Tuesday 22 January 2013

The day my father died....

On the 22nd January 1991, at approximately 10:45am, my father Wajib Ahmad Sha passed away quietly in bed. My mother sat next to him as he took his last breath. So ended a two year struggle he had with Cancer. At the time of his death, his body had suffered long and hard. The Cancer had spread to his liver and kidneys.

In November 1988, he returned from a business trip to Guyana. That year was a good one for us. He had sold all of the stock exported to stores in Georgetown. I remember him coming home from the air port that night. He brought me a toy gun set and i can still smell the wonderful sents of pastry and desserts. That night the we played Christmas music and danced to 'senor santa'.

I remember Cindy was born on the 17th Oct 87 and i was 9 years old at the time, in Standard 4. I also remember two things from that night when he came home. I was thinking that the following week was my birthday and as we waited for him to get home i was scared of being home alone with carolin and cindy. I needed to watchman the house and thought 'so this is what it felt like if i had no father'. Little did i know that soon enough in my life that would really be the case.

In early December 1988, Dad was diagnosed with malignant cancer of the upper jaw. His birthday was the 7th December. When we cut his Birthday cake that year, the cake itself was moldy inside. I didn't understand the meaning then. Years later when i was older, my mother and I recounted the cake. Back then she knew it wasn't a good sign.

1990 was a hard year for my family. We lived off of whatever savings mom and dad had. My dad was struggling. The chemotherapy and radiation was taking its tole on him. In 1989, dad went for surgery in Caracas Venezuela. His hope was to defeat this Cancer and tried his very best. The months between 1989 and 1990 felt more like years. So many things happened, so many changes took place in my family's lives.

After dad died in 91, we picked up the pieces, stood up to the world and declared our strength as a family. United we stand.

It's been 22 years today. Dad, you would be proud of us!

Chris

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