IMPORTANT! PENTING!
Sebenarnya saya ada banyak cerita murung hari ini... but no, I think I am going to share about something positive. And important.
Semalam dan kelmarin saya ke jabatan ginekologi di sebuah hospital swasta untuk pemeriksaan peribadi. See- all my life, I had lived in various places, visited various hospitals, and at every hospital, upon check up, I will usually have to explain my condition. I have MRKH Syndrome and I identify myself as intersex female. Saya perlu jelaskan kerana hampir semua doktor yang merawati saya tidak biasa dengan sindrom ini dan kalaupun ada yang pernah dengar, mereka tidak tahu info lanjut, dan selalunya saya penghidap pertama/kedua yang pernah mereka temui.
Semalam begitu juga. "It happens to 1 in every 5000 women? That's not very rare. Can't believe I've never heard of it." Sudah tentu saya tidak salahkan beliau kerana ada berjuta jenis sindrom di dunia ini, manalah terhafal semuanya. (2 of my younger siblings are doctors; saya nampak kepayahan mereka.) The doctor showed much interest in listening to my explanation, which was a very humbling experience for me. He was the second doctor in the hospital whom I explained it to. Later on his nurse joined us too, also surprised by my story. I told them that I founded the support group MRKH Malaysia and we have almost 40 members (this number is growing fast) of all ages and races, so yes, it is not very rare, actually.
While I enjoy passing the knowledge for the benefit of all girls and women in Malaysia, I can only do so much; I need your help too. Ramai gadis yang tidak pernah datang bulan tetapi tidak buat pemeriksaan awal atas alasan malu dan takut. Malu berjumpa doktor, takut dengan realiti. Seumur hidup dibiar dalam ketidaktahuan. Hasilnya apabila sudah berkahwin barulah mereka tahu mereka penghidap MRKH. Ramai yang OK tetapi ramai juga yang trauma, kemurungan, diceraikan suami, dipulaukan orang kampung yang berkepercayaan karut, tidak difahami oleh saudara mara atau mertua, dan tidak diberi sokongan emosi oleh keluarga sendiri.
MRKH IS SO MUCH MORE THAN NOT BEING ABLE TO GET PREGNANT. We're talking about ovaries, vagina, kidneys, bones, ears, we're talking about sex and how you won't have it the way most normal people do, we're talking about your body and how it may appear differently and how your organs may fall sick easily. Ianya cerita yang panjang jadi eloklah anda tahu lebih awal kerana menghadam dan mempelajarinya memakan masa. I promise you this though: YOU WILL BE OKAY. THINGS WILL BE ALRIGHT. BUT YOU NEED TO HAVE IT DIAGNOSED EARLY. YOU NEED GUIDANCE.
Kita semua ada orang perempuan dalam hidup kita. Girls and women play a big part in this world, they have certain impact in all of our lives. It's a cycle. Everyone will get affected in one way or another. So if you care, please kindly share. Semua orang berhak untuk tidak dirundung sedih dan hidup sebiasa mungkin.