KUALA TERENGGANU: Faisal Md Ali, who is critically obese, depends on the kindness of others to manage his day-to-day life.
The 29-year-old, who weighs 286 kilogrammes, has attracted the attention of the public ever since he was hospitalised at the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital (HSNZ) here due to complications over his condition.
“I am not able to move, and must accept whatever is given to me by people around me, even though I feel so uncomfortable about it. (But) with my body size, my movements are very limited,” he said when met here yesterday.
Among the health problems he faces are shortness of breath, short sightedness and swollen legs.
Faisal has been placed in a third class ward at the hospital, which leaves him with no privacy. He feels uncomfortable being the focus of attention of visitors and other patients.
“I am okay with the ward’s condition. However, I am not happy being the focus of attention. (They) get so nosy about my obesity problem.
"Only God knows how embarrassed I feel every time a complete stranger (stares at me out of) surprise due to my physical condition," he said.
Faisal said his family applied for a second class ward, but he did not qualify for admission.
"During a previous hospitalisation, the management of HNSZ put me in the second class ward, and there were fewer visitors and not many people noticed me.
“But this time around, I was placed in a regular ward and can only use one bed. My family can no longer afford a second class ward,” he said.
To make matters worse, none of Faisal’s family members can tend to him.
"My mother is unwell. She is suffering from knee pain and so on, so none of my family members are here to take care of me and I have to depend on the nurses to manage me every day,” he said.
Faisal said he will undergo surgery to shrink his intestinal tract in the near future.
"With all the problems that I am facing, I feel eager to be healthy fast. That way, I would not have to inconvenience people around me," he added.
Translated from Harian Metro