Confined Again

Hospitals are never in the list of my favorite places to be in. Unfortunately, I am confined in one now.

Saturday (September 29, 2012)

• I wasn't feeling well, so I took my temperature: 38 degrees Celsius. 
• I took medicine for fever and rested the whole the day. 

Sunday (September 30, 2012)

• I took my temperature again. It was still 38: the medicine did not work. Something's wrong. I have to see a doctor.
• I rushed to the ER of Cardinal Santos Hospital, the nearest hospital. They examined me, took a blood sample and asked me to wait for the results.
• When the attending physician returned, she said that my WBC, RBC, hemoglobin and platelets are all way below normal levels. She said that I have to be confined. The doctors think that this could be a case of dengue.

• They inserted an IV. That hurt a lot! The objective was to rehydrate me because I was so dehydrated. The tests showed this, too.
• Fortunately, I have a health card. My plan entitles me to a semi-private room. The personnel at the admitting section of the hospital said that no semi-private rooms were available. Since I was an ER case, they gave me a regular room instead at no additional charge for the first 48 hours. On the third day, if I choose to stay in the room, I just have to pay for the difference.The room was bigger than I expected it to be. Plus, it had a good view! It had cable tv, a refrigerator, a phone, a toilet and bath.
• I was not able to eat well on the first night. 
• The doctor gave me Iterax to help me sleep well. It did not work.

Monday (October 1, 2012)

• I underwent battery of tests. 
• My CBC figures were steadily going down at an alarming rate. The doctors add SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) to the list of suspects.
• I had no appetite in the morning. I was highly irritable. (Later that day, an intern said my irritability could have been caused by hypoglycemia since I was not eating well.)
• The doctor started low dosage of steroids every 12 hours.
• The dextrose was on fast drip.
• I started regaining my appetite in the afternoon.
• Friends started coming to visit.
• I had a bad case of colds.

This is how sick I look. =(

• They started to nebulize me to ease my clogged nostrils/nasal passages
• Mom dropped by to check on my condition. She had to go home early because she wasn't feeling well after her dialysis that morning. She brought me some clothes because I had nothing with me when I was confined. When I went to the emergency room yesterday, I had no idea that I would be confined.
• My sister and her husband visited me and brought some food
• A friend brought salad made from camote tops. We call it "talbos ng kamote." The old folk say that this is good for improving the condition of one's blood. She also brought a drink that was produced my boiling the camote top leaves in water. Instead of drinking just water, I also drank this.
• I closely monitored my liquid intake and outflow.
• The nurse gave me Stilnox to make me sleep better.

Tuesday (October 2, 2012)

• Slept well. The medicine they gave me last night did its job.
• Test results came in: not good. My CBC was getting worse: dropped further. Funny thing was, my appetite was steadily improving. I ate a lot more than i did yesterday.
• I regained enough strength to allow me to move around on my own. Still weak, but not as weak as I was on the day I was admitted.
• My right hand was really swollen. Had to request the doctor to transfer the IV to my left hand. It was really, really painful. 
• Had a conference with the doctor. How they will treat me will depend on the results of my latest tests. She also said that there is a possibility that I might need blood transfusion if my platelet count becomes critical.
• When she got to the part that dealt with the costs, I nearly fell off the bed when I found out how expensive these medicines cost!
• Although my symptoms are similar the symptoms of dengue, the drop in the other CBC figures seem to point to something other than dengue. Just the same, she asked me to prepare two donors, just in case I needed a blood transfusion.
• Last nebulization session. Both nostrils are clear! I can breathe properly again! Woohoo!

Friends, may I ask that you please pray for me. Please pray that my CBC results fall within the normal range. Please pray that my SLE test turns out negative. Please pray that my hospital bill remains within the limits of my health card. Please pray that my health improves significantly over the next few days.

Thank you very much.