H1N1 Scare

Just 2 weeks back I raised some concerns about H1N1. Little did I suspect that I would be so close to becoming a possible H1N1 statistic myself!

It all started last Monday when I visited Dr Wong cos I had a bad throat and suspected that I was going to come down with flu. My temperature was taken and I didn't register a fever so I assumed it was just a common cold and was given 2 days of medical leave to rest.

Then on Tuesday night, I started to develop chills but I didn't think too much about it and went to sleep with the hope that I'd feel better the next morning. I didn't, of course, but went back to work because I had work to complete.

That was a decision I regretted because my voice was still hoarse and nasal, my nose was like a leaky tap and I was physically exhausted. A few of my colleagues commented I looked ashen and pale, so I decided to go back to Dr Wong's clinic for another check-up.

Although I didn't have fever, Dr Wong was concerned that my condition seemed to be deteriorating and advised that I go to the hospital to test for the H1N1 virus, especially since I've got young kids and elderly ILs at home. So he wrote me a referral letter and the hub sent me to KK Women's and Children's Hospital .

I was directed to the 24h clinic where I was examined by a doctor and given a nasal swab to determine if I had indeed contracted the H1N1 strain. Armed with another 3-day-mc, I was sent to the pharmacy to queue for 5 types of medication before I finally went home to wait for the results.

The next 3 days were hell. Instead of recovering, I seemed to get worse! All the drugs caused drowsiness and I was supposed to sleep off the flu. But it was a mission impossible task with the kids, especially baby Wei, running around and demanding for attention. I felt worse when I took my meds, fell sleepy, but couldn't sleep because I had to take care of the girls. I hate that grogginess-induced state of being half awake and not being able to function effectively.

Finally, the call came on Thursday to confirm that it wasn't H1N1. But by then, I'd already passed on the germs to Baby Wei who steadfastly clung onto me the whole time I was home and refused to be cared for by others.

My poor little Terrorliza is now sick - no thanks to me. Coincidentally, she's teething again. Some of her molars are out and her gums are swollen because a few more teeth are making their debut. As a result, she's not been eating for a few days.

We've tried everything, steamed soft rice, porridge, soup-rice, brown rice cereals, nestum, bread, noodles, vermicelli, macaroni, alphabet pasta, soya bean curd, grapes, pears, biscuits, sweet potato, potato, cake, baby crackers, etc. The only thing she's consuming without kicking up a fuss is, naturally, my milk. But it's gotta be direct from the source when I'm around. Only trouble is that my milk production hasn't been fantastic because I'm still ill.

I returned to office today, still feeling lousy and weary. Thankfully, I have no classes to teach on Mondays, so that allowed me to ease back into my schedule and catch up on work that's been undone for a week. But once I took my medication, I just had to rest.

One of my colleagues, Mary (bless her soul), helped draw my make-shift curtain shut and pinned a note that I was sick and should not be disturbed unnecessarily. She even brought me a pillow and blanket from the sick bay. Drugged and drowsy, I propped the pillow on the table and drifted off to a deep 2 hour sleep.

I must say the nap did wonders for me. When I woke up, I felt refreshed and energised. Admittedly, it was embarrassing to be literally sleeping on the job but my colleagues were understanding and didn't wake me as they knew I was still nursing a horrendous influenza strain.

Right now, I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that I'll recover soon!