Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Significant Sept 16

The birthday girl, the rose among the thorns, is on the right

"OK, you have two options. Sept 9 or Sept 16," the curt reply from our obstetrician and former Berita Minggu columnist, Dr Fauziah Hassan.

The beauty of elective C-section is that we can pre-schedule the childbirth. But it was not by choice that Intan has to go through three C-sections to deliver our three kids.

Nur Alfiyyah is four today because I made the decision to welcome her to the world on Malaysian Day instead of her late paternal grandfather's birthday a week earlier. The reason being, I wanted the whole family to celebrate, commemorate and appreciate a significant date in Malaysian history. But Intan claims she opted for the date because she wanted to complete her schoolwork before delivery!

One of the first individuals to send me a congratulatory note for becoming a father for a second time was former national football coach, Bertalan Bicskei, who celebrates his birthday on Sept 17.

Nur Alfiyyah's birth meant a lot to me. She was conceived a year after doctors confirmed Intan's cancer of the colon had gone into remission.

The thousand light (the meaning of Nur Alfiyyah) came into our lives at the height of my run-ins with Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, of which I received little support from the editorial powers-that-be. Most of the executives are no longer in the New Straits Times group! Hah! I clearly remember the sentiment then, that I was pursuing a personal agenda or vendetta against a politician! Apalah...bingai ka?
Former FA of Malaysia general secretary Datuk Seri Dr Ibrahim Saad, my fellow Leo, often likes to see things differently.

Around that time, his favourite question to me was "Eh, nama anak hang Azalina ka?". He would be repeating this question each time our paths crossed!

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Bro, baju biru yang hang pakai tu azzudddin bagi ke?

Unknown said...

.. she angelic, your lady of a thousand lights..and with that attractive eyes and winsome smiles..hmm..a future heartbreaker..and no, you did not chose her birthday, lc..it has been determined very much earlier..by One Whose Love precedes His Anger...but children makes a heavy load light..you're, indeed, blessed..

rizal hashim said...

PakMat, thank you for the reminder. Yes, remind me to always count my blessings, though I don't have the slightest inkling of what is in store for me!