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SINGAPORE - The devoted daughter went through a painful operation to remove part of her liver, hoping to save her ailing father.
Unfortunately, he died of excessive blood loss three hours into the operation, even before the liver transplant could take place.
And Ms Dilah, a 35-year-old businesswoman from Indonesia, still doesn't know this - her family could not bear to break the bad news to her.
The operation took place last Wednesday at Gleneagles Hospital.
Forty-five per cent of Ms Dilah's liver was removed. She was transferred to a normal ward the day after the operation and is reportedly recuperating fairly well.
The doctors advised Ms Dilah's family to keep the news from her because her condition was still not stable, reported Lianhe Wanbao on Saturday.
Ms Dilah was told that her father is still in the intensive care ward and that it was not convenient to visit until a week after the operation.
When Dilah found out that her father, 69-year-old tycoon Rainal Rais, desperately needed a liver transplant, she did not hesitate to go for a test to check if her liver was suitable.
Suitable matches
All five of Mr Rais' children went for the test, but only Ms Dilah and her eldest brother, 43-year-old Luoyi, were suitable matches.
The doctor eventually decided that Ms Dilah was a better candidate for the operation as she was younger, Mr Luoyi said.
According to the family, they arrived in Singapore from Jakarta three months before the surgery.
At the recommendation of Singapore General Hospital, they decided to seek treatment at Gleneagles Hospital.
Mr Luoyi was quoted by Wanbao saying that the doctors told him that the operation had an 85 per cent success rate.
During the three months he was in Singapore, Mr Rais went for checkups twice weekly before it was confirmed that he was suitable for the transplant.
However, it was not to be. Mr Rais' body was sent back to Jakarta by a private plane last Thursday. He was accompanied by his family members, except for a relative who stayed behind to take care of Ms Dilah.
Mr Luoyi was also quoted saying that the liver transplant, on its own, cost more than S$300,000.
The family spent more than S$800,000 on his treatment, including the living expenses of 20 family members who were here for three months.
Father and daughter are said to be close, even sharing the same birthday. She was reportedly delighted when she found out that her liver was a match with her father's.
After the surgery, Ms Dilah was quoted by Wanbao saying: "I don't know where I got the courage (to undergo the operation), but I have no regrets."
She also said: "The operation was a little painful, but if I can save my father, it was all worth it."
"I don't know where I got the courage (to undergo the operation), but I have no regrets.
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