My (mis)Adventures with Dengue

It was Sunday when I started feeling feverish. Hubby took me to the emergency room at Asian Hospital. My fever was at 38.9C, was feeling cold, clammy and was shaking the entire time.

I was given a CBC (complete blood count). The doctors sent me home and gave me some antibiotics to combat the infection.

Monday, my fever was at 40C and was feeling really lousy. I bite the bullet and had a cold compress. My fever went down and I felt fine.

Tuesday, hubby stayed home with me to keep me company. I was feeling worse than ever. Aside from fever, joint pains and unceasing headache, I was also constantly vomiting. Hubby immediately took me to the emergency room again. I was given another CBC and an IV to hydrate me. We stayed in the ER for almost 5 hours. Hubby was extremely exhausted and stressed.

For the first time in my life, in the emergency room, I had a panic attack. I felt impending doom was to come upon me, I felt like there were steel bands constricting my every movement. Most of all, I felt trapped, extremely sad and felt that I was about to die. I am very thankful that hubby was there to calm me down and assure me that I'm not about to die. It took me quite a while to convince my brain that I'm going to be OK but I did it. It took every ounce of willpower not to succumb to the morbid thoughts playing in my mind. I never want to experience that ever again. It was the single most frightening experience of my life. I sympathize with those who experience panic attacks on a daily basis.

The doctor sent me home but had asked me to get another CBC in a few hours, my platelets have dropped dramatically from my previous CBC and they suspect that I may be having Dengue.

Two days and two CBCs later, I was finally confirmed of having Dengue. My mom had accompanied me to the hospital. By the time I was admitted, I was already feeling better and had no more fever. But I was told by my doctor that I still had Dengue and had to be hospitalized nonetheless.




My spirits were high and was a bit excited about being pampered and catered to my every need :-) he he he. My elation was short lived :-( Little did I know, that Dengue comes with a very nasty and itchy rash.

On my first night at the hospital, my nurse, found me crying in bed and hubby desperately rubbing my hands and legs. I couldn't sleep because of the persistent itch. I haven't had much sleep since the onset of my fever last Sunday and to say that I'm exhausted is an understatement. I was at my wit's end. My nurse took pity on me and gave me a double dose of Benadryl. I immediately felt relaxed....for two minutes and then I started having tremors! I was extremely paranoid that the tremors will become permanent due to an allergic reaction. I had to wait for a few hours for my body to metabolize the Benadryl. Long story short...no sleep! My doctor assured me that sleeplessness is my body's way of coping with the disease.

Funny thing is, despite being sleepless and exhausted, I had high energy the entire time. The human body is a fascinating thing.

My CBC is taken every 12 hours the entire time I was confined to the hospital (total of 4 days). It wasn't a pleasant experience but it wasn't too bad. The worst was really the itching. Nothing helped...not the ointments...not the anti histamines..not even the cold compress. There was no choice but to let the disease run its course.





I was most thankful about the quality of care that I got from my doctor, Dr. Gloria, the wonderful and well trained nurses of Asian Hospital and most of all, from the constant loving care that I got from my mother and hubby. I was also extremely cheered by family and friends who came to visit me, sent text messages and called me to wish me the best.

I urge everyone reading this, please always go to a doctor when you're not feeling well, having fever often is a sign of infection. Always apply insect repellant lotion when you are going to be outdoors. It could save your life.

Huwag baliwalain ang lagnat!