GEORGE TOWN – A vow to only shave his beard when he finally reunites with his wife has kept Dr Iise Chew’s hope of meeting Dr Michelle Goh alive.
So when they finally saw each other again last Saturday, after almost a year of being apart, Goh happily did the honours of snipping off Chew’s beard.
The couple, authors of the Facebook page “Docs on Vacay”, saw Chew start the #nowifenoshave, a challenge and silent protest for himself to continue persevering in his fight against Covid-19.
Both Chew and Goh, who are frontliners in the war against Covid-19, have for the past year detailed their lives at work and on vacation on their Facebook page.
Chew was stationed in Penang, and Michelle in Kuching. They would travel back and forth or meet in Kuala Lumpur during their time apart, but these meetings became rare when the pandemic hit Malaysia’s shores.
“The last time we met was sometime around our second anniversary at the end of September. We travelled to Miri two days before Sarawak imposed the new lockdown that included a two-week quarantine for all who entered Sarawak,” Chew told The Vibes.
“We were supposed to meet in Kuala Lumpur, but changed our plans and decided to meet in Miri instead because, if Michelle were to fly to Kuala Lumpur, she would have to observe the quarantine before getting back to work.
“I expected to not see her for maybe a month or two, and perhaps the government would give some leeway for frontliners, but I never thought that we would be separated for a year.”
On why he started the #nowifenoshave challenge, Chew said: “I did it because I always had to be clean-shaven when I see my wife – she dislikes facial hair, and growing it reminded me of my purpose and why I am fighting this war.
“It is very uncomfortable because I’ll have to tie it up and tuck it neatly in my N95 mask, and when mealtime comes, it can get quite messy
“This thing that I put myself through is also for other frontliners who have not met their loved ones as they are busy toiling in Covid-19 wards.
“When I started this, right after the last time I met Michelle, I didn’t know that this would last so long.”
Despite the possibility of requesting for extended leave to enable him to head to Kuching to meet his wife, Chew said that he could not bring himself to do so as everyone was battling Covid-19.
“I didn’t have the heart to leave for one month, despite my colleagues telling me to go and assuring me that they will cover me in my absence.
“They saw my beard and moustache – even Datuk Dr Chow Ting Soo, the infectious diseases consultant and my department head, was trying to get a quarantine exemption for me.
“They were willing to help, and they went the extra mile to help me out.”
Two weeks ago, Chew’s team released him for a month to visit his wife, who was working at Kuching Hospital’s emergency department.
Chew still had to observe quarantine, and did so willingly. Two days before his quarantine ended, Sarawak lifted the quarantine rule, enabling Chew to check out earlier than expected. That was when his #nowifenoshave campaign ended.
“During this time, I have been documenting my journey on ‘Docs on Vacay’, and I have received several messages from people telling me how tough it is to be away from their loved ones.
“Many of them ended their relationships. I had a marriage certificate, so I had a valid excuse to travel.
“Even right now, when I am in Kuching, my wife still has to go to work as there is not enough manpower. She sees Covid-19 patients every day because her team is the tip of the spear; everyone has to go through them before they are sent to Covid-19 wards.
“Right now, I am just happy to be a househusband, sending her to work and and picking her up.
“I’ll be travelling back to Penang on October 3 and will start work the day after. I feel pumped, revived and ready to jump back to work!” – The Vibes, September 22, 2021
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