Asiah Abd Jalil

   First time I encountered the words Carpal Tunnel Syndrome was when I studied computer subject under subchapter computer ergonomics during my first semester doing foundation. Masa tu tak ambil pusing pun, just hafal, kot-kot keluar exam. Little that I knew, later I suffered from this syndrome since I was a few months carrying Amin. I thought Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a work related syndrome. Rupa-rupanya it is also pregnancy related as well as genetics factor. Masa tengah mengandung tu, I selalu rasa kebas kat tangan kanan, sampai terbangun tengah-tengah malam tak boleh tidur. Bila anak-anak terjaga nak susu, it took me a while before I could get up and use my right hand untuk bancuh susu. Yang peliknya, only my right hand yang kebas, the left one was okay. I told my obstetrician, he mentioned about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, telling me that it is normal for some pregnant mothers and the syndrome will disappear upon delivery. So okaylah, I tahan aje sakit tu, no medication was prescribed. Alhamdulillah my threshold is high, usually I could bear the pain. Sakit nak bersalin pun I boleh tahan, I don’t need epidural or gas yang bagi lali tu, so setakat rasa kebas-kebas for me is still manageable, cuma rasa tak selesa aje la.

   After delivery, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome tu tak hilang pun, but it getting worse day by day. Of course sangat susah nak uruskan anak-anak and a newborn baby bila tangan asyik kebas memanjang. Dari kebas kat pergelangan tangan, dah melarat sampai ke siku, sampai ke bahu, sampai ke belakang badan. Since I am a right handed person, I can hardly replace doing work with my left hand, kekok dan susah rasanya. Lagipun I need both of my hands bila nak buat kerja rumah dan uruskan anak-anak. Furthermore, two weeks after delivery I dah start attending lectures, nak menulis memang payah, especially waktu pagi. Towards petang, the numbness will slowly reduce by itself, only to reappear at night. I waited and waited, since it has been more than two weeks after Amin was born, I decided to get a doctor’s opinion. And guess what, I was referred to an orthopaedist for a review! I was panic, is it that bad? Then I did research over the internet, I read about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Baru I teringat, I pernah tengok rancangan Medik TV kat TV3 satu masa dahulu, episode tu tunjuk pasal surgical procedure done for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, where the doctor will cut somewhere at the wrist to relieve the pressure. Ishh… takutnya! That’s why I took another week to wait and see, kot-kot la rasa kebas dan sakit tu akan hilang. But they don’t. So today I went to see the orthopaedist. Mujur la UiTM cuti seminggu untuk elak penularan H1N1, kalau tak, I pun tak tau mana nak cari masa pergi hospital. My new life in Shah Alam is really hectic.

   The orthopaedist is a Chinese man. I pun tak tahu kenapa, I really like Chinese doctor. Maybe because I have good experience with Chinese doctors all this while. Pada I, doktor Melayu berbudi bahasa, memang bangsa Melayu begitu kan. Tapi doktor Cina treat kita with first class service, maybe because bangsa Cina are good in doing business, they will create good rapport with their patients, clients, customers, etc. because it is the source of their income. Oh, don’t forget, this will only apply in private practice, kalau pergi government, hmmm… faham-faham sendirilah. During my first visit lagi I dah suka kat doctor tu. He asked me a few questions, performed some simple examinations, and came out with diagnosis. What I am suffering is just a mild Carpal Tunnel Syndrome that is pregnancy related. He believes that it will disappear over time, he gives between 6 weeks up to 6 months for me to wait and see. Rupa-rupanya taklah syndrome tu immediately hilang lepas bersalin, it will take some time. I tak pernah rasa macam ni during my last four pregnancies, alih-alih masa mengandungkan Amin boleh kena pulak. Doctor tu cakap, mungkin akan kena lagi during next pregnancies. Selama ni tempoh 9 bulan I mengandung mudah aje, no severe morning sickness, no swelling, no gestational diabetes, no problem with blood pressure. Ada takde pun, mood swing yang bengong, itu aje.

   Since Carpal Tunnel Syndrome might be caused from several factors, it is important for the doctor to know the background of the patient’s life, daily activity or work. The doctor was amazed when I told him, I am now continuing my studies doing law, I am living apart from my husband, I have 5 small children whom I take care all of them alone with no maid and no helper at home. He said, even though with one child, itu pun dah cukup stress. Studying is stress enough, apatah lagi if you are married, tambah-tambah pulak with kids, lebih-lebih lagi anak-anak semua masih kecil, he has no idea how could I do it. Alhamdulillah, so far I can claim that I could manage my life well, despite having to juggle my roles as a wife, a mother and a student. Memang la ada masa-masanya when I was emotionally and physically challenged, tapi Alhamdulillah, Allah banyak mudahkan urusan. Kalau tak, taklah I dapat CGPA 3.93 kan. Having heard my stories, doctor tu buat kesimpulan, the Carpal Tunnel Syndrome that I suffer might be the result of my body has been overworked. I asked him, is it psychological? He said, it is physical reaction. I terpaksa bersetuju dengan doktor tu, my body is giving signal to warn me that I cannot push myself too hard. Of course I can control my mind to be strong, tough, always think positively, etc. but at one point, I have to give myself a break, a quality rest. Rest? If you are a mother, I am not sure whether the word “rest” ada dalam kamus harian hidup you.

   I terlupa yang I baru aje bersalin three weeks ago. Three days after delivery, I dah driving long distant, Segamat-Kuantan, Kuantan-KL. Seminggu lebih lepas bersalin, I dah uruskan perpindahan ke rumah sewa di Shah Alam, kemas rumah, kemas barang, urusan pendaftaran kat UiTM, arranged tadika dan taska anak-anak. Two weeks lepas bersalin, I dah mula pergi kelas, naik shuttle bus, jalan kaki, panjat tangga, berlari kejar kelas, between classes balik menyusu Amin. Pagi-pagi memang sangat kelam kabut, nak uruskan anak-anak pergi sekolah, nak menyusu Amin, nak kejar kelas pagi. Ya, memang pun I don’t have enough rest. The first night Amin was born lagi I memang tak pantang apa-apa, I have four other kids to look after, I uruskan anak-anak macam biasa. Thanks God urusan bersalin I mudah, no complication, no stitches at all. Mungkin sebab I tak rasa sakit, lenguh-lenguh badan pun very mild, maka I jadi sangat brutal. Maybe sebab tu the healing process of my Carpal Tunnel Syndrome will take much longer.