Being a patient (Day 3 at home)

This is a difficult blog to post up. Why? I've never been a real patient in my life and the whole incident seemed surreal until I began pinching myself and telling myself that the past week was real. I find it quite tough having fully-sanctioned rest for more than 2 weeks. I have never taken M.C my entire life. Even my viral infections, chicken pox, etc have all been during school holidays. I couldn't recall any.....




This is me, one week ago. I was coughing like mad and treating myself with antibiotics, thinking that I have a common respiratory tract infection. Unknowingly, I've gotten effusion in my pleural cavity, with the effusion volume being that of a big Coke bottle (1.3L) and some kind of medical mystery that is slowly being solved with time and a lot of investigations.











My first actual lunch at Thai Express. Don't worry, I had the most non-spicy Thai food ever but it was great finishing my entire meal. It was a liberation, something like baby steps to complete recovery. Food tasted great...it was like I have never tasted Thai food before. I think everything is good compared to, ugh, hospital food.

This is when I am a bit dishevelled after a sleep, devoid of all make-up and hair spray. I don't think i really lost that much of weight right? Guess I have to make sure I eat plenty of nutritious balanced meal the next week to gain back what was lost. The biggest question in my mind is : when will I resume my normal, productive life? When can I start running? Smile...

Firstly, the residual effusion has be to re-absorbed. That'll take 2-4 weeks. Then I need to start with walking before running full-time. I have a feeling that I will not be able to run the half marathon during Sundown Ultramarathon in the end of May, unless like Pui San, I am a case of sports-miracle.

Secondly, I need to be able to walk around without a hint of shortness of breath or cough. The cough will be there as long as the effusion is there. Not only that, I need to make sure that I don't have the much-feared side-effects of EHRZ medications : hepatotoxicity. Checking my eyes in the mirror each night for signs of jaundice. Besides, I still need to go back see my physician and ask a few questions before I go back to 100% normal.

In the meanwhile, I am stuck at this desk everyday. Checking my mails for hours, listening to music, blogging, writing, reading and looking at magazines. Oh, I love gerbera daisies. They are so friendly, cheerful and sweet. It makes me very happy just gazing at these soft pink beauties. One day, I would like to grow them in my garden (non-existential for now) so that they can bloom for me everyday. Cut flowers are quite sad, right? Their lifespan is so short. I love living creatures better :-)