Khamshah Ismail

About Khamshah Ismail

Khamshah Ismail, 67, died at 9.17pm on June 25, 2021. Her son, Mohd Hilmie Hussin shared: My Emak had six children, four boys and two girls. Her husband (our Abah), Hussin Abdul Rahman, died on May 8, 2014, after severe injury to the head from a sudden fall. Since Abah's departure, Emak lived in Kelantan with my youngest brother, Mohd Sopian Bin Hussin, and received my father's pension from the army. In 2018, my Emak was diagnosed with kidney disease and required dialysis. She also suffered from diabetes, hypertension and underwent treatment for cataracts. Because of her health complications, we siblings decided to have her live with us and to take turns caring for her in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Perak and Malacca. We also felt this gave our youngest brother a chance to pursue his career. Emak accepted this decision and started residing with our eldest sister in Gombak, and I tried my best to care for her on off days. My Emak was a jovial person and would hide her loneliness or if she ever felt slighted. She lived to see 14 grandchildren and poured all her love on them equally. I feel devastated when I think of my Emak. Personally, I could never repay everything she has done for me. There were too many things I wanted to do to make her happy, and so many things yet unfulfilled. When my Emak was hospitalised for three months in Hospital Selayang, I was working in Malacca. I would work out my schedule so I could visit her twice a week. Those times in the hospital are not the best to remember, but there were also good times among them. It was there that we shared our love for her, supported her morally and gave her everything that we had. She had suffered a mild stroke and her left leg could not be moved. But my Emak was strong. She fought just as she fought back her tears when Abah left us. As the son Emak said she carried for more than nine months - she said she carried me for 12 months in total - we knew each other well. When I was small, I had secretly ate a piece of kana fruit at the store without paying. I gargled to erase all traces, but Emak could still smell it on me. Whenever I was short of cash in university, Emak would somehow know to call me and to send me some pocket money. As an adult, I realised that Emak's instincts when it comes to her children were strong. "Angah, thank you. I am grateful that every time I am ill, you are with me, or I am at your home. You can keep me company when I can't sleep and help massage me." Those were the last words my Emak said to me.