Just the day before I went to consult a doctor about the severe pain in my lower back and my left leg. After an X-ray and thorough examination, she told me that I was suffering from 'Severe Osteo Arthritis and a slip disc.'
"Would I get better?" I asked. Her reply was, "Take the pain killers and take a complete bed rest till you feel better. There is no complete cure."
She gave me 2 days medical leave. At that moment I felt like a seventy year old woman. I went back home with a heavy heart and severe pain. Thank God all exams were over and all computation of results were done. There was no lesson to be taught in school as all pupils were preparing for the year end musical. So I was glad I could rest at home peacefully without feeling guilty that I was not teaching. I informed my school that I was given 2 days to rest.
The next morning I realised that I had a briefing to attend that afternoon and a symposium to attend the next afternoon. Although I knew I had to rest, I could not tear away from my duty. So I decided to rest in the morning and attend the afternoon meetings.
Although I rested, when I began to walk to the MRT station, I felt a sharp pain on my left leg and my lower back again. I was hoping to find a seat and rest all the way to Buona Vista from Yishun.
I got into the train. There were no empty seats. Then I saw two young ladies getting up to get down at a station. I moved towards one of the seats and sat down when another lady tapped me on my shoulder to tell me to get up because apparently an elderly lady was about to sit there. I smiled and wanted to move to the adjacent seat when that elderly lady quickly asked her grandson a 10yr old boy, to sit there. He pushed his way into the seat and gave me an ugly stare. Then he took out his iPad and began to play games. Here I was standing before him experiencing excruciating pain and there he was sitting comfortably playing e-games. I had the terrible urge to turn over the primary school bus pass which was hanging around his neck and note his name and school and make a report. Then I told myself that it was my fault for travelling when I was supposed to be resting. That thought cooled me down.
Then I turned around and saw a young girl sitting on a seat meant for the elderly. She had her ear-phones on, but everyone else in the train the could hear the music playing on her hand phone. I could not fault her for not offering me the seat, because I did not look sick or look like an elderly person. Yet my heart whispered to me that she should not be sitting there.
I was hurting physically and mentally. Why were Singaporeans so inconsiderate? Did we teachers not teach them values in school? Where was their basic courtesy?
Well again I had only myself to blame. I should not have left my house when I was on medical leave, even though it was a call of duty relating to my work. "I will rest and not go for the meeting tomorrow," I thought to myself, after all the hustle and bustle in the jam packed train.
The next day dawned. Did I learn my lesson? Well...no...history repeated itself..!
Mary Augustine
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