Kematian.

Salam to all;

Hari ini seluruh warga Sheffield khasnya terdiam seketika tatkala menerima berita dari tanahair mengatakan seorang saudara yg sgt kami kasihi; Allahyarham Mas Afzal Masarudin sudah kembali ke Rahmatullah kira2 pukul 4am waktu Malaysia.

Menyorot beberapa pertemuan saya dgn arwah sewaktu beliau masih di Sheffield:

1.Pertama kali bersua secara dekat ketika kami menumpangkan beliau dan bbrapa sahabat bujang utk ke pengkebumian arwah baby fahmi yg meninggal kerana meningitis. Arwah baby fahmi ialah anak sulong kpd pasangan Dr Zuraini dan Fairusham, kedua2 nya pelajar phd di Univ of Sheffield.

2. Di majlis sembahyang hajat utk ke atas adik angkat kami iaitu Siti Saliza yg ketika itu sdg di diagnosis di Hosp RoyalHallamshire dan disyaki mengidap penyakit cancer limfoma. Situasi adik Saliza ketika itu amat kritikal, dan arwah Mas Afzal byk memberi kata2 perangsang kpd beliau utk terus berjuang menentang kesakitan terutamnya utk menghdp sesi rwtan kemo yg bakal beliau tempuhi tdk lama slps itu.

3. Di satu majlis kesyukuran di rumah sahabat kami di Sheffield yang mana beliau juga seorg pengidap cancer linfoma dan telah selesai menjalani beberapa sesi rwtan kemo. Sempat terdengar gurauan '' kita ni patut adakan reunion utk pesakit2 yg menjalani kemo'' , dan disambut dgn gelak ketawa sewaktu kami berkongsi pengalaman masing2.

Itu lah antara pertemuan singkat kami. Saya bukanlah sahabat terdekat arwah, tetapi saya merasakan eratnya perhubungan kami dari segi perkongsian emosi dan luahan perasaan menyedari hidup kami ini bukanlah seperti mereka yg sempurna kesihatannya.

Arwah Mas Afzal pada saya merupakan simbol seorg pejuang. Cukup sempurna pd saya. Tahniah kpd kedua ibubapanya yg melahirkan insan terpuji, tahniah kpd seluruh keluarganya yg memberi dorongan dan sokongan pd beliau ketika hayatnya. Saya ini merasa ckp bertuah mengenali arwah , w'pun tdk begitu rapat, ttp dapat lah kisah perjuangan arwah diambil iktibar utk terus mencari kehidupan berkualiti.

Sahabat2 ;
Kematian tidak hanya disabitkan oleh penyakit2 kronik. Maka insan2 terpilih pengidap penyakit kronik tidak bermakna mereka ini terlalu hampir dgn kematian. tetapi, dengan ujian yg Allah turunkan kpd mereka membuka pengajaran kpd semua bahawa, dlm mengahdapi ujian hidup ini perlukan perjuangan, ketabahan kesabaran, usaha, redha dan tawakkal. Kematian adalah janji Allah pd semua makhlukNya.

Tetiba saya terkenang diri sendiri. dan secara spontan saya juga teringat beberapa kes kematian dan beberapa insan terkenal yg hidup dgn Lupus spt yg tercatat dlm wikipedia.

Notable cases:

1. Michael Jackson suffered from both SLE and vitiligo. Diagnosed in 1986, and confirmed by his dermatologist, Dr. Arnold Klein, who presented legal documents during court depositions.
2. Lady Gaga has been tested borderline positive for SLE, however she claims not to be affected by the symptoms yet. The revelations caused considerable dismay amongst her fans, leading to Gaga herself addressing the matter in an interview with Larry King, saying she hopes to avoid symptoms by maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
3. Louisa May Alcott, American author best known for her novel Little Women, has been suggested to have had SLE.
4. Inday Ba (also known as N'Deaye Ba), a Swedish-born actress who died from SLE complications at age 32.
5. Donald Byrne, American chess player who died from SLE complications in 1976.
6. Portia de Rossi, Australian-American actress
Caroline Dorough-Cochran, sister of Howie D. of the Backstreet Boys, died of SLE complications. He founded the Dorough Lupus Foundation in her memory.
7. J Dilla (also known as Jay Dee), a hip-hop producer and beat maker who died of SLE complications in 2006.
8. Lauren Shuler Donner, American movie director.
9. Hugh Gaitskell, British politician who died of SLE complications in 1963 aged 56.
10. Sophie Howard, British glamour model.
11. Teddi King, American singer, died of SLE complications in 1977.
12. Charles Kuralt, former anchor of CBS Sunday Morning, died of SLE complications in 1997.
13. Ferdinand Marcos, former Philippine president, who died of SLE complications in 1989.
14. Mary Elizabeth McDonough, American actress; blames her SLE on leaky silicone breast implants.
15. Flannery O'Connor, American fiction writer who died of SLE complications in 1964.
16. Elaine Paige, British actress and singer.
17. Tim Raines, former major league baseball player, primarily with the Montreal Expos and
18. Chicago White Sox who was diagnosed with SLE in 1999 and spent the rest of the year undergoing treatment and recovery.Founder of the Tim Raines Lupus Foundation.
18. Mercedes Scelba-Shorte, America's Next Top Model Season Two runner-up and model.
19. Ray Walston, character actor who died of SLE complications in 2001 after a 6-year battle with the disease.
20. Michael Wayne, Hollywood director, and producer, part owner of Batjac Productions, son of legendary actor John Wayne, died of heart failure resulting from SLE complications in 2003.

Kematian ialah janji Allah. Alfatihah utk arwah Mas Afzal Masarudin.

Dan saya akan sentiasa berjuang utk sebuah kehidupan yg singkat ini!

Till we meetagain, see you soon very2 soon.