Adding To The Increase Of Patients?

This morning I heard from the radio news that due to the transition in climate, ie weather getting warmer, more and more people are getting sick, hence there is a ten to twenty percent increase in the number of patients seeing doctors in clinics. And I am one of them.

 

I was out sick yesterday. Actually I was already sniffling and coughing when I came back from Redang last week, but I attributed it to all the salt water in my system. Then the cough became worse on Saturday and Sunday, so I went to see a doctor yesterday.

 

I cannot believe it is another weekend illness! Why is this always happening to me? At least the medication is effective, I am coughing less, but now my ears are blocked. Is this because of the blocked nose and phlegm in my throat, or do I still have salt water in my ears?

 

I hope I can fully recover in time for the Good Friday weekend!

Another Sickly Weekend

I am so getting sick of sickly weekends! Why do I always have to start feeling under the weather on Thursday or Friday, and then spend the whole weekend doing nothing but sleeping or resting? That is such a waste of the weekend, when I can do other things instead. Why can I not get sick on a Monday when I need to go back to the office? Sometimes I think God is really humourous.

Another Wet (And Ill) Weekend

I was home the whole weekend as I had been ill with a combination of flu, stomach discomfort and being lethargic. Besides this, it is also another wet weekend, with massive rainfalls, the kind of weather where one just want to sleep and not do anything! I wish I can get well before the Lunar New Year, otherwise I will not be able to enjoy and celebrate!

A Disastrous Christmas

Christmas Day has come and gone, and I did not get to enjoy it at all, being sick in bed with bad stomach upset and fever after that. I wanted to enjoy Chrismas Day since everyone in my family would be away, and I thought it would be such bliss to have some peace and quiet for once. Alas, when I woke up on Christmas Day, I felt my insides moving, and went to the bathroom, intending to "cleanse out my system".

 

Unfortunately the problem was more serious than I thought, and after going to the bathroom to "cleanse out my system" five times in less than two hours, I felt so drained and weak. I was not in the mood to entertain anyone and just wanted to sleep, which I did for almost the rest of the day. I did not even have any appetite to eat anything, and just lounged around lying in bed.

 

I spent almost the whole day sleeping, and by the time evening came around, I was having a fever. My body was feeling hot and cold at the same time and I was feeling so weak that I could not even pull myself out of bed to go to the bathroom or take a shower. Then I went back to sleep for the whole night.

 

When I woke up the next morning, I was feeling much better. At least the fever was gone, but the stomach problem persisted. I still had diarrhoea. Still, I dragged myself to work but excused myself later on in the day as I was really feeling unwell and needed to rest.

 

Finally I feel much better today, although there still seems to be wind in my stomach, making me feel really bloated. Hopefully this can wear out soon as I do plan to enjoy myself on New Year's Eve!

Side Effects ...

I thought my cough came back, so this morning I took some cough mixture and lozenges, which turned out to be a bad idea, because now I am feeling so drowsy at work! I can hardly keep my eyes open and trying to prevent my head from nodding off!

 

It is true indeed, that the side effect of cough syrup really does make one drowsy. I have barely read anything because each time I started reading, my eyes would start to close and I had to constantly shake myself to wake up!

 

If only I can last until the end of the day ...

A "Spring Flu"?

I had been sick since Friday, with sniffles, sore throat, watery nose and flu. Today is the first day I am back at work after having been out sick the last two days. With the weather changing, many are getting sick. The rainy season is the same - rain, stop, rain, stop, thunderstorm, hot and humid, then thunderstorm again.

 

Finally I got better and dragged myself back to work today. But it did not help that the airconditioning is freezing, even with my long-sleeve turtleneck knit top and knee-length skirt. It also does not help that I am sitting by the window, that even with the view of the construction next to me and the buildings and highway, the sun is either streaming in and making the place very hot, or else the thunder strikes and I can see the tops of the trees swaying to the wind, hence getting the cold.

 

I should have known better. After having lived in the tropics for all my life, I should know how to attune to the changing weather of the monsoon and take better care of my health. Hopefully my sniffles can clear up soon as it is really an uncomfortable feeling being stuck with a cold!

What An Ordeal!

