The world of Tzu Chi (Vol.110)

2019 • 05 22 eature himself to his dialysis treatment sessions and follow-up appointments independently ever since, besides chauffeuring his mother to her medical appointments or the neighbourhood recycling point. Despite being paralysed for 28 years and having spent the past 17 years living on dialysis treatments, Ngoi Lee is not one to allow his life to be dictated by his limitations. His many illnesses have numbed him to pain and suffering. On the other hand, he is keenly aware that his health is deteriorating year by year, and that his immune system is weakening. Even so, he shows nary a sign of anxiety or fear. The fact that he had survived even the worst of fatal road accidents has strengthened his belief that there is no obstacle in life that cannot be overcome. The intensity of dialysis treatments had drained Ngoi Lee of his vigour and drive to catch up with his old friends, along with his enthusiasm for travelling. Nevertheless, he remains grateful for being able to contribute to monthly recycling work with the volunteers and appreciates every opportunity to gaze up at the clear blue skies – a reminder that life is still worth living. A mother’s heartache Ngoi Lee’s mother, who is 75 this year, has been standing staunchly by Ngoi Lee’s side for over a decade. Ever since she first decided to leave her hometown to care for Ngoi Lee in Kuala Lumpur, she had given up all plans of ever returning and is resolute to stay on for Ngoi Lee’s sake. The items on her daily to-do list seem endless, including washing Ngoi Lee, cleaning up after him, preparing meals, doing the laundry and handling the household chores, among many other day-to-day tasks. She would also accompany Ngoi Lee to his dialysis sessions and stay overnight at the hospital whenever Ngoi Lee is hospitalized. In addition, she is responsible for attending to Ngoi Lee’s mobility needs by supporting him in getting into and out of his car, as well as storing his wheelchair in the rear cabin and retrieving it for use. “The road accident landed Ngoi Lee in a coma for a few days. The doctors were unsure of his chances of regaining consciousness. I feared for his life. Thankfully, he eventually woke up from his coma. He became paralysed, but at least he is alive,” she recounted. Ngoi Lee’s mother woefully lamented her fate of having lost her husband when her three sons were mere toddlers, leaving her to raise them all by herself and make ends meet by tapping rubber trees. She has always longed for a better life for her sons, who had to drop out of school at a young age to work for a living. It was heart-rending for her to see Ngoi Lee falling further behind in life by ending up paralysed. The pressures of life as a single mother torn between earning a living and childcare duties nearly pushed Ngoi Lee’s mother over the edge. She used to be tormented by pent- up stress and feelings of resentment, leading to sleepless nights and constant tears of self- loathing. Desperate to seek refuge from her despair, she immersed herself in the spiritual teachings delivered in Buddhist temples. The sermons were incomprehensible to her at first, but she gradually managed to grasp their profound essence. She has also gained a better understanding of the workings of karma in