The above conversation transpired a few days before my daughter went for an operation. Yes, she had to go for an operation to remove styes from her eyelids.

According to the online medical dictionary: stye is a red tender bump on the eyelid that is caused by an acute infection of the oil glands of the eyelid. There’s also a condition called chalazion which is a cyst of the little glands in the eyelids.

Anyhow, my 11-year-old eldest daughter, Syakila, had this recurrent stye on her left upper eyelid so hubby and I took her to a clinic nearby. The doctor referred her to Ampang Puteri Hospital so we went there last week. Upon further examination by the specialist, there were two smaller ones on her left lower eyelid and one on her right lower eyelid. The doctor scheduled an operation for Syakila last Wednesday.

Since Syakila was relaxed and cool about the operation thing, I was not anxious as well.

This is Syakila at the hospital. Notice the bump on her left eyelid?



Syakila donned in hospital’s gown, ready to enter the operating theatre.

At about 9.30 am, we went into the OT. Syakila lay down and the staffs proceeded with setting up the necessary monitoring devices. As the anesthesiologist placed the gas mask on Syakila, I was asked to hold Syakila’s hand. And I started to have this ‘sayu’ emotion watching her breathing in the gas. And when she eventually fade to unconsciousness, I was even more ‘sayu’ seeing her lying there with an unusual pattern of deep breathing. The anesthesiologist then ushered me outside and I left the OT after kissing her cheek. Adoii…. Lagi la sayu .

I waited outside and tried to read a novel that I brought with me. Despite the anxiety , I managed to read a few pages. Half an hour later, still anxious, but more composed, Syakila was finally wheeled to the recovery room and was detained there for another half an hour or so. Then she was brought back to the ward. My composure faltered as I watched her lying on the bed, her eyelids, heavy with sleep, fluttered as she tried to open her eyes. My eyes were brimming with tears then . Hubby? Cheh… mcm tak de perasaan je dia… fiddling with his handphone. But when Syakila asked for my handphone  to play games, my sayu feeling changed to relief and then was replaced with 'isyh…dah la baru lepas operate mata…Ikut perangai siapa ni…?’

I had mee rebus.

Now, Syakila is on the road to recovery and I pray that segala anak datuk nenek mak bapak stye will stay away from her for good .