I had the biggest scare of my life last week. Last Tuesday (9 November), I woke up feeling chilly. I thought it was due to the weather as there was a storm brewing for the night and it was a very rainy morning. I went to work as usual, feeling sleepier than before, but again, it was the kind of weather that would put people back to sleep in an instant.

Around the middle part of the morning, I went to the bathroom. All of a sudden I blacked out. I did not know what transpired, but by the time I opened my eyes, I was sitting on the floor of the cubicle, leaning against the wall. I could barely move, and could not stand at all! Luckily at that moment, a colleague came in and I asked for help. She happened to be sitting at my side, so she asked me to wait and she asked a few more colleagues to help. So the office manager, one of the legal personnel and her came in, and my boss asked permission to go in too.

They helped me out of the bathroom and called a cab for me. They packed my bag and escorted me downstairs where the cab was waiting and sent me home. When I reached home, I plonked on the bed and slept until the afternoon. Then I went to see a doctor. I was running a fever, body ache, muscle ache, cold chills, giddy, loss of appetite and weak. I had a fever of thirty-nine degree celsius.

The doctor gave me sick leave all the way to Thursday, and he said if my fever had not subsided by then, I would have to go back and do a dengue test. That really freaked me out! When I reached home, the next couple of days, I was flat out in bed! I could not do anything at all, except to sleep and lie down. I could not eat, could not read, could not even walk about. I could only lie in bed, lapsing in and out of consciousness. I lived on half a bowl of oatmeal, half a bowl of porridge and half a bowl of soup everyday, together with lots of medication and water.

On Friday, I thought I recovered enough to go to work, but I was still feeling weak, and in the end, I had to leave early and go back to sleep again. Saturday again I was sleeping throughout. But the fever had shown signs of subsiding by then, although I started having gastric reflux from not eating much.

Sunday (yesterday) I was again in bed. By the time Sunday afternoon came around, I was well enough to at least move about the house without collapsing. My fever had by then subsided and I managed to get my appetite back a bit, that I was able to go to my dear's mum's birthday party on Sunday (last) night.

Today, I am back at work. Although still feeling a bit groggy and weak from lack of food, at least I am finally up and about again! What an ordeal! Thank goodness, I never ever want to go through that in my life again!

Follow-Up Interview

The head of the department from the interview I went to two Fridays ago, sent me an email last week, asking me to go back for a follow-up interview today. This was not a good day, since I was coughing the whole night and woke up with a very hoarse voice. Darn this virus! Is it never going to leave my body?

In any case, I went to work as usual, then took time off early to see a doctor. I was already on half-day leave anyway. The doctor said it is a normal viral infection. Yes, except this "normal viral infection" has been going on for three weeks already! Am I never to be cured?

The doctor gave me six kinds of medication! This is the first time I needed so much medication! Four kinds to be taken in the day time, two kinds to be taken at night. Goodness me! I better recover after this!

After that, I went for the follow-up interview. As usual, I was given a text to translate. This was a more difficult task as I had kind of forgotten most of the Chinese terminology and had to rack my brains, except my brains were not functioning today! Still, I think it went smoothly. The interviewers said they would make the decision by Wednesday and let me know, so we shall see how that goes!

Today was supposed to be the second day of my shift, but I sent a message to my supervisor and told him I was on medical leave for the day and would report back tomorrow. I went back to rest after that and slept the day away. I really really hope I can be cured soon, this illness is sapping away all my energy!

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Why Am I Sick Again?

Darn this virus! Seems like it is never leaving my body! I was so light-headed this morning yet I still had to go for the venue training for the Youth Olympics.

After two weekends of feeling under the weather with fever during the second weekend, I started to recover. My throat no longer hurt although I was still coughing and having a runny nose. Seemed as if my runny nose got worse instead of better even though I have already finished my course of medication.

Due to the illness, I was not able to focus on a lot of things, hence almost missed my assignment deadlines. Finally early this week, I thought I had kind of recovered.

Then I rushed through two assignments in two nights and on-going restructuring at work. Thursday night my throat started to itch and my nose started being blocked again.

Last night I came home after the movie. When I went to bed, all I could feel were cold shivers all over my body. My body started to ache and I was breaking out in cold sweat.

Today my movements were so sluggish. Where usually I could move by so quickly, today I was five steps behind everyone. I was wearing a winter sweater yet I was still feeling cold! And my entire body was sore and numb!

