(by Aisha Humaira Aziza – Volunteer)
Mia* hugged Keren, her plush toy cat, tightly to her chest. Keren was named after her beloved kitty pet, who had accompanied her through all her ordeals; but sadly passed away a few months ago.
First Meeting with Rachel House
If most children her age are usually busy with school activities and engrossed with their peers, this was not the case with Mia. At 5 years old, Mia spent most of her days in and out of the hospital, for chemotherapy treatment for her Leukemia (cancer of the blood) diagnosis. She often cried and complained that her body felt like it was being constantly stabbed and she was tired.
When Rachel House first visited Mia’s house, her physical condition was still relatively stable. She had a healthy physique, thick hair, and the ideal weight for a 5-year-old child. Although she looked very shy at first, she quickly burst out of her shy-bubble when she found out that Eka, Rachel House’s nurse, also has a cat as her pet. They bonded through their mutual love for cats, and Mia started to share more about Keren, her cat, with Eka. She told Eka how Keren used to accompany her through all her chemotherapy sessions (via video calls), before he died.
Mia’s daily life was mainly occupied with watching TV while staying in bed. She did not have many friends, and she refused to go to school near her house because of her condition.
Like any 5-year-old, Mia had many dreams and hobbies. One of them is doing makeup and playing dress-up. Mia had her own makeup collection from her mother and their neighbors. Mia also loved playing dress up, from dressing up as a fairy or a nurse to a “fierce” police officer! She would take photos wearing the costume and send them to Eka.
“Mia is the most beautiful girl in the world!” she used to say cheerfully every time she dressed up complete with her makeup.
Her cheerful and caring nature was what made Mia stood out for Nurse Eka. Every time Eka visited, she was greeted with joyful enthusiasm, and a face full of smile. During the visits, Nurse Eka would not only be checking on Mia’s physical condition, but she would also accompany Mia in activities such as coloring and playing Mia’s favourite games. Nurse Eka and Mia’s closeness was not only limited to the home visits, as Mia contacted Nurse Eka often through video calls, to chat and even to say hello to Eka’s cat. Daily, Mia would send voice notes to Eka, to let her know about how she was feeling, her hopes and her worries.
There were many sides to Mia, one of which is her protective nature toward her mother. Whenever she saw her mother crying, Mia would ask, “Who is hurting Mama? I will teach them a lesson! I don’t like seeing you cry, mama” followed by little hugs to soothe her mom’s sadness.
Her life was not always full of rainbows and smiles. There were also times when she could only lay in bed, plagued with pain that radiated in her legs and shoulders. During these moments, Mia permitted only her mother to see her in pain. Mia’s mother was her pillar of support through her worsening illness.
Mia’s last months
Mia’s ritual before any hospital visit was to dress up in her nurse uniform, followed by her favourite bowl of fried rice, lovingly cooked by her mother. Then she would bravely tug her plush toy under her arm and walked to the door – ready to take on the world.
However, as her energy waned, she began to dread these trips to the hospital. One day, Mia refused to go, “I don’t want to go to the hospital. There are lots of ghosts. They tried to scare me.” Luckily, Mia’s grandfather who was visiting at the time, managed to settle her fears and gave Mia courage to go to the hospital to undergo what turned out to be her last round of chemotherapy.
Mia’s condition deteriorated rapidly on those final few days. On her last hospital stay, Mia’s mom decided to sign the DNR (do not resuscitate) order. It was not that she was giving up, she explained, but that she was ready to let her little daughter be at peace.
“Nurse Eka’s presence not only benefits Mia, but also provides support for our entire family, especially for me during these terrifying days. I would have been so lost without Eka and Rachel House.” Said Mia’s mom.
Rachel House’s service provided a safe space for Mia’s mom to ask questions and learned about how best to provide care for Mia, and sometimes, simply to voice her worries.
Mia had many loves, her cat Keren, her hometown, and her family. “I wanna go back to my hometown and rest there forever, with my mom and my grandpa.”
This simple wish, which was also her last one, finally came true. After a long journey and a brave battle, Mia was laid to rest in her hometown with her beloved plush toy cat, and Keren waiting for her at the other end of the rainbow.
*name changed for privacy