Never have dengue.
It is one nasty experience.
You can’t eat
You can’t move
You don’t have the mood for anything but sleep.
You wish the chills, aches and especially the worst itch sensation that happens underneath your skin would go away so you can sleep peacefully.
You keep fearing if your blood platelets would drop beyond normal, requiring you to undergo blood transfusion… and to find that out, you would have to endure all the nurses poking your veins and extracting your already decreasing blood every 12 hours.
I had survived dengue (again)
I probably wouldn’t forget my confine date this year, 9-11-11.
Ten years after the 9-11 tragedy.
Twelve years after my first dengue encounter.
I went back to the same hospital at Cardinal Santos.
Amazingly, they still had my old record and which doctor diagnosed me.
In the beginning,
It was just an ordinary day.
It all started with one Wednesday morning when I decided to take a power nap. I know you must be wondering why take a nap in the morning? I wondered too.
Little did I know, I would wake up feeling aches all over and chills. I struggled to complete my tasks for the day for all I wanted to do was lie down and hope this uncomfortable feeling would pass.
*Thursday-the start of a chilly nightmare
It was hard to move with all the aching joints especially the back. The day was sunny yet I felt really chilly and at the same time sweating all over. I kept requesting for a hot compress using an organic pillow for my back ache was unbearable. We also realized our thermometers were missing for people in my household rarely got fevers.
I just assumed to myself it must be really high for me to feel chilly on a sunny day.
*Friday, Saturday
Now armed with a thermometer, realized temperatures stuck at 40•C or decimals shy from it. I was red all over, like a crab, they all say.
I didn’t want to eat nor move and just sleep, hoping to get better.
*Sunday – the missed family gathering and the night of confinement.
Upon hearing the news of my high fever and rash-like symptoms, friends and relatives recommended me to have a blood exam for dengue since it’s an outbreak (again).
Very reluctantly, I dragged myself to get ready for every move was a painful torture accompanied by excessive sweat and dizziness.
Turns out, I was really dengue positive after all and got myself confined that night.
The next night, I was transferred to another room for I had a roommate. My younger brother also contracted dengue.
We also found out that one of our neighbors was also confined in the same hospital.
Sounds unbelievable and funny doesn’t it?
There’s more-
The neighbor told us that two more neighbors got confined at a different hospital.
And there goes the plot for Contagion 2.
Kidding aside,
Despite the suffering and medical bills, I find my confinement to be a renewing and very touching experience.
Are you crazy? Why?
During my confinement, I didn’t really feel any fear no matter what happens. Deep down I always told myself that I know in my heart that God knows what’s best for me and remembering that promise was enough to calm me each time my mind would start to think about all the possible consequences.
God revealed to me all the real people who showed true care and concern. Each visit, each wish and message of concern from friends, colleagues and family truly touched my heart.
You start to think about life priorities more seriously and swear to take care of your health more. Don’t stop to dream dreams that matter and chase them.
*This post was written from an iPod touch while trying to sleep*
(Damn I feel my insomnia creeping back lol.)
Til then, live with good care.
P.S. I got discharged on Sept 16, and my bro on Sept 17. My hand still feels the pain from the IV, and my arm still has bruise marks from the blood extractions. Rashes been fading everyday though a faint color can still be seen.
Recovering by sleeping, eating, praying, reading, and reconnecting since then.
But what the heck, glad it’s all over.
Never want to see this sight again
