scum of the earth

my brother was diagnosed with a blood disorder called SLE when he was 13 years old. his white blood cells were too high and they were attacking his healthy kidneys. my 13 years old brother then was a champion athlete in the family. he represented his school and the east zone division in soccer, was a cross-country runner for school and his club, played countless other sports and not forgetting a boy scout.

after he was diagnosed with the blood disorder, we were told it was only a matter of when his kidneys would fail. we changed our diet, sent him for twice-monthly check-ups to the hospital and of course, the astronomical medical bills we shouldered as he was prescripted with life-long drugs to suppress the levels of his white blood cells.

the inevitable happened. in 2003, both his kidneys failed. we knew it would eventually happened but even as it did, we felt like it came out of no where and no amount of preparation could ever help us.

that very night he was warded in hospital after alarmingly high blood pressure, severe water-retention and swollen joints, the doctors literally stabbed his chest to connect tubes directly to his arteries so they could immediately perform dialysis on him. i could never forget the sight of him with those awful tubes sticking out of his chest and later on wheeling him to the dialysis centre in the hospital and see his blood flowing out of the tubes into a machine.

they performed a minor surgery on his left arm a few days later. they fused a few veins/arteries together so that dialysis would be easier for him in the future. but it was only a month later before he could do dialysis in a less freaky way.

we could not use the dialysis centre facilities in the hospital as it was meant only for their patients. outpatient dialysis sufferers had to find a centre elsewhere.

our first choice was KDF. it is a private organization and a very low key one. they only have 4 outlets in singapore. as it is a private organization, they do not provide rebates or discounts. we had to pay sgd300 for every dialysis treatment. times three times a week.

after a month, the family had to start to think of alternatives. we found out that the army (my brother was serving the nation when he had kidney failure) can subsidised or pay the full price of the dialysis treatment only if my brother is doing it at NKF. another alternative we decided was to donate one of our kidneys to him.

and so we made the appointment to NKF. my parents and my brother went to their headquarters. my parents explained that we dont even need subsidy or free treatment from NKF. all we need was a slot for 3 times a week at one of their MANY facilities. the army would foot the bill.

i guess what my parents were trying to say got lost in the translation. they refused to even give him a slot in any of their centres. they said they were hard-pressed for money and machines and whatever bull-crap reasons. they went home dejected on that day.

a few days later we received a phonecall from them saying that my brother seek treatment at one of their facilities. BUT we had to pledge to donate 20 kidneys from 20 other people and of course, be an active volunteer to solicit donations from the public for them.

of course we agreed. so he went to seek treatment at NKF for 3 months and thus making it easier for us as army was footing the dialysis bill.

3 months later, my mother was a 'successful' candidate to donate her left kidney to my brother in august 2003.

we did not receive a single cent or a single subsidy from NKF. the army paid for the full rates. but we were still thankful and continued to donate and get people to pledge their kidneys. we knew of another aunt (distant family) who's legs were amputated and had to go for dialysis 4 times a week and not given a single subsidy because her son and daughter-in-law are holding good jobs. but come to think of it, 3200sgd monthly is steep even for a family who's monthly income is 5k.

and now hearing that their CEO earns 600 000sgd annually? wanting to fix gold taps in his office bathroom? 6 luxury cars for the organization?

how screwed up is that? its the public's donations. all those bloody years. and to think they gave my brother a hard time just to let him use the facilities and not a single cent of subsidy. how about all those pple who were turned away from subsidies or treatments?! i am sure there are.

and all those lies in the papers abt how NKF's funds could only last 3 to 4 years and eventually NKF has to play God by deciding who will live and who will die.

only to be told of the truth yesterday that their funds could last for 30 to 40 bloody years!!

so bloody misleading right?

i feel so BLOODY angry. burn in hell.