World AIDS DAY
Stayed up late on Monday (28 Nov) to complete the Innovation Road Map. I missed the "CEO checking session" on Friday, so Monday kena pulun habis-habis. Thought by Monday, it would be over but dream on. Came Tuesday, I was in the office until 11.40 pm to complete the paper. I already went back at 10 pm but was being called by CEO on my way home. Siap kena tegur lagi by CEO - "Sapa suruh balik? Kena siapkan kerja dulu"! (Something like that). Hey, I waited from 7.00 pm, by 10 pm, he was still in the meeting.
Anyway, I hope CEO would be serik to ask me to do any job for him next time! Finally, got everything agreed by CEO. I went on with the printing (12 copies) and almost toward the end, the printer ran out of catridge. Called Zuhdi and being Zuhdi, he immediately called Kak Min nak tanya mana catridge. It was right in front of his eyes. Anyway, CEO did all the changing himself and actually helped me print out the last 24 copies. Menggigil lutut coz he was reading the paper as the paper came out from the printer. Dalam hati, janganlah dia jumpa yang dia tak berkenan lagi ni.
Today is the World AIDS Day. Heard over the radio ERA this morning.
I am not really sure how I feel about this issue. Benci ada, kesian pun ada and takut pun ada. I guess a lot of people also feels the same eay. We are still lack of awareness on this issue especially issue on how to handle people with HIV positive.
Abg Sidek passed away 10 years ago. Not many people knew he died of AIDS but I knew. He used to be one of my favorite cousins. I remembered him talking about birds' name, the nest and the color, whether it can be eaten or not. I guess he loved birds.
He was in and out from Pusat Serenti 3 times. One day, I met him at rumah Pak We. He did not talk much but Pak We said Abd Sidek spent a lot of times kat Surau. Then I heard he was hospitalized for pneumonia (classic symptom of AIDS), then he had black patches on the skin all over the body. He died not long after that. Pak We was devastated. He wanted to mandikan Abd Sidek at home but the hospital did not allow him. Abd Manja said Abd Sidek died of hepatitis but he just kept quiet after that. I knew, abah also knew.
Would it be different now if Abd Sidek still alive and HIV positive? There were no support system back then. Family was too embarashed to tell. No one talked about that.