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A Prominent Fever

"HOW prominent is your fever?"

Seriously? Prominent?
Can't you see that I'm prominently dying here. Idiot

"I don't know. Why don't you check." 

My temperature read 38.1 degrees. Every joint in my body ached as if there were little men with tiny hammers, going about hammering on my bones unrhythmically. The left side of head and face hurt especially more and the ears felt pressured. My eye balls were individually hurting in their sockets. With great effort, I rolled my eyes away from the doctor who didn't quite know what she was dealing with and eyed the husband with a sense of irritation. What the hell is she doing ??? Urrrgggghhhh. 

"How long have you been feeling this way?"

Didn't I just tell you like a second ago? Talking hurts my entire E.N.T network!

"Three days. The left side pain has been intense and I've been on Advil the whole time". By then, I think I'd told her about the pain three times already but she seemed disturbingly uninterested in it. 

I don't know if this is the standard practice at all hospitals and clinics here in this country but earlier at the registration, the officer decided on my doctor based on my symptoms. Basically you tell the front desk people what you think you have based on a self-diagnosis and then they put you to a specialist doctor (or so) accordingly. Same happened with the husband two weeks ago. 

"What's your problem?"

"I think I may have chicken pox."

And he was put to see a dermatologist. But that's that with chicken pox. Doesn't take a genius to figure out it's what it is. 

Back at the clinic, I sat staring at the doctor. A bug-sized Filipino lady with flat, straight hair sitting close to her scalp. The stethoscope which had earlier ventured into my layers of clothing hung around her neck. With a pen and a note pad, she wrote down a prescription, paused then cancelled it with a liquid correction pen. Paused again, seemed unsure and decided to go with something else after checking with me if I had been on any antibiotics lately. After forever, she handed over the prescription to me and asked to come back if I'm still ill after three days. 

I felt pretty shitty this morning. The meds took away the demonic fever and bodyaches from last night. The aches creep in when the meds wear off though. My left side facial pain is burdening. Perhaps I need to see an E.N.T doctor to figure this out. I'd been recklessly allowing myself walks and runs in the windy-sandy-dry weather past couple of weeks anyway. At times like this, I wish I was with familiar doctors back home. 



Comments

  1. Ugg that sucks a ton, especially when they treat you like a moron and then they don't even know what the heck to give you. Hope everything starts to get better soon.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i'm still wondering if this is how it is here, Pat. i'm going to different medical centre tomorrow. Hope it's better there.
      thanks!

      Delete
  2. Oh, I'm so sorry. I don't have a doctor anymore. Mine closed up shop. I don't even know how to find someone else.

    Love,
    Janie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks Janie. you mean you don't have a doctor anymore just recently ?

      Delete
  3. Oh dear, that doesn't sound nice. Hopefully it's just a flu virus your body will cure with rest. Hope you find a doctor who can visit you at home... and do something useful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i dont know if they have that kind of doctors here...besides, i rather meet doctors at hospitals :)
      i think it's a bad case of sinusities and some horrid infection, GB.

      Delete
  4. Sounds terrible Jaya. Hope you get well soon. If it's any consolation, I've been down with the flu and an ear infection for the past three days too. Not fun at all *sigh*

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks Azra. hope you get well soon. flu and ear infection is just as bad, xx

      Delete
  5. Doctors can be an absolute nuisance at times, some of them have no compassion and obviously just are there for the pay check, some are just terrible and I hope that you actually get a decent one at some point soon.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hey Matthew. I've seen docs like that but this one...she seemed just unsure the whole time.
      thanks Matthew. hope you're coping well. many hugs.

      Delete
  6. I had the flu not long ago, it was pretty awful. Winter is always the worst. Feel better

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Jaya,

    That sounds pretty mean. I had a sinus problem a few weeks back where my whole face, especially cheek bones were so painful.
    Take care in that hot weather!
    Duncan In Kuantan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hello Duncan. those facials pains are horrible. steam inhalation 3 times a day offers great relief and you get better faster.
      the weather here is on the cold side now... about 14 to 15 degs with sandy winds in the evenings. dry and dusty and windy - not good.
      thanks Duncan!

      Delete
  8. Poor Jaya, sounds horrid! In my country it takes about 2 weeks to get past the goddamn receptionist, who thinks it her only mission to protect the doctor from patients. THAT'S WHAT HE'S THERE FOR - DUH! Anyway, I find massive over exaggeration of your symptoms tends to help and failing that, just turn up and pretend to pass out whilst speaking in tongues.
    I hope your E.N.T network is on the mend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hey Juliette. yeah, i've heard of that.
      hahaha. massive over exaggeration is the way to go then.
      here, you get to see the doc...just that i'm not sure about the way they go about treating the patients. i've heard some stories from other expats too.
      i'm trying a different hosp tomorrow...we'll see what the ENT person has to say :)
      thanks!

      Delete
  9. Repeat after me: How in the world should I know. Am I a doctor?

    Get well soon; Jaya J. :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Good luck with your health, i hate being sick, i was sick all 2012 for almost the full year.You know i know this nurse who is also a herbalist, she knows many natural cures, i can give you her facebook if you want to ask her for advice, im sure she will know some treatments.

    ReplyDelete

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