1966
I was 13 years old.
In 1966, I studied only two school terms in Sabah College
in Sabah then came to Sarawak to continue the third school term in Kuching High School
Why this transferred?
Well, while in Bridge Class in Sabah College
During that health service to the schools, a medical assistant came to the school. With an injector, he
gave a very shallow injection into the skin in the lower part of the left arm. The injector has eight tinny needles. The
injection was shallow and quick that no one felt any pain.
After couple of days, the health care worker came back to
school to look at each of our arms. From the needle marks, the medical staff
would know whether the student is TB positive or negative. A positive TB skin test mean the student has
been infected with Tuberculosis (TB) bacteria.
There were two boys in my class shown positive TB skin: a Chinese
student and me.
Yes, I was TB Positive, means TB bacteria in my body.
The medical team gave me packages of tablets and instructed
me remember to take a tablet each day. No chest x-ray. No clinic visit. No
doctor. Because TB infection does not indicate
TB disease. But it will develop into TB
disease if no medication.
So it’s lucky to be able detected earlier before develop
into lung disease. The government health authority has done good health care to
the schools even back then in 1966.
Few weeks later, my father in Sarawak sends a telegram to
Uncle Choi (James) in Sabah with only two words
“COMING SOON”
“YOU COMING OR I GOING?” Uncle Choi sent a reply question
the very same day. Uncle Choi was who I
stay with that time (in Grandmother’s old wood house). My father suddenly sent a telegram because I
wrote home a letter mentioning the school found out about my TB Positive. So my parent decided to bring me back from
boarding with Grandmother and Uncle Choi.
This explains why I came back to Sarawak again from Sabah .
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