Even though the primary purpose of this blog is to share photos of our travels, I have decided to dedicate a post on the passing of my beloved mother, Madam Maria Chong Kooi Leon. This post will highlight the last few weeks of her life, in particular her final journey on this earth.
Maria Chong Kooi Leon
1933 - 2014
My mother passed away on 3rd June 2014 at 11:50am at the Kuantan General Hospital at the age of 81. My wife and I were the last persons in the family who saw her alive on that fateful day. We visited her at around 9am while she was still sleeping. We did not want to disturb and left after a short while. At about 11:35am we received a call from the doctor who asked us to come to the hospital as my mother's condition has worsened. We were told to inform all our love ones to come as soon as possible. After I have informed some of my siblings and before I could leave for the hospital the doctor called again at 11:50am to inform that my mother has passed away.
My mother has been suffering from Parkinson's disease for the past 15 years. Thank God that she has been very disciplined in taking her medicine and the disease was under control. The first sign that indicates she was at the late stage of the disease was when she started to talk nonsense in Sep 2013. We were holidaying in Krabi with my brother's family on 26 Sep 2013 when I received a call from eldest sister that my mother was talking nonsense lately. From that point onwards her health deteriorated and she became more dependent on the maid.
Below is the chronology of events during the last two months of my mother's life.
7 April 2014
She had a fall at home, one day after we went to my father's and grand parents tomb for "Cheng Beng" . She spilt some oat on the floor and had a slip when she wanted to help the maid to clean up. However, she could still walk normally for a few days after the fall. My 3rd sister even took her for a ride to the beach during the week of the fall. Later she begin to walk with a limp and started to complain of pain in her left pelvic area. We thought she might have just suffered from some muscle pain after the fall.
16 April 2014
We took her for her regular appointment with the specialist who treated her for her Parkinson disease. We had to carry her into the car because of the pain she had and she could not stand on her own. She was given pain killers to manage the pain at home for the next few days.
19 April 2014
We took her to the hospital and the X-ray showed her hip bone was broken and she was admitted immediately for treatment. The doctor recommended surgery to replace her hip join and seek our consent. Due to her advanced Parkinson stage where she cannot response to instruction we decided not to proceed with surgery. After surgery she would need to undergo physiotherapy and we worried she might not able to go through it. When there was no improvement to her condition after about three weeks, we decided to proceed with the surgery but was advised by the doctor it was too late. So we agreed to let the broken joint to heal naturally but was informed by the doctor it will take some time.
13 May 2014
She was discharged from the hospital to recuperate at home. All the while she still complain about the pain and was dependent on the maid for all her needs.
23 May 2014
We had to call the ambulance to take her to the hospital when she refuse to eat and drink for three days. She was fed intravenously and was put on drips. Later an oxygen mask was put on her when she had difficulty breathing and her body oxygen level was low.
25 May 2014
We were in church in Kuantan in the morning when the doctor called to ask me to come to the hospital immediately as her condition is not good. The doctor advise me to inform all my siblings to come as well. When we arrived we were told by the doctor her oxygen level has dropped to below 90. At one stage her heart bit shot up to 150 pm. The doctor wanted our consent whether to carry out intubation on my mother if the oxygen level dropped further. We were briefed by the doctor that it is quite dangerous to do the intubation at her present condition and may even hasten her death, So my brother signed our consent to the doctor not to proceed with the intubation. Her condition seemed to improved the next few days.
30 May 2014
We were at our cell group meeting in church in KL when my eldest sister called to inform that my mother was in a very critical condition. We are to make the necessary arrangement to go back to Kuantan the next day. My sisters and my bro-in-laws were at the hospital until 1am the following day. Somehow my mother survived.
31 May 2014
We arrived in Kuantan and went straight to the hospital. Her breathing was difficult due to the phlegm in her throat and mouth. We could see her struggling to breathe. Her condition improved slightly the next two days.
