Sickness 2

I hope no one reading here ever has to experience what I've been going through for the past 7 days! Allow me to finish my coverage on the healthcare system in Malaysia.

I wanted to let everyone know that the stomach flu/food poisioning (which I would have loved to name the "never-ending-rollar-coaster-of-horrors") may have finally passed through its worst stage. (Yeah!) And I'd like to tell you as to how I survived the crazy tropical bugs - by being suspicious of, and asking a lot of questions to the doctors.

So, I did manage to feel better, after taking the medications prescribed to me by the state hospital that I mentioned in my last post. However, it certainly wasn't helping with the worst symptoms, namely the immense loss of fluids due to my body not being able to even hold down water. The "oral rehydration salts" was the nastiest solution that I had ever tasted. And I was beginning to suspect that my getting better had more to do with a placebo effect than anything else.

So here's the smartest thing that I've done on this trip - I asked to be taken to see a doctor again. Again soliciting Len's help, we went to a clinic in Chinatown, with a Chinese doctor that has seen a number of my friends in the last few days. And he was the one who pointed out that I was taking medications for a fever I didn't have then, and for stomach cramps that I have never had on this trip! By this point, I was so sick, that every few minutes I needed to lie down on the bed. Then I would be asked to sit up to drink some hot chocolate. Then lie down. Then sit up. And that continued... for a while.

Then it was on to the next hospital, a specialist hospital and a private one. Zaini, Len's boss, drove me by car there and I saw my third doctor in two days. By this time, I had been poked in my belly, had my heart beat taken and had my blood pressure taken three times. By this point, I knew what I wanted and desperately asked the doctor to be hooked up to an IV drip. Due to language difficulties, I thought that he wanted me to take an IV back to my hotel and do it myself! I was just about to break down before I got my wish... look below....

Happiness! An IV drip feels weird but when you are severely dehydration, it's a gift from the Heavens.

Thank you IV Gods!

My "roommate" during my stay. Notice the orange and pink curtains? I felt like I was at Baskin Robbins sometimes. :)

I woke up this morning feeling a lot better, though I have to take it very easy for the next few days. People, be glad that you have a functioning digestive system!

All my friends at the program literally just now gave me a sweet Get Well Soon Card! How sweet....

And I promise, my next post will be about something other than illness. I will leave you with a funny image for the road.