The training ended around 3pm so we went home. My dear felt me and said I am running a fever. Luckily I managed to find paracetamol tablets and just popped two down. Why did I get worse instead of recovering?

Now it is time for me to sleep the fever away and let the drowsiness steep in. How I wish this dratted virus can start moving out already!

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A Sick Weekend

What a way to spend the weekend! I ended up sick in bed the whole day! Saturday was hot, Sunday was wet, rainy and cold again. Wonder how long more I have to continue in my winter wear.

I got a constriction in my chest last week, then developed sore throat, then runny nose on Friday, and fever yesterday. So I ended up just sleeping and not doing anything else.

I missed the Volunteer training session yesterday and the New Moon Big Walk today. In any case, it was raining so heavily the whole day today that I wonder if the walk even went on as scheduled.

I missed two classes on Thursday and Friday and postponed my tuition class today as well. I cannot believe I can be this sick! It has been a long time since I had been sick for days!

Hopefully I can be well enough to go to work tomorrow!

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Sore Throat!

Dratted weather lately! Heavy rain, thunderstorms, and I hope there is no flooding this time! I am down with a sore throat and runny nose. Oh no, how am I going to go for the training session tomorrow? I have been dressed as if it is winter for the past few days - long-sleeve turtleneck sweaters, and eating cough mixture and lozenges, but still, I have not recovered.

Seems that I better go see a doctor before I get worse, since lozenges do not seem to help at all. I cannot afford to go under the weather at this time! Hopefully I will not get too sick!

Under The Weather ...

The weather had been so erratic lately. Why must it always be so hot in the morning and then only starts having a thunderstorm in the evening, especially when we need to knock off?

I had been caught in the rain on and off and now I am under the weather. Is it because of the constant thunderstorms? Or is it because of burnt out?

Whatever it is, I hope to be on my feet again! It is really a bad time to fall sick!

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Dry Coughing ....

Have you ever have the sensation that something is stuck in your throat and you cannot seem to clear it? That was what happened to me for the past week. Initially it was flu, resulting in phlegm and runny nose. But after there was no more phlegm and runny nose, I was still coughing vigorously.

Even my mum commented I seem to be quite bad this time round, since normally I would be completely cured after just one or two days of medication. Yet I have finished the cough mixture and lozenges last Saturday, but still I was coughing.

And the cough I had was a lingering cough, as if there was a dust particle being stuck in my throat, and I just could not seem to get rid of it. The cough fluctuated, from small "ahem" noises, to loud vigorous cough like a pneumonic patient, as if my lungs were going to come out.

I had to take out my past cough mixture and more lozenges. Still, I continued coughing. My throat was hurting from all the coughing, but I could not help it as it was itchy and irritated. Each time I coughed it felt as if the "dust" was about to come out but did not.

Finally, I went to see another doctor yesterday. Suddenly I realised the previous doctor did not give me antibiotics. Charged me so much and did not give me anything to actually help?! So the doctor yesterday gave antibiotics, and after one day of antibiotics, with a stronger cough mixture, I seem to have recovered today. At least not much coughing anymore!

Thank goodness! This cough has been going on long enough, and I must recover, otherwise I cannot do my usual rounds of Christmas feasting!

Verbal Diarrhoea ....

I was out sick yesterday due to stomach upset. I had no idea what happened on Monday night. I went with a friend for dinner at a French-themed Japanese western restaurant. Amongst other things, we ate escargot and drank white wine. Then we decided to chill out in the Pump Room.

That was when it happened. I know sometimes I do get a bit high, but white wine is harmless as far as I am concerned. Only when I start partaking hard liquor that I will start being high. Yet, for no rhyme or reason, I started vomitting. I retched out all the food I ate earlier. It was an unsightly sight!

I really had no idea what happened! In the end, I could only crash out on the seat while my friend went to the bar counter on her own. I rested for about an hour before I felt well enough to make my way home. The moment I reached home, I splashed cold water on myself and then crashed out on the bed.

Needless to say, I was out with a stomach upset the next day! I really could not imagine how on earth that happened! But I do wish it would never happen again!

Monday Blues ....

I started sniffling and coughing last Wednesday. My voice started to go on Thursday. After reaching the office on Thursday, I felt really under the weather, so I excused myself to see a doctor and found out that I was down with common cold, no swine flu, thank goodness!