3 June 2014
We visited her in the morning at about 9am. She was sleeping and breathing quite normally. We left the hospital after a short while to attend to other matters. At about 11:35am we got a call from the doctor to come to the hospital immediately. Before we could go to the hospital the doctor called again to inform that my mother passed away at about 11:50AM
4 - 5 June 2014
Wake service was held at my mother's house and relatives and friends paid their last respect
6 June 2014
Funeral service was held at St Thomas Church and thereafter proceeded to the Catholic Cemetery in Kuantan for burial.
30 May 2014
We were at our cell group meeting in church in KL when my eldest sister called to inform that my mother was in a very critical condition. We are to make the necessary arrangement to go back to Kuantan the next day. My sisters and my bro-in-laws were at the hospital until 1am the following day. Somehow my mother survived.
31 May 2014
We arrived in Kuantan and went straight to the hospital. Her breathing was difficult due to the phlegm in her throat and mouth. We could see her struggling to breathe. Her condition improved slightly the next two days.
3 June 2014
We visited her in the morning at about 9am. She was sleeping and breathing quite normally. We left the hospital after a short while to attend to other matters. At about 11:35am we got a call from the doctor to come to the hospital immediately. Before we could go to the hospital the doctor called again to inform that my mother passed away at about 11:50AM
4 - 5 June 2014
Wake service was held at my mother's house and relatives and friends paid their last respect
6 June 2014
Funeral service was held at St Thomas Church and thereafter proceeded to the Catholic Cemetery in Kuantan for burial.
My mother at the orthopadic ward where she was warded for broken hip bone. At that time she could eat. The maid accompanied her all the time in the hospital from 19 April to 13 May 2014.
My mother when she was admitted to the hospital a second time when she could not eat and drink for three days. Throughout her stay until she passed away she was breathing with the help of the oxygen mask. She stayed in the hospital from 23 May to 3 June 2014, all the time with the maid accompanying her. In fact the maid was like a private nurse to her, taking care of all her needs.
Wake service was held from 4 - 5 June 2014 at my mother's house
Wake service were held on 4 & 5 June 2014. English service was conducted at 8pm and the Chinese service was conducted at 9pm. Both the services were conducted by the sisters from St Thomas Church Kuantan
We took some photos before moving to St Thomas Church for the funeral service. From left: my 3rd sis, 2nd sis, eldest sis and my brother
Mt eldest sister with her husband, youngest daughter, son and daughter-in-law. Her eldest daughter and family are in Dubai.
My second sister with her husband, children and grand children
My 3rd sister with her husband, children and grand children
My brother, his wife and children and myself and my wife
Myself and my wife
My mother's maid for the last eight years.
The hearse leaving my mother's house for St Thomas Church in Kuantan.
The hearse arriving at St Thomas Church in Kuantan
The coffin at the front of the church. Waiting for the priest to arrive.
The church where my mother used to attend when she was healthy and strong
The coffin being push to the front of the church for the service
The priest presiding at the funeral service
The priest blessing the coffin
The priest blessing the coffin
Love ones, relatives and friends having a last look at my mother before leaving for the Catholic Cemetery in Kuantan
Coffin leaving St Thomas Church
The hearse leaving St Thomas Church for the Catholic Cemetery in Kuantan
The freshly dug grave of my mother
The coffin being lowered into the grave
Last funeral rite being conducted by the sisters from St Thomas Church
Flowers were strewn on the coffin before it is covered with soil
Love ones and relatives tossing soil into the grave
Flowers and lighted candles were planted onto the grave
My mother's maid Suyati, has been taking care of my mother for the past 8 years
Myself and my wife
My brother & his family
It will be a bare grave for the time being. A proper tomb will be build in a year's time after the soil has been stabilized.
May the soul of my mother Maria Chong Kooi Leon rest in peace.
Jesus said,
“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die"
John 11:25
In Oct 2015, the tombstone of my mother's grave was completed in time for the All Souls Day in Nov 2015.
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