Blessing In Disguise...

I was about to take the 5th prawn, when my mother took away the plate of "Sweet & Sour Prawns dish !". "That is enough for you Cabo !" said my mother, "or you would be scratching like "a monkey kena belacan" ! I was quite upset because I had not satisfied my appetite ! "How come, I am the only one born with allergy?" Girlie and Mona were not allergic to any foods and wearings. My sisters, girlie and Mona were smiling because they had more share of the prawns now. My face turned red at their smiles. As a result, I had lost my appetite and I went straight into my room to watch TV programme.

When I was a toddler, my skin was infected with scabies. It was caused by microscopic mite, "sarcoptes scabei". Ever since, I have had been allergic to seafood and synthetic accessories. There were scars on my limbs due to my constant scratches. It hurts every time I took my shower. Sometimes, I felt physicked with the frequent itches ! Beside me, my grandfather (father side) had the same problem too. I guess, I inherited it from him ?

I was sulking in my room but Sponge Bob made me laugh. My mother came in and patted my back and she said, “Do you know that, I spent a day in the labor room in agony waiting for you to make up your mind?" "When you finally decided to come out", "I felt like smacking you for causing that agony!” Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha! I laughed loudly. “The doctor told me that you were not physically ready to come out into this world!" I was puzzled? She continued, "The maternity nurse made an error on my maternity record!" She informed the doctor that you were supposed to be delivered in July !". However, according to my calculations, you were supposed to be delivered in October!". "Earlier, when your grandmother heard the nurse's explanation, she begged the doctor to deliver you immediately !". "In agony, I tried to explain to everyone but nobody was listening". "That was the reason you succumbs to skin allergy”.

After quite sometime, I didn't mind the skin allergy any more. In fact, I was glad of it. I received lots of attentions from my family members compared to my sisters and cousins. During the school holidays, I would spent time with my mother. Every morning, while I was sleeping, she would wake up early and inspect every inches of my skin for rashes. She would apply the allergic cream. Did my sisters had special attention from my mother? No!

At the university, during semester break, I would flew home to my grandfather house. My grandfather would buy crabs and prawns in kilograms especially for me. He knew that, I love to eat seafood especially crabs. He would also visit the pharmacy whenever he bought seafood for me. Did other grandchildren had that special treatment ? No!

During my stay in the university's dormitory, I would received frequent telephone calls from my grandfather to remind me, to apply the allergic cream before going to bed. Did any of the other grandchildren had that privilege ? No!

My friends sympathised with the scars caused by the allergy. But, I always told them that it was a blessing in disguise...

Cabo

My father was nervously waiting outside the Q.E. Hospital, Kota Kinabalu since early dawn. While my grandmother from my mother's side was crying. She was telling my father that, my mother was a good child, she always write to her in Canada and she shouldn't suffered the ordeal of giving birth! My grandmother from my father's side was suffering from giddiness due to hypertention. My mother had been in the labour room since 1 a.m. I was not ready to see the new world and I was feeling comfortable inside her womb! She told me that, the doctor had to vaccumed me out from her womb! Yeah, I was vaccumed out from my mother's womb, during the Muazzin called for the Asar prayer... The doctor showed me to my father and grandmothers. My father told me that, I was hairless for a baby girl. My head look like a cone. This is because, the doctor vaccumed my head to pull me out. I was crying feverously! I told you, I was not ready to see the new world! My mother named me Amelda after my father's name Amran. She wanted the names of the family members to rhyme "Am". Her name is Amelia and my sister's name is Amanda. My middle name originated from my grandmother's Dianna (mother side). This is to honoured her because she flew all the way from Canada to nursed me for the first 3 months. She is a Hokkien, Chinese. She couldn't pronounce my name. Hence, she called me "Cabo" which means girl in Hokkien. I was the first grandchild of both grandparents. Hence, my cousins from my mother's side called me Cher Cher which mean sister in Chinese.