I am writing not as a filial daughter. I am writing just as I am. A grieving daughter who has just lost her beloved father but by now strong enough to type without tearing. On the day of reckoning, when goodbye with dad was imminent, I could hardly be heard. My dad lost his brain functioning to the sedation. He could probably hear my sobs intermittently.
I lost my voice the day dad departed. Now that it is back, my other (inner) voice wants to be heard. I have only just one thing to do for dad. To ask a very sensitive & poignant question – can one buy Grace & Compassion in Singapore?
I have been a PR-turned-Sporean for 20 years. Dad’s dependant pass could not be renewed due to poor health some years back. That did not stop him from visiting his children & grand-children in Singapore. On Jan 9 this year, at age 78, he came from Muar with a mission – to oversee his two teenage grandsons while their parents are overseas. But on Jan 13, a heart-attack landed him at the CCU @ NUH. I was told that a 5-day CCU stay might cost S$10.5K as dad was a foreigner. By God’s intervention, he was out of the CCU after 2 days and moved to the normal ward. The condition at the 4-bedded ward was rather noisy coupled with din coming from renovation work within the hospital premise. Again, by God’s intervention, he was moved to an isolation room with single bed on a temporary basis.
The nurses and doctors as well as administrative assistants rendered first class services. They possessed and demonstrated fine working attitude and mannerism.
Yes, Grace & Compassion can be bought here.
On Jan 19 the doctor certified that dad could be sent home to rest before anything could be done to his weak heart condition. I sought the doctor’s assurance that dad could be sent back to Muar in an ambulance. He repeated that dad was fine to go to Muar home to rest. I wished he had strongly recommended that dad be sent to the Muar Specialist Hospital to rest and be treated further instead. My home in Spore, though near NUH, is not a conducive place for a heart-patient to live in. Moreover, we have relatives who had in the past incurred exorbitant medical costs here. We saw it as a window of opportunity for dad to return to Muar Specialist hospital ultimately for further treatment. On the day of discharge from NUH, we were told to expect a medical bill of about S$5k or so.
Yes, Grace & Compassion can be bought here.
On Jan 20 at 3 am, dad had another heart-attack in the Muar home and was admitted to the CCU in Muar Specialist Hospital right away. The hospital gave him maximum dosage of medication and put him subsequently on a ventilator to sustain him. On Jan 22, dad died peacefully after all his children arrived to bid farewell. A few days later, we went back to the hospital to pay for the medical cost. We were stunned when told it cost nothing.
Yes, Grace & Compassion can be free elsewhere.
The love gift we collected over the 2 days’ wake was more than enough to cover the funeral expenses as well as the medical costs incurred here in Spore.
Yes, Grace & Compassion is abundant everywhere.
I am writing, just as i am, limited in power, wisdom & faith but hanging on to the belief that all is well with dad’s soul.
(28 Jan 06)
