Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Fully recovered from illness?


Definitely so, since I am able to share about it here!
Hooray, no more illness! Head and body feel lighter, appetite returned and now have the strength to do some chores including cooking and venturing outside around our garden. Hopefully, good health prevail!
Praise and thank The Lord!

It has been a very long and winding road, this awful month of October - healthwise, I mean.

Unexpected Chain of events:
  • Oct 7: Developed fever in late evening. Self-prescribed 2 tablets of paracetamol (panadol), but fever worsened by midnight. Took another dose of panadol.
  • Oct 8: Flu had set in too. So, continued fever medication and included 1 tblsp. Dynadryl syrup cough mixture and one 10mg Loratadine tablet for running nose/sneezing. Received a morning phone call from the eldest daughter of our dearest friend, Doris that her papa passed away last night. What distressing news! As my condition seemed okay, John and I visited Doris and family in the afternoon and spend 2-3 hours to express our sympathy, comfort and share their grief. Benedict Soosay (may he rest in peace and be united with Christ Jesus in His Heavenly Kingdom) is very much missed by us too as he had become a very close and lovable friend over the years. Fever resumed in the evening. I had a restless night with muscular pain, fever, chill and bout of coughing.
  • Oct 9: Continued medication in the morning. Rested and everything seemed fine by midday, so I thought? An office colleague of mine since August 2, 1965 Doris has become a very close and dearest friend with 43 years of indescribable loving friendship and wonderful comradeship, like my elder sister. During this time of grief and tears, I just cannot fail her with my absence. Hence, my heart ruled my head on this sorrowful occasion and I pestered John that we go for Ben's funeral service at 1pm. He succumbed to my request even though he was against me going in my weak and unwell condition. We reached the Lutheran Church in Brickfields a little late due to traffic jam and stood throughout the packed service. I was sweating profusely, feeling weak and cold in the air-conditioned church, probably still feverish inside. Unaware of my current condition, John agreed with me to accompany the cortege of Ben to his resting place at the Sunway Lutheran Memorial Park in Shah Alam about an hour's drive away. Rained on the way there, but fortunately not during the burial though drizzled a little when almost over. That night for me was awful again, a repeat of the previous.
  • Oct 10: Visited a 24-hour polyclinic nearby at noon and the doctor confirmed that my throat was inflamed. So, prescribed antibiotics, thermal gargle, some tablet for muscular pain and advised that I continue with panadol, denadryl and loratadine that were in my possession. He took my blood sample for testing just to rule out any dengue fever. Feeling awfully sick, weak and wanting to just sleep most of the time.
  • Oct 11 to 20: Fever was on and off for a few more days until Oct 14 whereas cough and cold were gone a few days earlier. My strength improved gradually with appetite and by Oct 20, I felt 'brand new' again. Praise and thank God!
I felt so good that I asked David, our elder son to accompany us to Low Yat on Tuesday, Oct 21 to shop for a printer and run some errands. We had lunch together at Kopi Club, Low Yat before adjourning to Machines, situated at Lot 10 Shopping Complex nearby to extend my iMac's warranty. Then, we walked back in the slight drizzle to Low Yat to buy the Canon All-in-1 Color Printer (Model: PIXMA MP145). Tested the printer at the shop and was tremendously delighted with the output. Happily returned home with the brand new toy, whereby David assisted in its connection and installation as well as guided me hastily through its usage alongside with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.

