Brother could only see mum lie there, weakly, lethargically. He could also see tubes now coming out of her beck, and a big two litre bag of extra nutrients the doctor prescribed for her in preparation for the surgery. For several moments, he was silent. For several moments he rubbed his eyes. What do you say... What do you say to your mother when in a few hours' time she'll be wheeled into the operation room?
I did not tell my brother about the risks. They worry me, but they are more disclaimers to ward off liability issue just in the slightest chance something terrible should go wrong... But even a slight chance is a chance, and I do not need to worry my brother unnecessarily.
"A-ma, be strong! A-ma, good luck!" my "nephew" said. It was as if through my nephew, his dad could best express his words of encouragement and love and not feel so awkward. It's a shame we grew up in a culture in which we are not so open about our feelings, and in which we find it hard to put into words sentiments like "I love you..." But we all know those sentiments are there, even if expressed through the voice of a baby.
Mum smiled and smiled. She said very little, and mostly watched her grandchild wiggle and giggle, wriggle and throw his arms around as his dad tried to hold him steady in front of the camera.
Perhaps she was thinking: "I want to see you again... I want to hold you again..." Such longings and wishes can carry someone far, far and gather the strength needed to overcome even the most challenging of obstacles.
No comments:
Post a Comment