Family Tree

Author’s  Note:It  was    winter  in  Singapore,  2003,  February  18th  when  SARS  spread  around  the  

world.  People  were  frightened  and  petriDied  of  SARS  because  it  was  a  highly  contagious  

viral  disease  and  also  because  it  had  already  infected  more  than  8000  people  in  

29countries,  killing  more  than  770.  It  was  an  unknown  disease  until  late  2002.  If  you  were  

infected,  it  could  progress  from  fever  and  cough  to  a  serious  sickness  that  could  kill  you.  Up  

to  twenty-­‐percent  of  the  patients  needed  mechanical  ventilation  to  survive.

SARS  subsided  in  July.  A  month  later,  everybody  was  still  afraid  even  though  there  

were  no  new  cases.  

Fear  Of  SARS

  My  kids  were  playing  with  each  other  while  my  wife  and  I  were  

looking  after  them.  I  turned  on  the  TV  and  started  watching  the  

news.  The  Dirst  thing  that  came  up  on  the  news  was  SARS.

“  The  victims  with  SARS  has  increased  thousands  more  and  

deaths  have  increased  from  tens  to  hundreds,”  the  reporter  said  in  

the  hospital,”  the  government  advises  people  to  stay  indoors  and  

keep  away  from  others.”

  Then,  the  phone  suddenly  rang.  I  went  to  pick  it  up.  I  

recognized  the  number  and    I  answered  the  call  worriedly  because  

the  call  was  from  my  boss,  Mr.  Wong.

“  Hello  Mr.  Wong,  “  I  said  nervously.

“  Hello  Gee  Kwang,”  Mr.  Wong  said  with  fright.

“  What  is  the  problem?”  I  asked,  wondering  what  was  going  on.

“  Everybody  is  temporally  on  leave  from  work  as  SARS  is  going  

on,  so  I  will  just  inform  you  that  you  don’t  need  to  come  to  work  

until  we  call  you  to  tell  you  when  to  come  back,”  he  answered.

“  I  understand,”  I  answered  quickly.

He  ended  the  call,  and  I  sighed.  

“When  will  SARS  ever  stop,”  I  wondered.

 After  the  phone  call,  I  heard  my  son  was  cough  harshly,  and  we  

decided  to  take  him  to  the  Mount  Alvernia  hospital.  My  parents  were  

terriDied.  No  one  wanted  to  go  outside  and  risk  being  infected.  I  

mustered  up  every  single  ounce  of  courage  and  said  that  I  would  

take  my  son  to  the  hospital.  I  helped  my  son  wear  his  mouth  mask  

and  wore  my  own.  We  got  into  the  car  and  I  drove  him  to  the  

hospital.  While  we  were  in  the  car,  I  saw  the  streets  deserted.  When  

we  got  to  the  hospital,  I  parked  the  car  carefully  and  got  out  of  the  

car  with  my  son.  I  held  his  hand  tightly  and  we  went  into  the  

hospital.  

Inside  patients  coughed  loudly  and  voices  echoed  across  the  

hospital.  They  were  all  wearing  masks.  Some  of  them  also  wore  

gloves.  Everybody  was  wary  of  each  other  if  they  had  SARS.  It  was  

quite  loud  because  of  the  crying  babies.  There  were  people  at  the  

front  that  were  taking  temperatures  of  others.  There  were  two  lines  

and  it  seemed  that  if  the  person  had  a  fever,  they  had  to  go  into  

another  line.  My  son  only  had  cough  so  we  didn’t  have  to  go  into  the  

other  line.  I  heard  a  lot  of  coughing  sounds  and  crying  sounds.  I  

could  scent  disinfected  smell,  a  knowledgeable  smell  of  medicine  

and  the  smell  of  uneasiness.  I  could  also  feel  people  were  terror-­‐

stricken,  worried  and  fearful.  While  waiting  in  the  line,  I  heard  

others  complaining  to  be  in  front  of  the  line  and  some  others  were  

trying  to  cut  into  the  line.  I  got  to  the  counter  after  a  while  and  told  

the  person  that  my  son  was  coughing  intensely.  The  person  gave  me  

a  number  and  told  me  to  wait  until  my  number  was  announced.  

