DIARI ALLAHYARHAMAH AZEAN IRDAWATY

#Sedar tak sedar sdah setahun lbih primadona kegemaran ramai, Allahyarham Azean Irdawaty meninggalkan kita.

#Allahyarhamah yg ketika itu berusia 63 tahun disahkan meninggal dunia sekitar jam 8.30 malam (17 Disember) di Pusat Perubatan Universiti Malaya (PPUM)...

#Namun, apa yg menyentuh hati kami apabila ank perempuan Allahyarham tlah berkongsi isi kandungan diari kehidupan ibunya ketika itu...

#I found this book last year, kept among Mama’s treasured jewellery. Naturally, after reading what I saw, I cried – for missing her, and for being thankful for what she went through for me. But it also made me glad that it was Mama’s habit to jot things down and keep everything in record. And what more, for having kept the book through out all these years, despite having moved house so many times. Who knew I’d one day find this book. But I’m glad I did.

#I had been keeping the book wif me ever since I found it. & today, I find it fitting to share with everyone what Mama wrote, in cnjunction with Mother’s Day. This was the countdown to my birth, written by Mama, on a green bku 555 (everyone had one of those), in green ink (I wonder if that’s secretly why green is my favourite colour). This was her accounts book.

#On a page dated 20th June 1990, exactly 13 days bfore I was born, Mama rcorded the spendings & balance for that day. Among other things, was written “Inessa’s things: spent RM 87.70, balance RM 784.30.” She was already expcting me any day by then, perhaps, & decided 2 prepare the things she’ll need for me.....

#And evidntly, before I was born, she hadn’t planned on calling me Ines for short, just yet. But it’s nice 2 see my name in writing before I’m even born. And on the back page of the book, was the detailed & almost minute-by-minute update/chronology of her counting down to delivering me:
– Uterine contractions started at around 5:00 pm
– 6:30, fertilized green plants & watered indoor plants..
– 7:00 – contractions every 10 minutes.
Benjy helped to pack.
– 8:00 – felt a burst.
– 8:04 – waterbag burst.
– 8:20 – Mat & Ja fetched to send to Pantai – admitted.
– 9:25 Karl appeared.
– 10:00 – Labour started.
– 10:20 – Energised.
– 11:05 – Delivered.

#Thanks, Ma, for the precise & beautiful story of my birth. She was 39 years old when she found out that she was pregnant with me. I was a surprise baby, & she wanted to keep me despite warnings by her gynae. Mainly because she had waited 9 years for my sister, she decided she wasn’t about to let me go....

#My dad Khairil Anwar Rashidi was at work then, playing music at a hotel, which was why she called her brother Omar Khayam & sister Nor Aliza Abdul Samad to fetch her to hospital. Thank you, Om & Umi.

#She was 40 by the time I was born, but she had made extra effort to be sure she kept herself extra healthy for her pregnancy & delivery, which was why she was still able to do gardening just hours before dlivery. That was also probably why her labour was so short....

#& apparently, my delivery was the easiest, despite at that age, what more with no epidural and no Caesarean. Thank God she kept me, and thank God it was easy. But honestly, thank God for you, Ma. I love you always. Happy Mother’s Day...