A Funny Thing called Sickness

It all started two weeks ago when I had throat pain and trouble swallowing which in a couple of days led to cough. But this uneasiness didn’t stop me. Patuloy pa rin sa pag-inom ng malamig na tubig at coke, pagkain ng matamis na Nips (thanks Caloy sa karagdagang isang taong supply), attending activities, gimiks, giving talks every week and serving Him. The cough went back and forth, even the lagnat. A lot of friends advised me that I should go to the doctor. Pero matigas din talaga ang ulo ko (aminado po ako). Instead, I took self-medication: Ventolin, Orofar and Panadol whenever I didn’t feel well – which helped din naman.

Last Monday (March 9), I decided to take a rest. Nagpa-baby sa mga friends. But in the evening, I went to a meeting pa rin (another katigasan ng ulo). On Tuesday and the rest of the week, everything went OK aside from the cough and on-and-off fever. Then on Friday, I was praying that I will be totally nursed back to health kasi nga my schedule was hectic. Morning, I went to Ghantoot to attend the NLA, in the afternoon I was called to be one of the sharers for Chapter 3’s Financial Stewardship and in the evening, I gave talk sa CLP ng Chapter 1. I praised God kasi all the time I was in front of my brothers and sisters, I didn’t cough. I felt perfect! Not until I finished the talk and had dinner in Tipanan. I felt something wrong na naman – lagnat was there. Saturday, I felt better in the morning. Then in the afternoon, I attended Faith Micah’s 1^st birthday party. Then after grocery with nanay, I went home straight. Pahinga galore.

On Sunday morning, I had clogged nose and cough, mejo may chill na rin. I didn’t take any medicine and I remember I even drank coke (tigas ng ulo diba?). In the afternoon, around 3pm, I had a meeting with the owner of our company (whom I am reporting to). Alam nyo un meeting na puno ng pressure at tensyon? Then the cough was non-stop. I had tissue box na beside me. Nakakahiya talaga.

Usapang "loving your neighbor”

Anyways, I left the office around 645 (OT pa rin- tigas talaga ng ulo diba?). Went home to eat dinner (nanay cooked sinigang na baboy). Tatay and Nanay brought me to Emirates Hospital along Jumeirah Road.

We arrived around 730pm. No one welcomed us so we went straight to the Reception area. But even at the reception area, no one welcomed us. As in parang wala sila nakikitang Grace sa harap nila at naririnig na ubo ko. Eh sa sobrang dami nila sa reception, hindi ko talaga alam kung bakit deadma sila. Then an Arab woman asked me to the Emergency room. So punta naman kami, kasama ko mga magulang ko. After standing at the ER door, the lady nurse said that I should go to the black table (which was the welcoming area – na wala naming ngang nagwelcome sa amin). When we went there, the Arab guy did not even say Hi to me…deadma lang. Upo lang daw ako…

This circus lasted for 15 minutes… it was long for someone who is not feeling well!

So upo naman kami…then the Filipina receptionist explained to me (Sa wakas diba, may pumansin sa amin). Manang said that there’s a queue for the Triage Room. All we need to do is to sit. While waiting for our turn, my cough was non-stop na. I think I finished one tissue box (ndi ako OA).

When it was my turn, tumayo na ako and I was about to enter the Triage Room, when the head nurse said that I should still wait… HHHAAA!? Ano daw, hintay daw uli?!?!?! Because there was a patient daw who needs to be checked kasi emergency. Diba may Emergency room naman for emergency cases? Why here in Triage Room? Then the chaos started.

Tumaas n boses ko…(opo!) I was sick but I was also pissed off. Pag galit ka pala nakakapag-English ako ng diretso…weeee! I was so disappointed with their procedure. They explained naman why the woman had to go first, but my point is there’s also a queue that we need to follow. So I rest my case…but my parents didn’t. (heheheh!)

And you know what we did in the Triage room? The nurse just took my evaluations and vital signs. We waited for almost 2 hours!!! Imagine two hours! Just for a question and answer portion. After the Q&A, she led me to the General Physician.

Usapang “walang ginagawa”

This kind of sickness forced me to stay home for two whole days. And I also cannot exert myself too much in a physical way, I had short and difficulty in breathing, head is paining. Staying home is not really new to me since given a chance, I’d rather choose to stay home, domesticated ika nga nila. I am an internet and TV/movie addict as it is, so spending two whole days at home will only mean two whole days on the internet and watching movie (One more chance, A very special love, Cinema One movies). So just home… J

Usapang “nursing”

I wasn’t the only one who was absent when I was sick…we were 4.