While  my  son  and  I  waited,  my  son  suddenly  looked  worried.  

“  Daddy,  I’m  scared,”  My  son  asked  while  looking  like  he  was  

about  to  cry.

“Its  ok,  you’re  safe,”  I  told  him  while  doubting  myself.

My  number  was  Dinally  called  and  I  went  into  the  room.  I  

brought  my  son  in  and  greeted  the  doctor.  The  doctor  was  wearing  a  

lot  of  protective  gear.  He  was  wearing  a  white  color  coat,  gloves,  a  

face  mask,  glasses  and  a  white  hat.  I  told  the  doctor  that  my  son  was  

coughing  a  lot  recently.  He  did  a  check  up  on  my  son  and  found  out  it  

was  just  a  lot  of  phlegm  inside  the  throat.  The  doctor  gave  me  a  

sheet  of  paper  that  had  what  medicine  my  son  could  take.  

I  thanked  the  doctor  and  went  to  buy  the  medicine.  After  I  

Dinished  buying  the  medicine,  I  quickly  held  my  sons  hand  tightly  

and  left  the  hospital,  afraid  that  we  could  be  infected  by  SARS.  When  

we  got  home,  I  gave  my  son  his  medicine  and  brought  him  to  his  

room.  While  bringing  him  to  his  room,  I  wondered  when  would  

SARS  end  and  bring  peace  again.

Q&A1.  What  was  happening?I  found  out  on  the  news  that  there  was  a  disease  called  SARS  spreading.

2.  How  did  people  feel?Everyone  was  full  of  fear  because  no  one  knew  how  it  was  transmitted.  

3.  What  did  you  do  after  you  found  out  about  SARS?We  tried  not  to  go  out  especially  to  crowded  areas  like  restaurants,  supermarkets,  shops,  and  different  places.  

4.  The  worst  thing  about  SARS?We  have  to  be  careful  in  the  hospital  because  we  don’t  know  who  has  SARS.  

5.  The  best  thing  about  SARS?The  best  thing  about  SARS  is  that  families  get  to  be  closer.  

6.  What  was  on  your  mind?I  kept  thinking  about  when  the  doctors  will  Dind  a  cure.  

7.  What  was  going  on  around  you?Many  people  talked  about  others  having  SARS.  

8.What  were  people  wearing?Everybody  started  wearing  masks.  

9.  What  happens  in  the  hospital?When  we  go  to  the  hospital,  we  had  to  take  temperature  in  case  of  sickness,  and  if  they  had  a  fever,  they  needed  to  go  to  another  line.  I  was  really  worried  and  scared.  We  drove  to  the  hospital  once  because  my  son  was  sick.

Research information

•A highly contagious viral disease.•Unknown until 2002•Subsided in July 2003•Infected more than 8000 people in 29 countries, killing more than 770•Can progress rapidly from fever and cough to serious sickness that could kill you•Up to 20 percent of patients need mechanical ventilation to survive

Reflection1. What have you learned about your family’s

history? How has working on this project helped you understand your family better and given you a better sense of your identity?I learned that my family had a hard time in the past. I don’t think that I have a better sense of my identity.

2. Why do you think doing a project like this is important?This project is supposed to help you understand your family’s history.

3. What part of this project did you enjoy the most? Why?I enjoyed researching about SARS.

4.What specific challenges did you face during this project and how did you over come them? The most specific challenges I had were writing the narrative and getting information from my father. I didn’t get enough information from my father.

Bibliography:Serradell,  Joaquima.  SARS.  Philadelphia:  Chelsea  House,  2005.  Print.

Wagner,  Viqi.  Do  Infectious  Diseases  Pose  a  Serious  Threat?  Farmington  Hills,  MI:  Greenhaven,  2005.  Print.