Sinu Ngenang (As Time Goes By)-Mount Elizabeth Hospital

In 1994 & 1995,I made several trips to Singapore & during one of those trips,my son came along. The trips were not for pleasure nor leisure but to visit & to take care of my late father who was hospitalised at Mount Elizabeth Hospital . The hospital's just a few yards away from The Elizabeth Hotel where I was staying recently...that's why you are getting this story as I cannot help thinking of that time in 1994 & 1995,while walking along Mount Elizabeth Road to Orchard Road.
Sometime in May,1994, my dad coughed non-stop;he drank bottles and bottles of cough mixture but the coughing just did not stop. He began losing weight as he had no appetite and was weak. In September or was it in October,my brother & my sister-inlaw together with my mother accompanied him to Singapore for check up. My mother was weak on her knees when my brother told her what the doctors(4 or 5 doctors attended to him) told my brother. Yes, my dad had cancer of the lungs. He underwent chemotheraphy & radiotherapy at the hospital. It was such a pitiful sight seeing him fading away right before our eyes;his hair loss,mouth ulcers & the pain he had to endure. The doctors attending to him were hopeful that he could make it through. As far as I could remember, he had never smoked..my mum used to smoke but not anymore after my dad died. But then again I know quite a number of people who did not smoke,yet they got lung cancers. It must be the free radicals in the air. He tried his best to fight the cancer by carrying on his favourite game..GOLF. I think, to have died at the age of 69 was a bit too early but then again I thank God for having given us a wonderful & loving dad ;not only as a dad but a loving grandfather to Jill ,Nico & Aaron.( only 3 grandchildren then) He was very industrious,having done and been to where he had been...an achievement and an act tough for us,kids to follow...most likely not able to,at all.He died on 26th March 1995,less than a year after that unceasing coughing.He lived life to the fullest & very strong willed. I remember that time when he insisted on going to Bintulu even though he was already very sick because his company had some business launching there. He dragged himself to the launching and I had to call Jumau to fetch him from the airport & at the same time to take care of him.
He had been to most places,like to the United States & Zimbawe for official functions ,& toEurope,Australia & New Zealand,China & Japan,etc.
He liked to tell us about the time he had to fly in a Skyvan from Kuching to Johore on behalf of the Sarawak Government to bring some rusa (deers) for the Sultan of Johor. The Sultan of Johor was pleased to see him because when he visited Sarawak as the Agong,my parents were the people in-waiting to their majesties. During that visit, the Agong broke protocol by insisting my dad to sit with him in the limo. He gave my dad a light punch on my dad's tummy and said,"Edward, gemuk." My dad looked at the CM to get his approval,the CM nodded & only then my dad got into the car.
I have a lot of stories about my dad..that's all for now..maybe another time I'll continue.

This hotel was once named the Crown Prince Hotel on Orchard Road where we stayed during dad's hosptilisation.