My letter on the above subject is published
in The New Paper (TNP) today, Monday 12th May 2014.
The
Lien Foundation and Ang Chin Moh Foundation have launched a bold initiative called
Die Die Must Say that will encourage the public to talk about death.
Just like mental illness, death is another subject that people often do not feel
comfortable talking about, though we will all have to face it someday.
I
would like to share a personal experience of death and why it is so important
to prepare ourselves for the inevitable.
Together with my wife, I had battled
her schizophrenia for 40 years, only to lose her to pneumonia within a week of
her being admitted to hospital.
During the one week that she was in hospital, my wife went
through so much discomfort– numerous blood tests and X-rays.
When things took a turn for the worse, the medical team
asked me if I wanted to put her in the intensive care unit where they might
have to bore a hole in her throat. My
wife had discussed this issue with me earlier and told me not to waste money and
let her go in peace when the time came.
I honoured what she told me.
So, in a way, I was prepared for her death, even though she
left me so suddenly.
I would advise everyone not only to treasure your loved
ones but also to not be afraid to discuss the delicate subject of death with them
– because you never know when you will lose them.
RAYMOND ANTHONY
FERNANDO
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