Systemic Viral Infection

Many viruses cause systemic infections. A systemic infection is one which may involves multiple systems (organs) in the body.For example the virus may enter the body through the respiratory tract and initially cause some minor upper respiratory symptoms but then it may enter the bloodstream and travel to other parts of the body.

I am unable to locate an appropriate definition to this culprit that had me confined for 4 days -- after being sent home from work on a Thursday, four Emergency Room visits and five blood tests.

It started out with conjunctivitis and I was sent home half-day. That was Emergency Room visit #1.  Emergency Room visit #2 came a few hours into the same evening when rashes began to appear everywhere-- arms, face, torso, legs.  My right ankle began to swell too. Blood test #1.  No fever, but a little tired and a feeling of getting the flu. Sent home afterwards, gave me something for the itch.  The doctor asked me to come back if I get the flu.  Diagnosis was Non-Specific Viral Exanthem.

That was Thursday, the 16th.

My 3rd Emergency Room visit was Saturday, the 18th.  My right leg is swollen from the ankle up to just above the knees.  It is painful to the touch, parang may pasa ang sakit paghinawakan. Parang minamanas, pero siksik siya.  Bloodtest #2.  They said that they will check for Rhematoid Arthritis.  Gave me Celebrex and advised me to visit my doctor on Monday.

Monday came, the 20th.  A holiday.  No Out Patient Department, and the HMO office is closed.  Went to the Emergency Room for my visit #4.  The doctor there remembers me.  My right leg is still swollen, and so is my left.  Both arms are now numb and my hands are swollen. Oops, so it's not arthritis after all! There goes blood test #3.  Guess they found nothing because I made room for blood test #4 on my other arm.  Nothing.  No fever.  Potassium okay.  Tests came out negative.  Had my liver checked, thyroid... still none.  They decided to admit me instead.  Okay.

We opted for a 4-bedroom ward, deciding not to wait for a private room.  This was a tiring day.  It's a good thing that my bed is on the farthest part of the room.

The next day, I was attended to by my doctor around lunch time.  After that, I said hello to blood test #5.

I can't remember what tests I've been through as there were a bunch of letters, like CBC, SRA, TFT, ESR etc., etc. Anyways, on the 3rd day, I was given Prednisone.  The swelling lessened almost immediately, though I began to experience headaches.--- side effect.

I was then discharged last Thursday, the 23rd, and advised to visit for a follow-up on Saturday the 25th.  Finally I was given a 'fit to work' for Monday.

Monday morning, the 27th. yesterday.  Woke up with an extreme headache with half of my face swollen. So much for 'fit to work'.

Small needle and Diego

Yesterday, Mama took Diego back to the Medical City for the 1st among 4 succeeding vaccines/ injections after the dogbite incident last Tuesday, as I was in turn, at Makati Med with a scheduled doctor's follow-up consultation.

Diego: (while being braced for an injection and looking terrified at the syringe and needle the doctor is holding) "AYAW KO YAN! MASAKIT! MASAKIIT! AYAW KO NG INJECTION!! AYAW KOOOOO!......ay bakit ang liit ng needle, lola?"

Comedy ka talaga, baby. After ng injection, nag hot fudge sundae nanaman sila.

One wonderful reason of maintaining a blog is recording funny moments like this with the kids, especially with 6 year old Diego. Here are random quips:

Me: "Diego!!!! Stop that! Where did you get that? Akin na yan! Dirty!" (Scolding Diego for the nth time. He has this nasty habit of putting things (anything!!) in his mouth)
Diego: "Si mama pumapangit pag nagagalit."
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Diego: (Ran over to me, excited, without anything on, after taking a bath) "Mama! Mama! Tignan mo abs ko!" (strikes a pose ala muscleman)
Me: "Baby, di yan abs. Ribs yan!"

Hehehe... till next laugh.

Andee and those footprints

Rushed Andee to the hospital this evening. She was vomiting for 2 days now (apparently because of coughing) and has gotten weak. Now that she's home asleep, I would have wondered if I should've had her admitted to the hospital. The attending doctor at the emergency room placed her on nebulizer and she seemed better. Will be taking her early tomorrow to her pediatrician again. Sob.... Though it's true mama is always there with me but then again, iba e. I get soooo emotional in situations like this, mag-isa nanaman ako. Maybe I'll get used to it-- hiding the the fear of 'being alone' in cases like this. Like what happened when Diego was rushed to the ER because of a cut. Oo nga.. be strong for them, and yet I still tremble inside. I try to find strength and pray. But I still hoped that there was a warm hand on my shoulder.
As a child I remember how good it feels to see both mama and papa with me whenever I was confined at the hospital -- mama with her touch and embrace and papa with his manner of being there as if saying " don't worry, I'll always be here..nothing bad will happen...". I was never ever so close with my father and even before he died there really wasn't any opportunity that we even had a chance to 'bond'. Unlike Andee...
She was close to her dad. If she's not feeling well she'll choose to cuddle up with her dad instead of her lola. (I'm really not first on her list). Sometimes I wonder what's going on inside her mind. I'd just see Andee staring into space.. lalim ng iniisip. I know she misses him but what can I do? -------------------------------------
Before I got to the computer to post write this entry. Mama and I were having coffee at the terrace when Andee got up. In a few hours magne-nebulizer nanama siya. Mama offered to take Andee to my room and accompany her muna while I put away our cups. Inside the living room, we noticed footprints coming from the kitchen crossing the sala and stopped at the door. Nothing unusual coz sometimes this happens. But what is extra-ordinary about it, is that the strides are longer. The footprints were small and thin, as if it were Diego's, but the strides are longer than mine. Whose footprints are these?!!? I took a picture and I'll be posting it here as soon as I send it to my email. ---------------------------------------

Post updated 03/04/07: after 100 years, here is the picture. There are around 5 'strides ' from the kitchen through the living room and stops at the front door.