Gosh, even when he was teaching me, I could feel as if my head was about to 'explode'. Fortunately, he left pretty soon as he had lots of other things to do. The minute he was gone, I took a nap straightaway. Never anticipating that a nightmare would soon unfold!
  • Oct 21: Around 6pm - though the heaviness in my head disappeared after 2 hours of rest, my body told me that something was definitely not alright. True enough, my temperature had shot up to 100.5 degrees F. Ate some biscuits and drank a can of 100 PLUS. After dinner, down 2 tabs of Panadol. What had triggered this sudden reaction, I wondered as I felt recovered since 4 days ago? Would just the few drops of rain that fell on me in the early afternoon make a difference? Or, was the 'Nasi Lemak' eaten during lunch the culprit? Anyway, drank lots of glucose water through the night. Fever subsided, though stomach felt a little uncomfortable and windy.
  • Oct 22: Purged once early in the morning, took 2 tabs of Lomotil and diarrhea stopped. And, to play safe, I continued with the fever medication every 6-hourly throughout the day and fever seemed under control. However, felt feverish around midnight to early dawn.
  • Oct 23: Early morning at 8.15am, John took me to the same polyclinic to see Dr. Mathews again. Checked me and said that my throat was inflamed. Again, I cried out? How is that possible if I have taken a course of antibiotics just recently? He gave some explanation which I did not quite accept and prescribed another course of antibiotics again besides medication for fever and pain. Returned home and dutifully consumed whatever medicines necessary and accordingly. Eeek...the antibiotic Ceporex, taken this round was awful, like eating smelly plastic! Damn...by dusk, I felt nauseated and vomited whatever was eaten earlier, including 2 tabs of panadol just taken. No choice but to repeat consumption of panadol and out it poured again. So, off to see the doctor again at 7.30pm, but this time he was Dr. Salleh, an Iraqi doctor. He diagnosed me as having indigestion and colon disorder. Just prescribed some tablets to prevent vomiting and 3 packets of ORS (oral rehydration solution), and requested that I consume the vomit tablet 15 mins before dinner. Did exactly as advised but vomited again even before I could start my dinner. Phoned him and was told to wait for 15 mins before taking the tablet again and to eat dinner only after half an hour. Felt so lifeless and awfully weak. Thank God, everything went well after this and had a peaceful rest during the night, except with some stomach and abdominal discomfort.
  • Oct 24: Eeeek! Started off the early morning with 2 rounds of diarrhea, like a running tap! Quickly consumed 2 tabs of Lomotil and it stopped only after another 2 rounds of purging at 11am and 1pm. Felt so listless the whole time and just wanted to sleep. Then, around 5.30 pm I felt nauseatic after drinking a glass of horlicks and eating some biscuits to go along with my medication. Within minutes, vomited everything, and again about 10 mins later. Oh dear, what is wrong with my system? In desperation, my beloved spouse suggested that I be hospitalized.Back we went to the polyclinic again at 6.15pm to seek advice and to get a referal letter for admission. Aaargh, a different doctor again! But Dr. Prem Kumar was very patient as he listened to our dilemma and was very professional in explaining the whole scenario of my condition after a thorough check. He confirmed that I was fine, nothing serious to worry about and problem is just mechanical. Requested me not to take oily and spicy foods, milk and even glucose but drink ORS instead, and to stop the antibiotics altogether which was music to my ears! He advised against hospitalization, saying it is pointless to go through the hassle of the whole admission process which could take hours and be exhausting, moreover doctors won't be visiting during the weekends unless emergency cases. So, we took his advice and returned home with medication for indigestion, wind and another kind for vomiting, whereby 1 tablet of the latter was taken at the clinic itself. Within minutes of reaching home, vomited again, and after retake of vomiting tablet 15 mins later as advised over the phone,threw out once more. Felt so very weak and exhausted. John reached for the phone again in desperation and was advised by Dr. Prem to inform me not to take anymore medicine, just take it easy and rest for half an hour before taking soft-food in small portions at 1-hourly intervals and ended by saying he'd pray for me. I was very touched as he is a Hindu. Truly, the Almighty God is really universal and Father of all people! This also prompted me to ask John to phone our dearest and spiritually-inclined friend, Doris to pray for me. Praise and thank The Lord, my bouts of vomiting had ceased since the last phone call to Dr. Prem and I was able to have a good night rest.
  • Oct 25: In the morning I did continue with one last dose of medication for wind, vomit (not the one prescribed yesterday but the previous by Dr. Salleh) and panadol just for precaution. Took 2 packets of ORS at 6-hourly intervals. Slept almost the whole day. Then onwards, my appetite and health gradually improved. When Doris phoned in to enquire, John was able to share with her the good news and thank her and family members for their prayers.
By Sunday, Oct 26 I was almost as good as recovered though not that strong enough yet. O, what a blessed day! How blissful, peaceful and joyous! God is so gracious, loving and merciful!

Subsequently, a bottle of Brand's essence of chicken consumed each day does wonders to restore my strength and energy! Thanks to Steven and Sook Wan for visiting and presenting half a dozen bottles!

Words of thanks and appreciation too to our BEC members who have prayed for me in their frequent prayer meetings during this October Rosary Month.

Nonetheless, nothing can compare to the tireless tender loving care administered to me by my beloved spouse during my illness! Thank you so much, my darling John. Words are inadequate to express my gratitude, thankfulness and love.
You are one in a billion, my love!!

Points to remember:
- I am allergic to the antibiotic Ceporex;
- Too much sugar can cause diarrhoea or worsen the condition if one is already experiencing it. So, be cautious with glucose intake;
- Take ORS to decrease fluid loss due to diarrhoea;
- Avoid crowded places when ill.

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