If, like me, you live abroad and you have loved ones far, far away somewhere else, we will have something in common. Not that we are pessimists and expect bad things to happen. We’re just realistic.
So we never switch off our mobile phones when we go to sleep. Wherever we are. In case a member of the family tries to contact us. In case there is an emergency.
Indeed such a call came. It was one of my brothers. And although there didn’t seem to be anything to worry about from the tone of his voice, I didn’t expect good news. He apologised then said “Mummy just had a stroke.” It was like everything blacked out for a moment. All I could manage was “Oh no!”
“Its OK,” he continued. “We managed to get her to the hospital immediately and she’s being attended to.” “I should go back,” I said. “No, wait, 24 hours,” he said. I called him back using Skype and got more information. I was shocked when he let me speak to Mum, but was thankful that she could speak. I cried quietly and assured her that I’d be back in a flash.
I was lucky that I had a Qatar Airways ticket on hand for a flight back to Kuala Lumpur exactly a month later. The morning was spent trying to change the flight date and thank God we were able to get seats for me and hubby on a flight the same day which got us back to KL the very next morning.
Hubby once asked me – why do you never switch off your mobile phone? He doesn’t ask me anymore.
