Sharing by Madam Tan
My younger son Foong Qi was born with cerebral palsy. I do part time jobs to make ends meet, with my husband as the main breadwinner. Back then when my children were young, more attention was given to my son as I needed to be physically around to support him due to his muscle condition.
When he reached adulthood, the challenge was to find a centre for continuous learning as Foong Qi still requires assistance with daily activities of living. Now he gets to attend speech therapy, learn handicraft as well as enjoy music sessions at a Day Activity Centre that accepts adults with multiple disabilities.
Our family knew about Care for the Elderly Foundation (Singapore) through referral by Dr Chen from IDHealth, an initiative of Happee Hearts Movement which serves adults with intellectual disability and their caregivers. As CEF provides Home Medical and Home Nursing service, it creates convenience for us so that I do not have to travel a distance to the clinic with Foong Qi.
I used to panic when Foong Qi was unwell and rushed him to the hospital whenever I noticed that his condition did not improve from GP clinic visits. With the support from CEF, it has given me more clarity on how to handle his situation. I call the nurse to seek guidance on what to do, and she will advise accordingly. Foong Qi also gets his vitals checked through home visits by his primary care team, Dr Tham and Nurse Sylvia.
The structured process allows me to make better decisions for his healthcare and reduce expenses for medical transport and fees from frequent hospital visits. I also get a better understanding on how to monitor Foong Qi at home, such as checking oxygen level and frequency of temperature taking when he has fever.
There was an occasion when one tuberculosis case was reported in Foong Qi’s school. I was worried as he was having fever and cough with phlegm. Dr Tan from CEF came to check on Foong Qi and he was found to be tested positive with Covid. I felt a sense of relief when I knew Foong Qi did not have to be admitted.
Something I feel proud about Foong Qi is that he is now able to walk with support and can use non-verbal gestures with simple words to express his needs. Foong Qi is also an affectionate boy who shows his love by saying “hug, hug” and leaning towards the other person. I am heartened to see how Foong Qi fosters a close bond with his sister, actively seeking opportunities to interact with her.
As a caregiver of a child with special needs, it is important to keep myself relaxed. I am grateful that my elder daughter has also been a great pillar of support on this journey. Despite having knee pain, I am putting my surgery on hold as the recuperation period will take months. With Foong Qi as my priority, I learn to take one step at a time.