So I was on medical leave for Thursday and Friday. Friday night I went out to meet my cousin-godma and another cousin. Saturday I had a gathering at my place for the April CHOICErs, to discuss the welcoming and making of the cards for the August CHOICE weekend, where I cooked spaghetti and provided drinks and writing / drawing materials.

Saturday night I went to watch “District 9” and “Coco avant Chanel”. I think I was still feeling unwell then, or perhaps it was because I was seated in the front row nearest to the screen, or perhaps it was due to the way District 9 was filmed, but I started developing motion sickness while watching the show – headache, nausea, felt like lying down. Still it was not too bad.

Sunday I decided to take it easy. My nose is still a little blocked but luckily no more coughing and my voice sounded alright, otherwise I may not be able to make an audition this Thursday! Anyway I am back to work today, but the entire server was down, so I was not able to access my mails or do online filing, hence most of the work was suspended in the morning. I could not clear and reply to my emails! Just when I thought it could not get any worse, the fire alarm sounded. What a way to start a Monday!

Out Of Sorts Again ....

It had been a marathon of a week. Besides rushing through some work which are totally unnecessary but just because of my profession I need to do it, I had to rush an assignment that was due today. Furthermore, I went for my first ice-skating lesson on Wednesday night, and sent out party invitations to a gathering I am organising end of the month.

Now I am under the weather. Must have been the dratted rain that did it. I was caught in the rain on Monday on my way back from lunch, and the office was freezing cold. I was cold, wet and freezing. On Tuesday, the weather was hot, humid and the sun was scorching. Wednesday was gloomy.

When I felt my throat being itchy yesterday and started having sniffles, I knew I was down again! Luckily I could take the day off today to rest. Hopefully I would be able to recuperate during the weekend!

Down For A Few Days

Finally I am up after a few days of lying in bed. I was ill since Sunday night, with a raging fever, chest pain, feelings of nausea, body ache and back ache, with profuse perspiration. I am not the type who perspires, unlike my friends and brothers, who, after a vigorous game of sports or on a really hot day, they will start dripping buckets.

For me, I seldom perspire, even after a round of tennis in the hot sun. The most is I will feel a bit sticky due to the humidity, so if I actually perspire, it means I am really sick. Even after numerous showers during the day, I still perspire profusely, even now. It seems that my body temperature is messing up.

I could barely make it to see the doctor on Monday, being so weak and uncomfortable. I just managed to drag myself to the nearest clinic. The clinic is not covered under my company, so I was not able to get free treatment, thus I have to ask for the receipt and claim back from petty cash later on.

The doctor told me that the chest pain is due to heartburn (what heartburn? Not that I have high blood pressure or cholesterol, and I am surely not obese!), and the fever could be due to a viral infection. If I still do not get well after a few days, then I have to go for a dengue check. Hopefully I can go back to work as per normal from tomorrow onwards!

I was feeling so uncomfortable and weak on Monday morning, that I called the clinic which is covered under my company, and asked if the doctors go on house call. I told the nurse in charge that I have symptoms of chest pain, nausea, giddiness and fever. She said a house call will cost me $250, to which I said, I have not withdrew cash, so could I pay half in cash, and the rest by a cash cheque, or could I pay all by a cash cheque? She said no, it is cash on delivery, otherwise the doctor will not go.

Then I said I am covered by the company, can they just bill my company? She said have to ask permission from the Human Resource, get the approval by my superior, submit the approval letter then they can bill to the company. Right, so which means by the time I get my company's approval, I will either be dead or have fully recovered and no need for any house call!

Which makes me think, in a life and death situation, when the person is so sick and needs help urgently, is money and regulations more important than a person's life? No doubt clinics and hospitals are not charitable organisations, when a person is sick and they need to see a doctor, it is right to pay, but when a person is really feeling so uncomfortable and need treatment rather quickly, is the mode of payment really that important?

It is not as if I will not pay, but does it matter if I pay by cash or cheque or bill to my company? Why must there be a dispute over flouting of the rules and regulations set up by humans when a human needs help and only a medical professional is able to help him / her? At the frontline of a person's life, should not saving the person more important than following mere rules and regulations?

