My father and mother would have to take the company boat to cross the mighty Rajang to send us to the clinic when we were ill. My mother used to tell us that her greatest fear was when we all had fever together. My brother had fits when he had a fever. My mother suffered the most when we were sick.
Our parents made sure that we had our injections or immunisation throughout the days we lived in Pulau Kerto. Each trip to Sibu for our vaccination would mean that our parents would spend at least four or five hours in the town and my father would have to leave his work.
In those days, we had immunisation against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough. These injections were called " Protective Needle", or in Foochow Yu Wong Jeng.
The thought of having needles poking our arms was frightening and my siblings and I would hide under the mosquito netting or even under the bed, refusing to see the nurses in the Sibu town clinic. Usually my mother would dress us up and then forcefully take us by the arms to the boat. However, one look from my father was enough to keep us quiet.
When I look back, it was really hilarious. Why were we so scared of a needle prick? KIDS.
A child receiving oral polio vaccine. Wikipedia.
Because my parents were very careful with the immunisation regulations, none of us got attacked by polio in the mid 50's. Polio attacked the children of Sarawak and left a huge mark.
When we went to school, we saw many of our school mates suffering from polio. It was all very sad looking at them.
I would always be grateful to my parents who would stay up the whole night whenever we had fever. Parental love is the greatest gift anyone can have.
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