27th Jan, Another Day to Remember

On 27th January, one of my kins, passed away. He is my maternal grandfather, who had been sick for years. Previously, my grandmother was taking care of him when he got sick at 40s. Ever since my grandmother passed away in a car accident 11 years ago, he had been living with one of my uncles. In these 11 years, he missed my grandmother dearly and his health worsened each year. My mother had been his favourite daughter. Whenever he was admitted to the hospital, he would call my mother to visit him on the weekends. The place where I live and the place where he stayed were separated by a distance that takes 1 hour and 30 minutes journey. We often went back to visit him and most of the time, we would be visiting him at hospital ward. A week before his death, we went back again to Sitiawan and visited him at Manjung Hospital. His condition worsened and had necrosis at his right leg. The doctor told us that he might have his leg amputated but his condition disallowed amputation. He was having pneumonia and later on sepsis that caused his blood pressure to drop, causing minimum blood flow to his leg and the tissue there began to die. It was heart breaking to see him in this condition. My mother insisted to keep his leg since we knew it was almost his time to leave. My mother said he would be devastated to have his leg amputated before leaving this world. The last time I saw him was when I bid farewell to him before leaving the ward. I hold on his hands and said my goodbye. Never did I know that that was my last farewell to him. Few days later, my aunt called and asked us to come back because grandpa was unstable but due to our busy preparation for Chinese New Year, we decided to go back only on Sunday. The Sunday finally came and we hit the road later as usual we would have. We only hit the road at noon and I was asleep in the car. My mother's handphone rang and woke me up. My aunt was on the line and she was sobbing. My mother asked if my grandpa is gone and slowly, she replied a positive answer. Later, my mother told us grandpa had left. Deep inside, I knew that this would happen and at the same time, was sad too. We arrived at the hospital and my father said that we would have seen him for the last time if we hit the road earlier. I waited for my father as he had to use the loo while my mother and sisters went first. When my father and I were walking towards the ward, we saw my mother was talking to my sobbing grandaunt. She is the sister to my grandfather and had been visiting my late grandpa everyday ever since he was admitted. In the ward, we saw white blanket covering a figure and beneath the blanket, it was my grandpa. We broke down and asked the maid what really happened. She told us that my grandpa died at 2:28pm. He wanted to take his medicine and when she came back with water, he was already stopped breathing. My grandpa was later transferred to morgue and we had to settle the remaining procedure. Other relatives arrived too but they did not shed tears. Only when my grandpa was transferred into coffin, they had watery eyes. My mother cried out loud at the corridor, mourning for the loss of her father. My grandpa was then transported to my uncle's house where he remained there until he was buried. My father drove my sisters and I home but my mother remained there. We were to pack our things and to come back the next day for funeral processions. My eldest sister came back from Kuantan to pay her last respect. My grandpa was holding a high position in the Ghee Hin Group, a Chinese Triad group in Malaysia. 100 triads came to his funeral to pay their last respect and his position was to be taken over by someone else. Banners from Malaysian Chinese Association and different triad gangs hung all over the tent. The funeral procession lasted from 6pm on 28th Jan to 3am on 29th Jan. When it ended, I did not rest and continued to burn the offerings for my grandpa until 6am in the morning. When I could not take it anymore, I slept for 2 hours and woke up at 8am. On 29th January, we proceeded to the graveyard on the hill and grandpa was buried next to my grandma. At the moment, I was relieved because he could be with grandma in the afterlife and free himself from enduring the pain of illness. Rest in peace, grandpa. Hope you can finally find grandma and live with her again.