Habibah Tairak

About Habibah Tairak

Habibah Tairak died at Hospital Sultanah Aminah at 5.30pm, Aug 21, 2021. She was a beloved mother and wife. She is remembered as a warm, friendly and strong person. Her immediate family were also infected with Covid-19 but survived. Her son, Mohamad Azlan Zakaria, shared: "Before I ask that you recite al Fatihah for my mother, I want to share with you what had happened. **Part 1: Covid-19 and the story behind it** My late mother was entrusted to distribute Covid-19 vaccination forms to her fellow villagers. There were mixed reactions, and she often updated her Facebook account with these various reactions. But many were not happy that she did so, even though she never identified those who rejected the vaccine. **Part 2: Our whole family infected** I lived separately from my late mother. Everyone else who lived with her were infected with Covid-19. The source of infection was my sister and her husband, who just returned from Shah Alam, Selangor. They did not know they were infected at the time, and only suspected something when they loss their sense of taste and smell. They felt well, otherwise. We tried to stay calm in this situation, but my late mother was worried about my sister and her husband, and what other villagers may think. It was at this point that she, too, tested positive for Covid-19 and experienced terrible gastric pains. At the same time, my sister was attacked on social media for having crossed state districts (infected with Covid-19), and this added more pressure on my mother. My sister had traveled to Johor Bahru to manage a property purchase there, and had stayed with my late mother for awhile. But those who attacked my sister online did not know she had legitimate reasons to cross borders, and said things which made things harder for us in our situation. We never blamed her or her husband for anything - we know this was something unexpected. There was no point laying blame on anyone. In the meantime, my late mother's condition worsened, and she loss her appetite. My sister was quarantined at Hospital Permai while her husband and two of our brothers were sent to a quarantine centre in Pasir Gudang. My late mother was rushed to Hospital Pontian, and then to Hospital Sultanah Aminah as her oxygen levels dropped. Another sibling also experienced breathing difficulties and was rushed to Hospital Pontian, but was stablised. **Part 3: My late mother at Hospital Sultanah Aminah** To cut the story short, my mother was intubated on July 21, 2021 because her oxygen level was too low and she needed help breathing. Before she was put in an induced coma, she said: "Abang, I am scared. Please pray for me. I worry that I may not see you again." My heart shattered but I tried to encourage her to be strong. I told her many people are praying for her and love her. We received many updates from the intensive care unit about her her condition but ultimately, Allah loved her more. Exactly a month after she was intubated, her heart stopped, twice. The first time, she was revived via CPR, but no CPR was administered the second time because the doctors decided there was no more hope for her survival. In the period that she was intubated, we knew the risk and knew anything could happen at any time. I often told my younger siblings and family members to be prepared and to accept any possibility. My late mother suffered in the one month that she was intubated. She had an oxygen tube in her mouth, there was feeding tube going through her nose and her hands were blue and black from multiple injections. By God, she suffered because of Covid-19. Before she died, I was asked to come to the hospital to sign a consent form for the doctors to perform a tracheostomy, that is to make a hole in her neck, to help her to breath. I had a chance to see her then. The whole time she was in the ICU, she could only open and shut her eyes. When she saw me, she looked sad, but perhaps also happy to see me. I whispered words of encouragement to her. After that, my father had a chance to see her, when he dropped off necessities for her at the ward. Allah had planned it well. These were the last times we saw her. At 5.30pm, on Aug 21, she breathed her last. She was strong and she fought valiantly. Because she was deemed no longer infectious with the virus, we were able to manage her remains as per normal. There was a silver lining in this. **Part 4: My late mother's final journey** Alhamdulillah. Everything was eased. The weather was overcast. Rain fell, but when we arrived at home with her remains, the rain stopped, so family members had a chance to come and kiss and hug her for the last time. We prayed for her, took her to the cemetery, and after her final rites was read, rain fell again, wetting the grounds and her grave. By God, her final journey was beautiful. **Part 5: Ending** My late mother was known for her friendly nature and her cheekiness. Perhaps, in her bantering, she may have slighted some people without realising it. As her son, I would like to apologise on her behalf. May she be placed among the pious. "