Friday, March 10, 2006

Blog again?

Whew! For a long time, I am here again.

It was a bit struggle just to click my text editor to write a blog. I feel like I totally lost my interest in writing.

So much happened for the past months (many months!), I couldn’t possibly recall them all and try to compose a good story out of them.

Hmm.. but I guess it's worth a try..

Hospital Fever

Yep, I was hospitalized for 1 week last year for some peculiar reason. I remember it started one afternoon when I got drenched by the rain. Just before sunset, I was feeling cold and I knew then I have a fever. I was struggling to make it home that evening, and because I don't like taking medicines, I gobbled a lot of water just before going to bed. The next morning was the start of the very long battle that I had to struggle to win. I was not feeling so well that morning but still I went to school, boy I got a high fever!. It was hell for five days, but I need to work so it was really a difficult time. Just getting up in bed was so hard for me. On the sixth day I started to feel fine, I was able to take a bath for the first time and was quite relieved that my ordeal was finally over. But I was dead wrong. I’m just feeling well, but the fever was still there, only mild I guess.

For the next 4 days I was better and I thought the fever was gone. But on the 5th day, the fever showed its vengeance. I have no idea how high my fever was, all I knew was I’m shivering so violently every now and then. I finally bought paracetamol to help my self fight the fever coz I guess water therapy just wasn't enough. Still I managed to dodge a few moments and was able to give lectures in class. I missed the tryouts for our cheerdance squad coz I wanted to rest really bad and I was always in a hurry to go home after sunset.

One night, my best friend had a soul-breaking news for me. Her dad passed away. I really wanted to see and comfort her, but I was in the middle of a violent fever and I was shaking and shivering. Two days after, I was able to visit her. I’m so dizzy that time that I can't even support my head straight less alone walk and just be on my feet. They told me I was scorching hot, crap what a fever. My friend Jay helped me go home and gave me a quick massage. I badly needed it to relax my body. The day after, things got only worse than I expected. The fever was on full force that I had to cancel lectures. A week after the second wave of fever, my officemate can't help to notice the hell that I've been through and he advised me to see a doctor. I did. The doc couldn’t diagnose what's wrong with me not before medical tests. He gave me antibiotics and asked me to come back the next day. That night was hell, I bought a thermometer and I was shocked that my long overdue fever was measuring an average of 39 degrees Celsius! I even reached 40 degrees! The next day I was immediately confined. My mom and brother arrived the day after. After 4 days the doc (not the same doc in the checkup) finally found out what was wrong with me.. it was a blood infection due to a Salmonella Typhi Bacteria.. in short, a I got a Typhoid Fever. Freakin doctor, only after 4 days? It's a good thing my friend Vanessa (the med student) was keeping in touch with me throughout my ordeal and gave me some confidence and comfort. It's funny the first few days I hated the food they serve on that hospital, they only serve vegetables and vege-meat, but after a while I was craving for it. That thing is addicting. I was on a private room and at it got me bored when I was doing nothing. Good thing there's a TV, and I got so many visitors everyday, my students, officemates, and friends. The next 2 days I was feeling better and I was discharged. My hospital bill reached P17,000+!!! That freakin doctor ran more medical tests than needed, and billed a big professional fee too, crap! Thanks to some health insurance, my bill was reduced to P10,000+, still enough to melt my savings away. Plus I have to continue taking antibiotics (this thing is expensive) twice a day for a week, and vitamins for 1 month.

I can't really trace where I got the bacteria, the doc says it could only be transmitted thru contaminated food or water that was handled by an infected person. The bacteria are present in feces and urine when the person is infected. I have no idea how I got it. After the ordeal, I was paying very close attention to what I ate and drink. And I would advice everyone to do the same. It was hell my brother and sister, take my advice very seriously.

Length of fever – more or less 3 agonizing weeks!