The past few days have been a blur for me. Mainly, because I had been spending it confined in a hospital room. A large and nice room, but a hospital room, nonetheless.

Holy Week, I was already coughing and had a sore throat but I disregarded it since I am so used to having those minor illnesses already. I thought that the regular plenty of water and no sweets rules would apply and make me feel better. After a few days I did get better. but last Friday, the sore throat had come back. Being the pasaway that I am, I still went out with friends that night (sans the beer drinking). I spent the entire Saturday resting in preparation for a long Sunday. Last Sunday, I spent the entire day, and night until 3 am working by monitoring the on-going Poker Face tournament at the Metro Card Club Davao. By 11 pm, I had already felt very ill but couldn’t leave a I had to finish the tournament. I went home at around 3:30 am feeling very sick. Monday, I went to work again as I was supposed to have a meeting. Unfortunately, it was postponed, but I wasn’t able to go home until 9:30 pm. By the time I went home, I was already feeling sicker than any other time I had sore throat. I went to sleep right away.

By Tuesday, I realized that it was no normal illness so I asked my friend to buy me my antibiotics and some soup. I had tried eating bread earlier that day but couldn’t since it was painful for me to swallow anything, even water. I tried eating the soup, but only managed to consume a pitiful 5 spoons. By sheer will, I broke the big antibiotic tablet into four and took it. By evening, I wasn’t able to sleep. At around 2 am, I decided that I would ask Mommy to bring me to the hospital the very next day so I could be admitted. Having not eaten properly for days, I thought I would just suddenly collapse if I didn’t have an IV tube attached to my system. It also concerned me much that I was having a hard time talking.

So last Wednesday, my Daddy brought me to the very kind Dr. Roy Ferrer who agreed that I had to be admitted. He had a hard time precribing medicines since I was allergic to a lot of pain killers. I had what they called “pharyngitis.” NAKS! Technical term pala yun for “sore throat.” So they brought me to the DMSF Hospital. Although I was very low on energy, I was able to appreciate the nice hospital ambiance and the very kind and patient staff. Both Dr. Ferrer and the hospital staff were very patient in understanding me and my needs even if I couldn’t speak. Some of the nurses even greeted me an advanced happy birthday after they learned that my birthday is going to be soon. Maybe coz I was already feeling very faint, I barely felt anything when they inserted an IV to my left hand. It was my first time. I was kinda shocked to see some blood on the sheets. They told me I had very teensy weensy veins, which popped when they inserted a needle. So they used a needle for kiddies instead.

After all the preliminary check ups and tests, they brought me to Room 236. It was a very spacious private room with a mini-ref, a TV, a hot and cold water dispenser, and a hi tech hospital bed with multiple controls. It also had it’s own bathroom which was also very nice, clean, and very big. That Tuesday, it was Mommy who watched over me. After a while, my cousin Cha-Cha took over the guarding duties. My friend who had been buying and brining my medicines and food, also came by for a very quick visit. Later that evening, my cousin John-John and his wife Cherry also visited. They brought my nephew’s writing slate so I can communicate better. My cousins Gwing, Kuya Andrew, and Ate Ina also texted me to ask what happened and to greet me to get well soon. Several cousins and friends also greeted me on Facebook and Plurk. It was Mommy who slept with me at Room 236 that night as with the succeeding nights. I had a hard time sleeping that night.

The next day, I was already feeling a bit better. I still found it hard to swallow big pieces of solid food. I could already talk. YEY! But the doctor reminded me to rest and not talk a lot. 😛 That day, I ate grapes, tinola soup (without rice and meat), and yoghurt. Daddy, John-john, Mommy, and Cha-Cha took turns in watching over me. John also brought his son, my godson, Zach who didn’t recognize me and barely made me pansin. LOL! My aunts Ninang Ivy and Mam Bebs dropped by to visit. My bestfriend promised he would try to visit but ended up sleeping the entire day, so he kept me company via SMS instead. Ate Joanna, a doctor, came straight to the hospital from the airport to visit me, and lecture me on my illness. :-& That night, I was already able to sleep as some of the pain had eased and the medicines made me woozy.

Notice the really fat hand!!!

By Friday, I was already feeling much, much, much better but my left hand and fingers was starting to get stubby fat because of the IV and the antibiotics that were being given to me. On the bright side, I was already able to speak more clearly and eat more foooood. I was able to eat more grapes for breakfast and sinigang na lapu-lapu for lunch. That day, Ninang Ivy came with Gwing, Tita Teri, and Tito Chito. Angel also dropped by. For dinner, Ninang gave me congee and tokwa (Gwing ate the baboy of the Tokwa’t Baboy), Cha brought me beef siomai, and Daddy sent over some Nilagang Beef. I ended dinner with more yoghurt.

Today is Saturday. I got out of the hospital this morning. I woke up pretty excited since I knew I was going out. HEHE! We got out right before lunch time, but not without a long prescription of medicines which I have to take until a week from now.

So that’s how my first ever hospital confinement was. It was as horrible or terrifying as I thought it would be. Throughout my stay, I was regularly injected (via the IV line) a very strong antibiotic which I could smell and taste through my pores. EW. And my biggest worry was air bubbles going through the line. I had a close call, which resulted in a bloody retracting of fluid from the line. I wanted to take a photo of the sheets after but it would have been too weird even for me.

Thanks a bunch to the very helpful and non-evasive staff, nurses, and residents of the DMSF Hospital! Thanks to Dr. Roy Ferrer! And to the very diligent utility crew of the DMSF Hospital who cleaned my room and the bathroom regularly. 🙂

Many thanks to my aunts and uncles, and cousins who visited or greeted me via SMS or the intarnets! Also to my friends especially to “friend” and my bestfriend! And most of all to Mommy and Daddy who took really good care of me! 🙂

A bonus:
Artwork by Gwing Cabreira which she made on the Fisher Price drawing slate.