MOW Post MEGA ONE WEEK POST

How can i start this Mega Post? Hmm it shall be a rather comprehensive coverage of what happened to me, again.

Saturday, 17 Jan

I went to Ang Mo Kio with my mum and sis to do some new year shopping, and halfway through i felt my chest tighten, and as if it is a muscle strain. Then as i felt somewhat uncomfortable, we went home immediately. I believe it is a 'by-product' of the mega diarrhoea i had on Thursday, 15 Jan. 17 times and induced fever! It was very bad.

Sunday, 18 Jan

In the morning, my chest still felt somewhat tight, and i panicked. Still harrowed by my upperstudy's recent pneumothorax relapse, i switched on my laptop and frantically researched for signs of pneumothorax relapse. Nothing fruitful; it is just the usual yada-yada.

Then after my mum woke up, i told her about my worry, that i might be having a relapse. I did it rather calmly, too calmly.

We then went to SGH, and because of my fever on Thurs, i had to go to the other section. As seen above, my queue number is a proud 0001! I then saw a doc, took a chest x-ray, and continued panicking.

The doc showed me the x-ray in a moment, and before he could mutter anything, i just said, abit loudly, "S**t!".

I can identify with the x-ray. My left lung partially collapsed. 15%.

Dr Soo and another doctor tried to aspirate out the air by using local anasthetic and a syringe and needle, but instead it got worse. I don't think it is my lung or the needle's fault that it got worse though. Throughout the session i heard the four letter word that no patient wishes to hear.

'Oops!'

They then inserted a chest tube. And there i begin to think. A recurrent pneumothorax, just before CNY, how lucky was that? And i cannot even dodge this 劫 before the new year. Sad.

Then i had to be admitted.

Luckily i'm in NS, and thus MINDEF would cover ALL my hospital bill if i choose a C class ward, which i chose. However, there isn't any bed left and they pushed me to a B2, but still charging C rates.

Monday 19 Jan

I was feeling immense pain from the chest tube, so much so that my mum has to feed me. Every now and then some med students will visit me and ask me questions. There is this particularly irritating one whom i scolded. Exerpts of conversation:

He: Wa, Mr... Edmund, you do look quite pitiful.
Me: Stare! Glare! Irritated!

He: Oops i nearly tripped over your chest tube!
Me: And nearly murdered me.
He: Laugh
Me: Stare! With an extremely irritated look.

Me (asking the two other students): Is med school tough? Is it stressful?
Another guy: Yeah, especially when our exams is in March.
He: It's so stressful! I regret taking it! If you wanna take my advice is don't.
Me: Quit lor!
He: Looked at me with that look. Then said: No one will quit in the last year.
Me: Why not be the first?

Truthfully, i do not mind medical students asking me questions, but this girly med student clearly is tactless, and i feel even more pek chek with the pain. Must make myself heard! Aiyoh how did he even qualify in the first place? The others are still ok!

However, the NYP Nursing students there are quite nice people, chatting with you and adding laughter to an otherwise glum stay. I miss them when i had to change ward.. Haha.

Tuesday 20 Jan

People from my office visited me, and they also mentioned that a hamper will be delivered later in the afternoon. I felt quite bad to leave everything to Elfiell to do. Now he has to manage both sections without me and my upperstudy. :-/

I had opted for the operation. 既然都进医院了, might as well 做到完, to minimise it re-occuring again. It looked as if i begged to be operated!

An Indian Doctor then came to see me, and told me most likely my operation will be held the next day, Wednesday, to suit my main doctor's schedule. He then came a few moments later to tell me i'm second in the 'queue', around 9 am operation.

Good, and i slept alot because movement was severely limited with the chest tube. It was then that i decided to lock in all information and not tell anyone, as much as possible, that i was hospitalised. It would be very breathless for me to keep talking and furthermore with CNY in the corner they should stop worrying and not visit hospitals.

Wednesday, 21 Jan

Got shaved by the male nurse, in preparation for the operation. He sort of recognised me when he said i looked familiar and i said 'yes, i'm that patient from 6 months ago.'

Opt was scheduled, i got wheeled in and got another 'plug' inserted at my wrist. A doctor told me i'm in luck; my anasthetist is the 'taokay' of his department, and thus i'm in good hands. Soon, i'm in the operating theatre and soon after, i closed my eyes under the general anasthesia.

When i woke up i felt little pain; just uncomfortable. I was at the 'Recovery Room', and about to be sent to the 'High Dependancy' Ward for observation. I did not eat anything for the whole day, no appetite plus some pain from the operation site.


Thursday, 22 Jan

Nothing much today, changed ward today to a B1 Class one as they are lacking C class wards. Yippee got TV somemore! Can watch TV Shows! Haha, and i watched American Idol till late at night.
Friday, 23 Jan

Dr Agasthian came to see me tofday, and said they can remove the drip, morphine, and chest tube today, and if all goes well, discharge!

I only pressed the morphine 8 times, compared to the 60++ times last time. Improvement! Then soon enough, the nurse came and shut off the drip and morphine, and also took out the plug from my slightly swollen hand.

An hour later, a doctor came with a nurse and he just told me to hold my breath while the nurse pulled out the chest tube. Without any local anasthesia, and not pain somemore, unlike the first time i'm admitted. A lot of 血水 flowed out, seen below, and the doc just tie up the wound lor. Not pain one leh, dunno why!

Yu Jia and Jie Hui then came to visit me. Jie Hui came on Tuesday too, and bought 2 $5 a piece Organic Japan Apples for me. Wa! So Expensive! Ha and we chatted. While later Lex and 2 other friends came and visit me. We had a real hearty talk on alot of things.

Then, at around 4pm, DISCHARGED!!!! YAY CAN BE HOME FOR CNY! Ha and got one month MC.


终于渡过了鼠年的最后一个劫, 相信牛年会平平安安地度过. 大难不死, 必有后福.


P.S. All photos taken with iPhone, so not so good. No one would bring camera to hospital one right? :)