Take Two

I thought it was just an "ordinary" flu, until my blood test showed that my creatinine level was off the charts. That meant that my kidneys were approaching destruction. Our family doctor requested me to get my overheating body to the hospital IMMEDIATELY. I was still reluctant. Hey, it was my first time to check into a hospital and I didn't think it of it as an exciting idea.

I'd like to thank Dr. Anderson Dy and my family for their persistence in checking me in. Just a few hours after I put on the hospital gown and arm tube, the leptospirosis-like bacteria (still unconfirmed, because I never waded in the flood), at its peak strength, sent me into a darn scary chill spell. My entire body was violently shivering like an old spin-dry washing machine, and my blood pressure dropped to a dangerously low 70/40. If it wasn't for the emergency medication... I don't even want to think about it.

It took five attempts (and five puncture holes) before the medical team found a blood vessel worthy of the tube, so they could inject the medication directly into my bloodstream.

After a few days of tests, results showed that my liver and kidneys were responding well to the treatment. The damages were being reversed. Otherwise, I'd have to go through dialysis. Gasp!

So, with the infection almost completely eliminated, it was time to address another problem. Being skinny to begin with, losing more weight was not a pleasant option. I was on self-imposed lugaw and liquid diet for the past 2 weeks. Solid food tasted funny. Well, not exactly. Solid food tasted horrible!

If I were to reverse the effects, I needed nutrients, but not from a tube...

I needed real food!

Problem is, if you've ever been confined, or accompanied anyone in a hospital, you know that they serve terrible (for lack of a better word) meals.

Compounded by the fact that my taste buds were out of whack, the stuff on that tray tasted much worse than it looked.

Oddly enough, my taste buds only recognized two flavors: "salty" and "weird". Since I was in no mood for weird-tasting food, I was looking for salty options.

Even these pasalubong chocolates tasted strange and unappealing. I can't believe I said that!

My sister, who was supposed to be on vacation, sacrificed her leaves to accompany me. Awww. My parents were there, too, of course. Family bonding in an awful location.

They had to eat, too.

And being the supportive group that they are, they ate what I ate. When I ate tasteless lugaw, they also ate tasteless lugaw. I guess they had enough of that, so somebody (I don't even remember who) scuttled to the nearby supermarket to grab stuff that resembled food.

After a quick evaluation of the grocery bag of goodies, all the canned goods were deemed useless (Duh! Who would think of bringing a can opener during an emergency trip to the hospital?), except for those canned vienna sausages and Century Bangus Fillet, who thankfully come in easy-open cans. The vienna sausages didn't seem enticing enough, so we went with the bangus.

I preferred the tausi variant, because it was saltier and therefore cooperated smoothly with my taste buds, while my family opted for the Spanish style. It was such a relief to be eating solid, normal-tasting food for a change. Not just for me, but for my family!

Now that I'm out of sick bay and "almost" back to normal, I now have a better appreciation of life. Yeah, I know, that's what all recovering patients say. I'm sure glad that frightening chapter of my life is over!

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