The world of Tzu Chi July-August 2022 (Vol.142)

2022 • 08 44 subsidizing the dialysis expenses. Noticing that Kamarudin’s bed frame was unstable, they also hurriedly delivered a hospital bed to avoid injury lest the bed collapse. “Actually, Tzu Chi had helped us solve a huge problem by subsidizing my mother’s kidney dialysis. I did not expect Tzu Chi volunteers to pay extra attention to our other needs,” the silent concern touched Natasha deeply. There is strength when someone cares. Each time they visited, the volunteers could feel Kamarudin’s strong will to recover. Watching him progressed from being a hemiplegic to sitting up, to walking slowly with a cane, to using a machine to shave coconut and then fry the shaved coconut, to going out on a motorcycle, and planning to continue the expansion project of the house… Everything seemed to be improving, until another storm hit. At the beginning of 2022, Siew Peng learned that Che Wan was diagnosed with Covid-19, and later, Kamarudin suffered a second stroke. Che Wan had a medical history of the three highs—high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar. Although she had later recovered from Covid-19, her leg was amputated to the thigh due to a wound that could not heal as a result of diabetes. She had been depressed since then, often feeling the pain in the amputated limb. Having to take care of her mother, and her father, who was unable to take care of himself or speak entirely, Natasha was occupied from morning to night, burning the candle at both ends. One afternoon when the volunteers visited, it was sweltering hot in the house. Kamarudin sat on a reclining chair, accompanied by a TV and an air cooler, while his wife was on the hospital bed. Although there was a fan that was turned on full capacity placed next to the bed, the room was still hot and stuffy. The volunteers felt that it was not a conducive environment for patients with wounds. Two days later, a community group delivered a second hospital bed. Siew Peng, on the other hand, brought a standing fan from home and an air mattress from Tzu Chi. Che Wan felt the coolness and was in a better mood. She smiled, “The pain at my hip is much less now with the air mattress.” Kamarudin was also amused by volunteer Kim Long, laughing like a child. Seeing her parents happy, Natasha shared emotionally, “They are my parents, not a burden.” The siblings cherished the warmth the society had shown them. With volunteers’ guidance, Natasha also learned to operate the washing machine gifted by her friends, hence she no longer has to hand wash the laundry now. When volunteers taught her to save, she and her mother donated their first Ringgits to Tzu Chi to express their gratitude. Another visit. Exercise, parents! When Angeline interacted with Kamarudin, she discovered that the old man had a good memory, could express himself clearly in simple words and could feel his limbs. He had a chance at recovery. Hence, she immediately lifted him onto a chair and taught him how to exercise his arms and legs using a piece of sarung , to promote blood circulation while watching TV. “Your limbs are slightly swollen because you have stayed seated for a long time. You must find a way to move them. It is like a car— ouching Life Story