7th week : farewell...

assalamualaikum

this is my last week here, in Chase Farm HTT. I spent the first 2 days of the week at treatment wards. Imet local student nurse there who are very warm and welcoming. yeah, I was much more active here, in terms of activities and contact with patient. There was this one somalian lady, a patient there, whom I've met before during visit with CJ at recovery house. she has this habit of staring at me. and she did it again on wards. I got goosebumps but still, I need to compose my self. I am relief as she was not violence towards me. Instead, she was asking whether she can have my head scarf. I went blank. Oh yeah, she's  a muslim. now I remember. I diplomatically declined but she started to reach for my scarf. I prayed, please, don't let her tug the 'crown' that i've been wearing with pride in this country. Alhamdulillah, a staff came and intervene. SAFE! 

the next day, I saw her wearing a head scarf. that was my last day on that ward, because I was only there for two days. I did see her again that week, still wearing her head cover.

then, it's back with home treatment team. this 3 days seem to be very short. It felt like I was just here yesterday. towards my last day, I look at the board. the one that they use to allocate patient to the team members. there was my name written there, along with the patient I'm assigned to handle. It was only for phone call, but still, to have my name written there was like a life-time achievement (over pulak). 

I dropped by AAC few times and spent some time with them. they were happy to see me and so do I. It felt like I'm already one of the staff there. No one look at me weirdly as I entered their territory. I'm free to move around, even though wearing hijab, without anyone looking at me differently...except few patients, oh well, they might be having paranoid issues. 

My mentor who was supposed to be on his annual leave drop by to say hi, we all took some pictures together. 

then came Friday. It's time to go. I was saying goodbye to everyone. then they stopped me and pull out something from the kitchen cabinet. 

tadaa!!

 This was the second time they gave me chocolates. There is significant behind this. Chocolates are unanimously loved by everyone in this team. They said, they love to have me here, as much as they love chocolates. 

I cried. gosh, I promised not to cry. I guess I was never good at saying goodbye.

Enfield East Home Treatment Team..

Thank you so much for everything..

until we meet again..