UPDATE ON AZIZOL HAKIM

Azizol who met with an accident on the 16th of August is recovering at home. He was hit by a car while travelling on a motorbike to send food from the wedding feast of his brother to his grandmother's house. He sustained injuries to his head and also vertebrae and had to undergo an operation to remove the top part of his skull (which we call the cranium) as the results of his X-ray scan showed that his brain was swollen. Removing this protective covering of the skull would help lessen the pressure on the brain membrane. Once the swelling has gone down the cranium would be placed back on surgically. He now only has his scalp as a protective layer. This would take about 4 months.

All the above were related to Tuan Haji Hasnin, Puan Kamariah and I by Azizol's mum when we went to visit Azizol in the evening. Earlier in the day, Puan Hashita, Cikgu Ishak Ismail and some of the students from his class also visited him.

We did manage to speak with Azizol for a short while but did not want to tire him out as he was resting in bed. According to him, he was suffering from headaches and was feeling sore. A few of the discs in his backbone were dislocated and therefore he was having the discomfort. It would take some time for the doctors to do something about the discs as they need to tend to the swelling in his brain first. Azizol wants to sit for his SPM examination in November and so let us all hope and pray for him to recover quickly in order to do so.

Tuan Haji Ahmad Hasnin took the picture of Puan Kamariah, Azizol's mum and I during our visit. We did not take a photo with Azizol as I told him that I would take pictures with him when he was much better and looking his normal handsome self. And that is a promise I intend to keep.

As usual, I was again able to see the love a mother has for her son. From the conversation with Azizol's mother, I learnt of all her fears and the traumatic experience she went through when her son was hit by the car. I could imagine the heartbreak she had to go through to see her second youngest child lying helpless with blood covering his head not knowing his fate. Azizol's whole head and face was swollen and he only had slits for eyes. The mother said that she fainted a few times and was numb, blur and incoherent many times during the whole ordeal. Then there was the hellish moments of waiting for him to come out from the operation theatre. From the time he was hit until after the operation, he was drifting in and out of consciousness. Thank goodness Azizol managed to pull through with his mum and other family members by his side. His mum kept vigil at his bed all the time and made sure that he was okay. I am sure that many would have prayed for this s0ft-spoken and genuinely nice boy and God has answered their prayers. The road to recovery for him will be long and painful but I am sure with love from his family to help him along, he will be able to make it.