A Gift

"Congratulations Mdm, here's your birthday 'gift'..."

(Royal Hospital for Women, Sydney, Jan 24 1984)

How often do you come across people who have the same birth dates as their mothers?

I reckon, rarely... right?

Well, my life has so far been filled with funny ups n downs.

and, unsurprisingly, it started on a funny note as well.

I was supposed to be born on the 24th of February 1984, so my mother was told...

But due to my eagerness to venture out into this place called earth... and also the fact that life was pretty boring, limited, and stuffy in that liquid container, I decided to pop out one month earlier...

Being the bun in the oven was not cool...

In fact, I almost decided to come out when my mom was still on her way to the hospital after I had purposely made her water broke. But looking at her terrified and horrifying expressions, I thought, I could wait 1 more hour...

Based on that and being 'only' 2.8 kgs, I was considered by the stupid Australian doctors as being a premature baby. I was sooo tembam, my mom told me... But Mat Salleh's babies generally weigh around 4 kgs at birth. Heck, maybe the doctors forgot that I was Asian.

I strongly believe that they had gotten the calculations wrong... my mom said I did not look premature in any way...

Oh have i mentioned who delivered me??? She was a 70- year old 'virgin' gynecologist.

Yeah, the Australian doctors were grating on my nerves since the first day I was born. How could they say "Madam... you are soo fair... but your baby.... *looooong pause*...".

But I think I made my mom's life easier. At least it wasn't difficult for her to locate her baby in the ocean of white babies in the baby room (i really dunno the actual term).

And you know what, the doctors assigned male nurses to take care of my mom! and nurses are the ones who should help the new mommies bathe..*yikes*. And the nurses served Pineapple juice to my mom every day after the birth. Bidan-bidan kampung will surely squirm to the very thought of it. And surely, they didn't allow my mom to use any ointments to lessen her pain. But of course my mom, being mischievous (oh now i know where this mischievousness comes from..), pretended like she had lost her olfactory nerves saying 'Nothing2....", when the doctors asked "What smell is this???" Minyak angin exclusively imported from Malaysia came to the rescue...

My mom's birthday is actually on the 23rd of Jan.. but due to some misunderstandings and such (u know la how it was back then..), her birth certificate, ID card and other documentations state that 24th of Jan 1957 is her birthday. And, she also identifies strongly towards the latter.

Who could have thought that you will get a baby on your birthday right?

You might have expected gifts, kisses, wishes or hugs...and yet... u get PAIN, lotsa blood, stitches (oh i should not go into further details on this) and ultimately, one loud crying being in your arms that comes from your own body and has been giving you aches, vomits, and fats for the past 9 months. And also, the unfabulous responsibility that comes with it.

So there... apparently, the 'gift' was me...

Despite the doctor's words to my mom, I am still wondering, am i really a gift? or a misfortune?

My existence was the sole reason why she could not get back to her once HOT figure!

But still, I really hope it's not the latter...

The word 'gift' encapsulates a VERY deep meaning. Too deep that I think I can never possibly unearth.

Happy Birthday Mama...

and

Happy Birthday Azrin...

May this year be filled with pure happiness, less undesirable challenges, and more opportunities towards a fulfilling life.

After all, I am already a quarter century old...