To all the Front Liners that are defending Malaysia from the COVID-19:
I was told that some of you are nearing your break down point under the tremendous stress at this juncture of time. I just wanted to write this letter to express my utmost gratitude and concerns to all of you.
How are you, our dearest and respected Front Liners? Do you eat well? Do you sleep well? I do hope that while you are giving all out to care for the patients, do not forget to take care of your own well being too.
You might have all sorts of worries at this point of time. The risk of being infected, the increasing concern on the insufficiency of our country’s medical workforce and equipment, the anxiety (or, desolation) as shown on your family member’s faces, the unreasonable scolding you got from the patients’ family outside of the hospital, the deprivation of rest and sleep....
The stress is simply too much to mention.
Who can deal with such stress? I can even imagine how quickly your fears in reaching the boiling point when you try to think about the possibility of something scarier and harder to control is coming soon.
I am sorry that I can’t be there as your companion at the front line. But, as a Medical Social Worker that had been working in the medical organisation for 8 years, I have some words for you:
1. Please allow yourself to be sad and to cry. Let your tears manifest your inner grief. Feeling grieved do not mean we are weak or defeated, it simply means our hearts are tender enough to feel. Very often, in the face of an extreme challenge what we need is not being strong, but being resilient.
A windstorm can easily uproot the strongest tree, but it could never break a resilient grass. In the time of danger, please pray for our hearts to remain supple and resilient, instead of asking ourselves to be tough and strong.
2. Please give yourself enough stability to live life as ‘normal’ as possible. Regardless how busy you are with your duty in the hospital, allocate a time slot to do something that you like to stabilise and settle down your emotion, even if it is only for 15 minutes. You may choose to watch a drama series, browse through Facebook, play video game etc.
Do not lose grip of your normal routines. The best way to keep our emotions stable and grounded is by maintaining and hold on to at least a small part of our normal life.
3. Stay connected to your energy source. For example, keep a family photo in your pocket, replay the encouraging voice message sent by your beloved family members, motivate each other in your university friends' chat group, perform your daily religious rituals, look out to the sun or sky from the window etc.
While your work duty requires you to contribute your energy continuously, you need to create more channels that replenish the positive energy for yourself.
4. Stay alone. Please allow yourself, as well as your workmates, some time and space to be alone, even if it’s only for 5 minutes. Time to be alone is especially important in hard time like this. Only when you are alone, those anxieties that are associated to and magnified by the crowds can be diluted, or eliminated from your mind.
When you are alone, practise deep breathing. No matter where you are, remember you should always take deep breaths. You can pray to your God, or put your hands on the chest to express how grateful you are for the fact that you have not given up on yourself and the country that you call it home, Malaysia. You had fought hard to carry on and provide the best of yourself to everyone in the country.
5. Please accept the truth that we are limited, helpless and powerless. Honestly speaking, this is the hardest hurdle to overcome. From my past experience working with doctors and nurses, I realised the most difficult part is for them to get over the guilts, self-blame, regrets and anger that come along with a patient’s pass on.
I do not know what should I say or do to stop you from the guilts and remorse. To a big extent that reflects how much you care about your patients, your profession and each and every life. I can see your dedication and efforts. I am thankful for your compassion in every patient you cared of. Nevertheless, I still hope that you can try to acknowledge the part of fact that you are limited, helpless and powerless. Only if you could acknowledge it, you can walk over it and make the subsequent steps in your journey.
6. Please ask for help proactively. When you feel that you’re reaching your stress threshold and can’t take it any more, do ask help from other people. Keep 3 important contact numbers readily in hand that you can call anytime and anywhere, to speak out, to cry out, to vent out, and to give you instant boost of energy in order not to giving up.
Last but not least, I really want to say:
To all our beloved front liners, when you are seeing your patients falling critically ill or passing on one after another, please do not be despaired or losing faith. Though you can’t see us, but I hope these words will make you feel us, who are always standing by you, anytime, anywhere.
We wish to give you a pat on your shoulders, and tell you, mate, THANK YOU. Sincerely from all of us, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
Even with the slightest streak of hope, our pain will be made less painful.
"THANK YOU. You stay work for us, we stay home for you."
Yee Leong
A helper whom provides hospice care and funeral care
24/03/2020 (5p.m.)
Malay Version:
https://www.facebook.com/130028873696510/photos/a.318646528168076/3101044599928241/?type=3&theater
Mandarin version:
https://www.facebook.com/130028873696510/photos/a.318646528168076/3100712239961477/?type=3&theater
Mandarin Post: Fong Yee Leong
English Translator: Kaichyne Woon
Malay Translators: PT Tan & SJ Yee
Illustrator: Rongo Wong
