A Twist In The Tale

Happy New Year 2012! Better late than never ya... :)

The new year was supposed to start with some excitement. I had planned to introduce some new things in JulesPreciousness and JulesAddiction Tins/Boxes, but the reality of things took a different twist.

I am now writing from my hospital bed in Gleneagles Kuala Lumpur, where I've been for the past 20 hours.

The last week of December 2011, I had suffered a very bad flu and fever. Sick as I was, I still managed to fulfill all my brownie and gift orders that had come in during that period. The flu got so bad on new year's eve that I found myself in the ER of Pantai Hospital Klang at 6am on 1 January 2012, due to an excruciating pain in my right ear. So the doctor there gave me what he thought would help, which didn't help. 2 hours later I was practically crying and crouching on my parents' sofa, until Aunty Mani from next door, a retired staff nurse, came over and suggested I take Arcoxia to relieve the pain. She also compressed hot towel around my right ear and my face, and Alhamdulillah after about an hour, the pain disappeared and I finally fell into slumber. I love you Aunty Mani, I hope you know that already...

By the time my second dose of Arcoxia was losing effect, darling husband was already home from outstation, and we immediately headed for Gleneagles KL, our friendly family medical service provider :) The doctor diagnosed something something something viral infection, which I didn't really bother to know exactly coz I was in so much pain, not that I could hear anyway. She then jabbed me with a super duper dose of painkiller, gave me the relevant antibiotic and meds, and sent me home feeling high and happy.

After 3 days there was no more pain or throbbing in my ear, though I couldn't really say that my ear was back to its normal self, and I was making an appointment to see a ENT specialist some time this week. However, yesterday when I was brushing my teeth and gargling off, I couldn't gargle, meaning I couldn't hold the water in my mouth. I didn't really take much care of this coz I dismissed it as an early morning lazy muscle thing. But later during breakfast I was having trouble moving the bread in my mouth, somehow my tongue and lips felt lame, and a bit lopsided. That too I brushed aside coz I was rushing getting the boys ready for school and then sending Marrakesh off to kindy. Then I carried on with my normal routine and it wasn't until later in the afternoon after the boys finished mengaji that I felt like my face was really not right. I was laughing with my boys about something and I realised that I couldn't feel the right side of my face moving. So I went to the mirror and smiled. That was when I realised that only the left side of my mouth turned up, the right side was just lame. AAAAAAAA!!!!!!!! Only then did I realise that the right side of my face felt rather numb. AAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!

So later that evening, my guys dropped me off at the Gleneagles ER while they went on to look for dinner. It turned out that the ER was a favourite spot for the sickly around the Ampang area, coz it was filled to the brim! While it was sad to see so many sick people around, I couldn't help thinking that, hmmm, this place is quite happening, hehe, maybe coz the new Starbucks there closed at midnight :)

When I finally saw the doctor, she very casually said, "yup, you've got facial paralysis, and your right eardrum is still quite inflammed." What? AAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Apparently, the viral infection in my right ear had been so bad that it had slowly affected my facial nerves and paralysing them, and causing me to be "senget". She wanted to admit me immediately and start me on antibiotics, but I told her I couldn't do that coz I haven't done anything at home, ie. prepared all the boys' school stuff and all. So she let me off with a referral letter to see the ENT specialist the very next day, but if my paralysis worsened I must return and get admitted.

I got home with a heavy heart. I should be in hospital so I can get better, but how do I leave my boys? I just carried on ironing their uniforms and my face was feeling even more numb. So I told darling husband that it doesn't look like I have much choice but to admit myself in hospital. I asked my sister to come over to stay with the boys while darling husband and I went to hospital. All 3 boys were happily deep in slumber and I kissed each one before I left.

And here I am now, IV line in hand, bored stiff, the overhead TV showing "Stealth" on Fox Movie, and I can't sleep coz I just feel compelled to write. The meds made me very nauseous and dizzy earlier, and I've had 3 doses. In the next bed, the nurses are prepping the lady for her surgery tomorrow, to remove a cancerous growth and to insert a chemo-port. So who am I to complain, right? Thank god for Starbucks, I could at least have an hour chill time over latte and cappuccino with darling husband just now.

Another 3 doses before the doctor can tell me if I'm clear to be discharged or not. He's allowed me to be on hospital leave to see to my boys, but I'll have to return for the next doses via IV, so my line will have to stay on till then. If the meds don't settle my ear inflammation and facial paralysis, he'll have to poke into my eardrum to rectify the matter. AAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!... :) I pray it doesn't get to that, InsyaAllah.

Imagine going swimming and getting water trapped in your ear and it remains perpetually that way with occasional sharp prickling pains, your face feeling numb on one side and your drink involuntarily dripping out of the side of your mouth so you should only drink with a straw, and the worst kind of nausea 2-3 hours after meds. Compare that to everyday frustratingly screaming at 3 goons annoyingly brawling over who gets the Ninjago first, nagging at them to pick up their dirty clothes and not chuck their smelly socks on the sofa, yelling at them to keep their room clean, and perpetually picking up their scattered stuff in the futile effort to keep the house neat and in tip top condition.

I'd take the latter anytime... :) Good night.