Dengue

Two NEA officers came knocking on the door just now.

Officer: Do you mind letting us in to check if there is any sign of mosquitoes breeding?
Me: I guess so. (thinking hard, if Auntie Serene will make noise I let strangers into the house. What the heck, this girl showed me her official pass, so I let her in).

Me: There is a case here?
Officer: Yes, one case around here, so, we are asked to check the neighbourhood.

Sound so familiar. I was down with dengue when I was 14. It was no joke, really. I was put in the intensive ward, together with many dying patients. One week there, I was poked uncountable times for blood test to monitor my platelet level. Few days down the road, I was ordered CRIB. If you are a Red Cross member, you will know.

CRIB stands for Complete Rest In Bed. I was not allowed to get down from the bed. Why? Because if I fall and hurt myself, bleeding will not stop. That will kill me. But I was stubborn too. Nurses gave paracetamol to cease the fever, but I threw the pills away. I don't think it would help anyway. (My own stubborn thinking... there is no cure for dengue, isn't it?)

That week, one patient passed away. I hated the nurse when she came to my bed at midnight and bathed me with iced water. It was freaking cold ok!!! That is the difference between Chinese and Western style. Chinese style encourages you to sweat when you have fever. Western style encourages you to cool it off and that includes taking ice water bath!

More than 10 years now, but the scar from the poking still visible on my wrists. Both wrists! They couldn’t poke anymore on one wrist, moved on to the other, and last but not least moved up the wrist. Those are blood sucker. :-(

Back to present, few days ago, I was bitten by mosquitoes. Early morning when I had breakfast with Jeff. I had more than 20 itchy spots that morning. Itchy… and few nights ago, I was bitten again when I was sleeping. Pray hard… I don’t want to be hospitalized in Sg….

Left Hand

I have always thought I can’t leave without my right hand. Why? Because I am right-handed, I intimidated my left hand, thinking it’s only a supporting hand. I do not need my left hand as much.

My my my…. I was so wrong. Have been suffering this pain on left arm for weeks, thinking all possible reason why is that so. Perhaps the heavy luggage I lugged back from China last month? I lugged 40kg back then paying RMB 1.7K++ for the excess luggage. Some say, sleeping posture? Some say the few strokes of golf I did the other day at the driving range. I can’t bring myself to believe the few strokes of golf are the reason behind my pain. I played hockey in school, a few strokes of golf will not hurt me! So I convinced myself, it’s the luggage.

Anyway, I was too stubborn to listen to friends around to go to tabib cina (Chinese sinsei) and have my arm looked at. Until yesterday, when my friends practically forced me to one. It didn’t come easy, Chinese sinsei closed early we got to see the third place we went.

Wow, I was trembling when the sinsei said “it’s best to do all 3 types of treatments, ie. acupuncture, massage (tui na) and bandage”.

**speechless**rolled my eyes towards the sinsei**with my jaw dropped**

“I am scared. I have never done any of these before”.
“Don’t worry, they are not painful. Just some “sore” feelings when I poke.”

And she was right, it was not painful at all, I mean the acupuncture, not the tui na! It was painful ok, and I groaned when she rubbed the right spot. God, what an experience. She bandaged my hand, to be taken off when I wake up this morning. Then gave me a few medicine plasters to paste onto my arm for hours.

When I reached home, I realize I can’t live without my left hand! For instance,
1) I had to place my bag on the floor before using my right hand to open the door instead of holding bag with my left hand.
2) I had to change clothes using one hand.
3) I had to shower with my left arm lifted throughout.
4) I had to squeeze the toothpaste with right arm, on the toothbrush lying still instead of left hand squeezing the paste onto the toothbrush held by right hand.
5) I had to pump the body foam onto sponge using one hand instead of holding sponge on left hand and pump foam using right hand.
6) I had to spray my toner onto the face using right hand and even them using right hand, and of course the moisturizer.

I had enough, and I realized left hand is just as important. :-)