Chapter 3: The Agony

The waiting game

Amar slept throughout the night again. I was very sure this time, the ward released laughing gas during the night. (Joking!)

He woke up with a better looking finger. No swelling. But there was another collection of pus at the bottom of the nail. I was thinking in my heart, this might just be another round of swelling, crying and popping. I just hope that he would be released that day. The thought of Amar going through a procedure was unbearable.

Sister Nora, the nurse who was always smiling greeted us all that morning. Giving us all her thumbs up as usual. The other nurses on duty changed the sheets, gave us breakfast (toast or cereal) with tea. They also washed this 6 year old boy. His left leg was in cast and elevated and tied to the bed. His mother only came during the day and left him during the night. Somebody told me that he has a few other siblings at home. I also heard the boy said he was hit and 'crushed' by a car.

Also, that morning, 3-4 boys came in with broken arms or legs. They came in for operations. Most were released the same day.

Sister Nora came to see Amar, and suggested to soak his finger in soda water to help the new collection of pus to burst. So I let Amar splashing on the ward's floor. He soaked the floor too. A kind nurse, Julie came to wipe all the mess Amar has made. Julie was the best and kindest nurse of all!

You know what, I didn't like the idea of soaking Amar's finger. I wasn't against Sister Nora. But my pain tolerance is zero, and if I have a cut on my finger, I would never ever run my finger under water. I could feel the soreness!!! Poor Amar.

His yellowy bit did not pop. But his wound was inflamed after he played with the soda water.

A Consultant came (a different consultant) had a look at Amar's finger and said he might need the operation. He will have a chat with his fellow Consultant surgeon. Amar was put under immediate "Nil by mouth" again.

Babah has written about his operation previously. So I'm sure you are aware about Amar's hunger. He had a bottle of milk at 7am. And the last time he has had some food was the night before, which was a few spoonfuls of home-made bubur (made by kind Babah). By afternoon time, he has fallen asleep a few times in my clutches of boredom and hunger.

He woke up around 2.30pm to anaesthetists trying to find his veins to put in a venflon. Again he hated people to hold his hand tightly, and further he was hungry. He still had the energy to release himself from the tight grip.

The anaesthetist said we had to give him the 'mask'. So we pinned him down, and the anaesthetist put a gas mask on Amar's face and turned the dial to number 8. Then, I had to leave while he was still struggling but he was getting weaker. It was soooooo sad and heartbreaking to leave him in that state.

I was accompanied by another kind nurse whom I got closed to. Unfortunately, I didn't ask her name. She said that she will call me after the procedure to see Amar.

I was explained by the Consultant the day before that the procedure would be an easy-peasy job, a small incision and drain. It would only take 10 minutes, so he said.

I prepared Amar's bottle of milk, waited to be called by the nurse and praying hard for him. 10 minutes passed. Then 30 minutes. Then 40 minutes. Then I lost count.

I got worried.

Finally, the nurse came and said Amar was ready. I went with her to the theatre, walking as fast as I could and saw Amar in the arms of one of the nurses. He was weeping with his eyes closed. He sounded and looked very,very, very weak and exhausted.

I took him in my arms and saw a big bandage on his left hand. It looked like a claw. And a venflon on his right hand. So he was getting the IV antibiotics after all.

Suddenly a tall man in scrub (the Consultant who saw Amar's finger in the morning) appeared and explained the whole procedure (of which has already been told by Babah). I cringed when he mentioned about removing the nail and putting it back. No wonder I waited so long and it wasn't a straight forward procedure.

I put Amar in his cot with his bottle of milk. He continued sleeping for 3 hours or so. When he got up, he gave me a smile and played 'peek-a-boo'. He also gave me a laugh, which was a very good sign. (I thought he was still under sedation or painkillers, that's why he was happy)

Babah came with Sarah. He was playing and running happily. Even that night he was sleeping quite well. He did wake up a few times, but only a very short cry. Mengigau agaknya. Otherwise, he didn't get any further painkillers afterwards. Amar is a true macho boy! (Apart from taking his oral antibiotics, he was absolutely fine!)

Below is a short clip of Amar running around in his operation gown.

p/s: Amar pulled off the bandage. And he was playing with the cotton stuffed under the bandage. So the bandage had to be changed the next morning.

p/p/s: Saturday night was busy! The ward was already full and they were expecting 3 more patients. Amar was moved to the second section. There was already the young boy who claimed himself as 10 years old, but he was actually 6. The same boy who said he was hit and 'crushed' by a car.

And very late at night, another 7 year old boy was admitted and placed across Amar's cot. I heard his mother telling the nurse that the boy was playing with his friends when he fell down and caught his fingers between the shopping trolley's wheel. I also heard later from a Surgeon saying that his tulang jari sort of hancur. (I can't remember the term he used, but that got me instantly cautious next time we go to TESCO)

There was also a 15 year old girl. She was bigger and taller than me. (I thought I was huge!) She fell of a 14 steps staircase) She was crying that night. But her father must be in a deep sleep and didn't hear her moaning at all!

Last, there was this 1@2 year old girl. I don't know about this girl. But she called Amar - Ababa each time we went passed her. She has a pretty face. Tapi bau famili dia sangat kurang enak. Boleh bau berbatu-batu. I'm very hygiene and smell conscious. I don't feel at ease if I feel I smell like a curry or satay house. I hope my children and I don't smell like that.

Then I heard a doctor came to assess the little girl and said that she has to be retained for the night. The doctor left and there was this discussion and then suddenly quiet. The 2 year old girl's parents have discharged themselves.