, I learned another important thing in my life-endure. I really enjoyed tonight's dinner!
4:10 AM
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Relationship With My Family-GrandMother
Since the day I was born, my grandparent(maternal) take care of me. Naturally, I have a closer bond with them at that time. They are Malaysian, and they know how to speak Cantonese. Hence, I have the chance to learn Cantonese from them.
I will introduce my grandmother first. She is the one who look after the house. Everyday, till now, she will do the household chores without fail. She love the house to be clean and tidy, and also likes the house to be as simple as possible. She thinks that having a lot of furniture and decorations will attract pests and collect dusts, and she hate it when the house is dirty. She thinks that a clean house is more conducive for living. The most important thing is she don't want us to fall sick just because the house is dirty. She will feel guilty as she thinks that she didn't do her job well. But I think she has done her job very well all these years!
Not only she keeps the house clean, she also cooks very well! I love all her cooking!Especially her cone soup! Sometimes, she also add other ingredients such as carrots, which will make the cone soup even more flavored and sweet! Occasionally, she will brew drinks such as herbal and chrysanthemum tea. And I love it because it's tasty and healthy!
We used to stay together until my grandfather passed away(when I was around 6 years old). And since then, she stay together with my aunt(her second daughter). Later on, my aunt gave birth to one daughter and one son, and my grandmother start to take care of them. Although we're not staying together, my mother and I will still visit her every weekends. In addition, during holidays, I will stay over at her house until school reopen.
She is 76 this year. I really want to thank god for giving me such a wonderful grandmother, and also allowing her to stay healthy all these years. Recently, she went for checkup and the doctor said that my grandmother's heart problem is gone. We were happy for her because she had heart problem since 50 plus and has been under medication until now. But the doctor also told her that her kidney is having some problems. I am very worry and I really hope that god will bless her.
5:41 AM
Papa+Mama+Me=Family
Some of my friends have commented that they desire to be the only child in their family, where they'll received all the loves and attentions from their parents. Being the only child can avoid arguing with siblings, and avoid being the one sacrificing and giving in to younger siblings. It seems like this is a good choice, but only for a short period i guess.
Won't you feel bored at home? Won't you feel that something is missing in your life? Won't you feel that there no one to talk to beside your parents? I would say yes to the questions. I've been the only child for 18 years and sometimes I've been wondering why my parents don't want to give me a brother or sister? In addition, there are many people in this world who are so fortunate to have siblings but they are not willing to interact and get along together well?
I remembered that one of my friend came very early to school, around 6.15am. I asked her why and her reason is: "Yesterday, my younger brother bullied me. He even beat me. I can't stand it and lock myself in the bedroom and cry. And today I came school early to avoid him." However, my friend's parents knew the incident later and her brother apologised to my friend.
This triggered me a feeling at that time:heartbroken. She cried because her closest kin has done something hurting to her. Living together for so many years and this is what she get from her brother. Eventually, she forgives him-because he is her brother afterall.
It is impossible for me to have a sibling in my life now, but for those who have any, please cherish them. You may think that there are many other chances to talk to them, play with them etc. However, when you realise that you need them, you may not have the chance anymore.
5:35 AM
SHEEPIE
I am Sabrina Ang ;I am 18 this year.
I will be sharing my family experiences here.
Although this is just an assignment for BM0443(Family and Youth Work), I will treat it as a chance for me to
understand more about myself and my family.
*Press the sheeps, and they'll move!