Introducing…my private nurses:

Nanay’s shifting: Monday whole day, Tuesday afternoon

Tatay’s shifting: Monday morning, Tuesday morning

Jeanette’s shifting: Monday whole day (plus graveyard …hehehe!)

Salamat po for the food, for the fruits, for pampering me, for keeping me company, for reminding me, for taking care of me, for the hugs (even I am baho na) and for spoiling me (kahit matigas ulo ko)… J

Salamat for the time and care…and unconditional love.

Usapang “sweetness”

Madami akong natanggap nyan…

To those people who texted me… Lalo na un mga taong hindi ko naman nakaka-text before, all of a sudden they started texting me…

Best sms: may sakit ka daw? Wawa ka naman, pero papagalitan pa din kita kc di ka agad pacheck up. Anyway pagaling ka po wag po tigas ulo, pahinga, kain dami inom ng gamot… dhenzio

To those people people who called me…kahit ndi ko nasagot ang phone calls at sa mga taong maswerteng nasagot ko pa…lalo na kay Jojo na walang patawad pa rin sa pagpapatawa kahit nagmamakaawa na akong tigilan na…

To those people who exterted effort and visited me at home...

Jessiecar and Henry with their pasalubong and kwento…

Tonio, Charms, Fonzy and Jeanette E with your pasalubong and prayers…

To Tonio and Jeanette, salamat sa pagbisita sa hospital.

To Leila, for lending Wayne to Tonio.

For including me in your prayers!

Salamat po sa inyong lahat! Super appreciate ko…lahat…u know hu u r J

Usapang “diagnosis”

Last night, I went back to the hospital for my second check up. Dr. Maki (General Physician) said I am better – just a wheezing on my chest. But he asked me to go back this morning to see Dr. Alaa (Internalist) just to make sure that my lungs are perfect.

At 830 this morning, along with Tatay, I went to see Dr. Alaa. Good news, my lungs were perfect pero he still prescribed one more medicine for my asthma.

The funny part is he found out that I am a pre-diabetic - blood glucose levels that are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes... Waaaaa! Ang layo diba? Lungs un pinacheck-up ko pero blood sugar ko pala ang may problem. It was pre-diabetic kasi I got 166, eh ang normal daw is 160. Pero…pero… I had breakfast kasi few minutes before the blood test so hindi sya ganun ka-reliable. Pre-diabetes development can be prevented by making changes in their diet and increasing their level of physical activity. Ayun yun eh! Gumawa lang ang kapalaran ng paraan upang ako ay magkaroon ng dahilan na mag-ehersisyo at bawasan ang carbo!

( OPO, asthma lang po ang sakit ko…kala nyo big deal n diba?!)

Thanks to these two ‘cool’ and funny doctors. They made my life easier.

Usapang “back to work”

When the doctor said that I should have complete rest for two days it made me worry about work. Apprehensive because I have deadlines to meet, I have meetings to attend to, reports to submit, media plans to finalize – but it also made me feel I am indispensable in the company. It was Monday when I received calls from the office, from the owner’s PA. tension pa rin ako. Pero hindi naman maiaalis kasi kelangan din talaga. Pag-usapang trabaho, I am blessed naman. I have a lot of work and I am blessed the company trusts me to give Advertising on my plate. Pero aaminin ko, nakadagdag un tension na un sa ubo ko. Nastress talaga ako.

Upon entering the office this morning, I was still worrying with the work load that will welcome me… emails I need to read (96 official emails) plus the boss that will make sermon to me…hehehe!

But I was wrong…all my colleagues welcome me and expressed how much they missed me…and my boss came to my office and gave me a laptop bag, gave me a smile (with kindat) and walked away.

Hayyy, he will always be a blessing sa buhay ko…namin… natin!

Usapang “moving on”

Three days after, I feel much stronger. I thank God for all the nurses who attended to me, medicines who helped me, friends who kept me company, prayers which were offered to me and moments of being alone worrying only about me and myself. I’ve had so much time doing nothing.

Thank you for reading up to this point and sharing this bored moment with me. :)