BACHOK: Wherever he goes, including the toilet, an oxygen concentrator, which is a type of oxygen assistance machine, must be carried with him.Like it or not, the machine has become a 'lifeline' allowing him to breathe normally.Azhar Mahmud, 54, started living with the machine five years ago because he could not breathe normally, due to the swollen and watery lung disease he suffered for 14 years becoming increasingly chronic.Sharing his suffering with Utusan Malaysia, the single father of three said that he has not worked for many years to take care of his youngest child who has just finished school, besides hoping for the compassion of relatives and neighbors to survive."For five years, I slept on a recliner with this machine because I couldn't afford a special bed.Whether it's going in and out of the toilet, or even taking a shower, I have to carry it."I need it all the time so that I can continue to breathe," he said when met after receiving the donation presented by the Chairman of the Pasir Puteh Cakna Bantu Rakyat Organization, Mohd.Nizam Che Mohd.Ali at his home in Kampung Pauh Butut, here yesterday.Azhar said that the oxygen concentrator was rented from a pharmacy for RM200 a month and during the five years of using it, the cost was borne by his siblings, even though their own family was living just enough to eat."As a result of the prolonged Movement Control Order (MCO), the livelihood of my brothers and sisters who work in the village has been affected to the extent that the machine rental payments are in arrears for months.Fortunately the owner of the pharmacy didn't care."I am now being looked after by my youngest son, Aidil Eyzhan, and staying at my sister's house.Two more children live with his ex-wife.We divorced because I had this disease, 14 years ago," he said.Meanwhile, Aidil Eyzhan, 20, said that after completing his studies at the Malaysian Higher Certificate of Religion (STAM) level, he had to forget his desire to continue his education in order to take care of his father.But the former student of Maahad Yakubiah Bachok said, at the same time, he was also unable to go out looking for work because his father needed the help of others if he wanted to move since the oxygen concentrator was large and heavy."When I was still in school, I received assistance from the Department of Social Welfare (JKM) of RM100 a month which was then used for our livelihood.After finishing school last year, the aid was stopped."Currently, we are in dire need of a special bed and a new breathing machine for father, in addition to financial assistance to pay for follow-up treatment and the fare to Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM) twice a month," he said.People who want to donate can contact Aidil Eyzhan on 0199676478 or directly contribute to account 2006631000096353 in the name of Azhar Mahmud.-ONLINE MESSENGERCopyright reserved © 2022, Utusan Malaysia Another product of Media Mulia Sdn.Bhd.