Which reminds me of a doctor show I watched. The cardiologist was called to save a person in an emergency, but he said he needed to get an approval whether he could perform the operation there and then, to which the Emergency Room consultant then said, "What I need is a doctor, not a rigid person who follows the rules strictly with no regards for a person's life". Well said!

Infection From Abroad?

I was sick the past two days. Had a 38.6 degree celsius fever, cough, chills, sore throat and could hardly talk at all. Even now, I am still feeling a bit groggy, perhaps because of the medication. My throat is still sore and I am still coughing quite badly. My colleagues wondered what happened to my voice. That explains why I have yet to upload any photos, but that will be done soon, by this week.

I went to see a doctor on Monday evening, and he told me I probably caught some sort of a cold / chill virus overseas. Right..... Anyway, I had the day off yesterday, so stayed home and rested. The past few days I was so cold that I had to bundle myself up with blankets. Luckily I perspired so much yesterday that my fever subsided.

I wonder what this is called? British flu?

Sleeping Away ....

My body broke down on Sunday. I ended up sleeping the whole day away, despite having slept for about eight hours the night before. I slept so much that it was evening when I awoke, and I realised I missed Mass! I have to find some time for penance. Even then, I still managed to sleep around midnight and woke up on Monday feeling tired, sleepy, blue, you name it.

On Monday, I went to work as usual, but somehow both my gastric and anaemia acted up. As a result, I almost fainted while standing at the photocopier scanning documents. I felt nauseous and a sharp pain in my stomach. I could hardly stand, and had to sit down while scanning. Even when I was out for lunch, I almost fainted on the escalator!

So I had to take half a day off to see the doctor. I went home to sleep again, but even then I am still not feeling that good even now. Hopefully this will not go on as between rushing for a deadline both at work and school, I really cannot afford to get sick now!

Jinxed And Unjinxes

I seem to have been double-jinxed this week. But bad things come with good things too. So although I have experienced certain minor upheavals, good things happened to override the bad luck.

First, I went to work as usual on Wednesday morning. In the middle of the morning, my head suddenly felt heavy, and I felt sleepy. I did not think it was due to lack of sleep. When I went for lunch, I found that I had no appetite, and there were symptoms that my gastric was acting up again.

Then my boss took a look at me, and told me I looked really bad, and asked me to go see a doctor and go home and rest. When I went to see the doctor, he said I had a fever of more than thirty degree celsius! How in the world did I get a fever? There were no symptoms, and it was just a fever, no flu or anything.

So he gave me two days off, and I called my office to inform. My boss just said since I was covered just stay home and rest, no need to return to the office. Thus, I had been in bed for the past two days, and luckily I recovered on time, or else I would be lying on a hospital bed right now, undergoing tests for dengue.

The second thing was my previous boss called me regarding a case. I was too sick to talk to him, so I was not very receptive. Apparently, something went wrong with one of the cases and the client defaulted, so now the debt-collectors went to the lawyer's house.

He was agitated, and called me and asked me what I did for the case. In the first place, I honestly did not remember doing anything for that particular case, except that the client gave us an invalid address so all the letters to him were bounced back to the firm.

And anyway, I was too sick to really think properly. He must have taken my silence and non-response as a type of defiance, because I remembered him saying before he hanged up that if there were any damages incurred, I would expect a letter from the firm to sue me.

That got me worried, so I called the new girl the next morning, and told her the situation. She promised to check up for me. In the end, it turned out that it was my predecessor who did something to the case, as the printout was dated somewhere in April, and even the lawyer knew about it as his handwriting was all over the printout.

At least I will not get sued for nothing. Why blame me in the first place? My mum told me I should have just called him up and scolded him back for accusing me without any proof, but to me, as long as the issue is resolved, that is all that matters.

Since the mooncake festival is coming, my company gave every employee a gift - a box containing a mooncake (hopefully of my favourite plain lotus flavour!) and a box of tea. The box is no ordinary box; it was taken from the gallery (our retail arm specialising in spa, aromatherapy and nostalgic products) and the box has pictures of olden Singapore all over. It is a treasure indeed, especially to someone like me!

And since the gift is so special, I have even taken pictures as memories!

The front view of the box - images of the Singapore River in olden days

The side view where the handle and clasp is

The contents of the box - a mooncake and a tea box
(together with a small greeting card)

Close-up of the mooncake and tea box

The tea box (close up) - a view of the old Fullerton Building