WE- Ordeal
During the early hours around 3 am till 5 am on the first day of July on Saturday, I was enormously down with an illness. Well, I couldn’t diagnose the sickness because self-medication isn’t advisable and I needed to be in the hospital.
My temperature was indeed burning and my entire body was so restless, I woke up several times between the periods of 3 am to 5 am which was worrisome to my flatmate. I had the impulse to go outside so that I could feel the calmness of the morning air as it combed my skin and relaxed me but I couldn’t because the main gates were locked, yikes!
I have never felt this way in my entire life; so damn restless, so unsettling, mystified and to top it all extremely feverish. This pooled feeling almost made me insane! I wasn’t myself! It was almost like I wasn’t in this world. All I could think about was how to get myself to the hospital before I collapsed right there in my room but the major limitation was time! It turned up to be freaking slow, why that moment?
I had to improvise; I searched my cabinets for some pain-relieving medicines but I found nothing then I asked my roommate if she had and she affirmed absolutely. I took two tablets of aspirin 50mg, few minutes after that I slept off when I woke up I didn’t feel those intense feverish feelings. It is not like the pain was completely gone; I felt much better and more conscious but I can feel the actual pain suppressed just for a while.
At that moment, the time was 8:30 am. I was able to sleep properly without waking up incessantly for a good three hours. Since it was on a weekend, my flatmate had gone for her usual weekend ushering job (she doesn't work on Saturday) and I was left with no one to escort me to the hospital.
I had no clue which hospital to even go to because since I began my stay in my hostel (outside campus) I have never visited a hospital.
I sluggishly went to my neighbor's room and beckoned through her windows to see if she was around and to my amazement she was, my eyes lit up in excitement as I proceeded towards her room.
Long story short, I was able to convince her to follow me to the hospital she had suggested which was about a stone's throw from my initial current position. I had to hire a taxi to drop us at the clinic, it was a local government clinic and I didn't even know that this center existed close to me. All thanks to her! Oh yeah! Her name is Mabel!
Sincerely writing, at that moment I wasn't in the right frame of mind to take pictures of the clinic and my procedures. We alighted from the taxi, paid, and moved toward the reception stand to make inquiries regarding seeing the doctor. I was made to understand that I would get a hospital card and do some registration too.
I had the assistance of my friend who ensured I registered successfully while sitting on a seat that was provided by the staff. I also had to wait because there were other patients in the queue hoping to see the doctor too. I had no option but to wait and as time elapsed the aspirin effect began to wear off gradually plus I was then getting quite uncomfortable.
I got to the doctor's office, sat down, and waited to be addressed and that was the last thing I remembered. I woke up on the hospital bed and Mabel was worried sick about me, I had to stand up and leave the ward because I couldn't afford hospital bills. I met the doctor and he made me understand that I was administered some antibiotic injections alongside fluids and nutrients directly into my vein through an intravenous drip. Since I was conscious, the needle was still stuck in the veins of my hand, I couldn't agree less.
He went on to advise me on other aspects of my health that need attention but that is confidential. That was when I saw my hospital file and I remembered when I registered for the card and the rest! The doctor brought out a note, wrote on it, and directed me to run a test and then to the pharmacist.
My bills in total were about $45 inclusive of the bed space for my drip, injections, and other medicines. I was a bit surprised for such an amount and paid regardless because I was in a better state of mind when I requested home self-care and it was granted.
Instructions were to come to the hospital for administering of injections and for three consecutive days, I didn't miss anyone. I was only able to take a photo of my hospital file which the doctor refused but afterwards complied after understanding my intentions and a note to the pharmacist for the release of prescribed medications.
This is my response to the #Weekend-engagement Prompt by @galenkp.
$45 is so high even if I compare it with own country's hospitals. Isn't it? I hope you are feeling good now. How is your temperature now?
Quite too high!
I was wondering if that I spent more days in the hospital bed, how much it would amount to. Everything was inclusive both the daily dose of injections and the rest!
I'm feeling much better now, thanks for asking although it has been a while.
No doubt,
May be they will demand share in property if you spend a few days in hospital 😂
Haha 😂 😂 😂
Obviously, i think I would request for the oxygen tank😂😂