SANDAKAN – Mohammad Iqmal Redzeqie Andi Rusli, remembers sitting at the side of the school field, watching his friends play football during PJ class at his school in Sekolah Menengah (SM) St Mary here.
For the last four years, the 17-year-old would often be the only one in class not wearing sports attire during PJ time, not because he forgot to bring them, but because his doctor had advised him against doing physical activities due to his heart problem.
Iqmal said he found out he had a serious heart problem (valve not working correctly) when he was only 13 years old.
“When I was 13, I had a fever for two months and had extreme pain in my legs. My parents brought me to several clinics, and they could not tell what was wrong with me, until we went to a specialist clinic that I was diagnosed with heart disease.
“Doctor advised that I could not do heavy exercise, so I had to skip PJ class at school. I envy my school friends for they can be active, run as fast as they could, while I sometimes grasp for air for only walking slightly faster.
“I felt like I was an outcast and that I was different from my peers.
“However, I am grateful that I am still alive, and I was able to go to school before the pandemic. Now I am catching up with my studies online, just like other students,” he told The Vibes.
After four postponements in the past couple years, Iqmal is going to have a major heart surgery at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kota Kinabalu, this November.
Iqmal said he sees hope in the surgery, and hopes that after it he will be able to lead normal life and be able to do simple exercises, including his favourite sports, badminton.
“I used to love playing badminton with my father, but I stopped after I got sick. Now, I don’t even remember where my badminton racket is,” he said.
Iqmal also said his dream to become a policeman crashed because of his illness.
“Now, I just hope to be able to further my education after SPM and hopefully, become a banker in the future,” he added.
It was amazing that Iqmal was able to share his feelings with The Vibes in a cheerful tone.
Iqmal, the youngest of four siblings is currently living in a small apartment with his parents in Taman Mesra People’s Housing Project here.
Iqmal’s father, Andi Rusli Andi Appa, 46, quit his job as a bus driver in Johor early this year after finding out that his son was going to undergo the heart surgery.
“We have travelled to Kota Kinabalu several times only to be told that his surgery was postponed. I feel like we have wasted a lot of money just to travel to Kota Kinabalu because we had to stay there overnight before coming back to Sandakan.
“I think changes of surgery schedules are due to the Covid-19 situation at the hospital. It’s okay. I hope that the surgery will not be postponed anymore this November,” he said.
Kota Kinabalu is 322km or a six-hour drive from Sandakan.
Andi has been working as an e-hailing driver ever since he returned to Sandakan to support his family.
Iqmal, who now needs to conduct regular follow-up check-ups in Hospital Duchess of Kent here, now is on daily medication.
Iqmal’s mother, Normah Jattjo, 44, had also quit her job as a factory worker after Iqmal was diagnosed with heart disease, and is now taking care of Iqmal full time at home.
“We are lucky that all Iqmal’s medications to date are funded by the government as we only need to present Iqmal’s school letter to the hospital. However, we don’t know what is going to happen after Iqmal graduate from school.
“We also do not know how much Iqmal’s surgery is going to cost yet,” Normah said.
She said that local representative Sandakan MP Vivian Wong Shir Yee has visited them and told them that she will find ways to raise funds for the surgery, but only after the cost is known.
Iqmal’s school has also been very supportive by raising funds for the family’s travel expenses to Kota Kinabalu this coming November.
“I wish nothing but for my son be healthy and to be able to live a long life. That is all I want,” Normah said. – The Vibes, July 5, 2021
