Heart‑Stringing Journey of a Nurse‑Manager
In mid‑August, Madam Hemalatha Maramuthu, a 40‑year‑old nurse manager at Mount Elizabeth Hospital, was on her usual rounds when an unexpected call rattled her day. The Kuala Lumpur clinic where her father lived brought news that he had been rushed to the ICU.
When a Family Crisis Meets the Pandemic
- Her dad had battled kidney failure since 2014, but the condition suddenly flipped a nasty switch this year.
- Hemalatha, who almost made a habit of flying home every other weekend, had already taken emergency leave to tend to him earlier in the year.
- Facing another potential leave, she felt lost: “It’s a very hard moment. With the pandemic raging, I can’t just leave Singapore. I’m not the only one (healthcare worker). Everyone has an emergency.”
Team Effort Turning Chaos into Compassion
When she conveyed the heartbreaking news to her senior manager, teammates didn’t sit back. They swung into action to help her return home.
- The hospital granted her leave and arranged a PCR test so she could safely jet into Malaysia.
- Colleagues chipped in both money and morale: one sent her food while she crammed for the overnight flight.
On August 26, she boarded a morning flight to Kuala Lumpur, by then in her home town, after an exhausting cross‑border shuffle.
Family Reunion Amidst the Distance
After spending ten days quarantining in her apartment in Petaling Jaya, she finally met her family in Shah Alam for the funeral.
With a mother and two daughters (ages 8 and 10) that she’d not seen for a year, she said: “It was priceless to be there with my mum and my daughters at the funeral after not seeing them for a year. It gave me closure.”
Back on Duty, Yet Forever Grateful
After spending two months in KL, Hemalatha recently returned to Singapore. She thanked her colleagues profusely, noting that the hospital’s support was as vital as the care they give patients. “This two‑way relationship of care keeps me going and motivated to work hard at my job,” she reflected.
