Be Careful

Just two days ago, my roommate, Li Xuan was admitted into the hospital.

She was having fever, but we thought that it was just normal fever, since a lot of people are getting sick nowadays... Sore throat, flu, fever, headache... It's predominant in our Program. Not surprising, considering the horrible fluctuating weather (one day rain so heavily we are turned off by the idea of leaving the dorm to get dinner, one day hot until you wish you can go turn on air cond at 0 degrees), and the workload. Oh, the workload.

As I type this, it is 10.36a.m. on a reasonably beautiful Sunday morning (eh, don't rain! I need to buy water!) and my (and classmates) current workload holds at this:
1) Progress Report Presentation for Advanced Composition
2) The REAL Report for the Research Paper for Advanced Compo
3) Persuasive Speech for PCO 111: Fundamentals of Speech Communication
4) "Holiday" Presentation for American Cultural Studies
5) Report for "holiday' presentation
6) Advertisement Presentation for Critical Thinking ~cannot remember if we need a report...~
7) Biology Trip Presentation
8) Biology Trip Report
9) Some Maple Project for Calculus that we have no idea what it is about
10) Three lab reports (and we haven't gone to the lab yet)
11) Study Calculus
12) Study Biology
13) Study Fundamentals of Speech Communication
14) Study American Cultural Studies (and I cannot understand the President selection method in the book...)
15) Study Moral and Ethics (I wish I had photographic memory: De ontology, Teleology, la la la)

== and whatever other work that is necessary in class, or in co-curricular (i rather donate rm40 to my project than type yet another may not be approved letter asking for extra budget) ==

ok.ok. Enough digression. The point is, when dumped with so much work and have horrible weather and horrible timetable and horrible sleeping and eating habits (oh, did I mention a very effort consuming International Indulgence Day - every class must participate in parade, halloween night, and people working their butts off for 'World Idol" and "World is a Concerto" and "Cherry Blossom festival" just ended?), we are damn susceptible to illness.

Since Li Xuan had very fixed sleeping habits (10.30pm - 6.30am - the latest she can handle without jeopardizing health is 11.30pm and 8.00am), I attributed her illness to the fact that she slept at 2am for two consecutive nights (come on la dear, go Dong Liang concert, forget studying after it la! No need feel guilty geh!)

We encouraged Li Xuan to see a doctor and rest, but she put her foot down on the doctor issue.

"I don't want to see doctor. I don't want to eat medicine."

She popped Panadol in the end and slept. Ok la, better alternative than not doing anything.

But in a few days, her temperature fluctuates like nobody's business. At first I thought it will be fine, since usually when you first have fever, you feel very cold- and when you recover, you feel warm. (From my own experience) I thought she was recovering! *yay*

But oh no. Her fluctuations return. She looked so sick and tired, I pity her. But I can't do anything!

"See doctor."
"Don't want."

We (Amy and I) gave her an ultimatum. If she was not recovering by the next day (Tuesday), she must see a doctor.

She agreed, but personally thought she will wriggle her way out.

Come Tuesday, Li Xuan was having nosebleeds.

"Nola, very normal la, I always have nosebleeds."

That's not normal! In my 18 years of life, I haven't even had 2 nosebleeds!

We insisted she see a doctor, if we had to carry her there.

Li Xuan relented. Amy and her skipped Ko-PLN rehearsal, but I had to stay back to finish my group's 'dragon'.

When I reach Cemara 3/303, I saw her with a bulging backpack.
"I'm going back to my aunty's house. The doctor asked me to check, may be dengue."

I'm like *open mouth surprise*. I didn't think it was dengue though. I am not sick! (flu doesn't count la) If dengue, shouldn't I be sick too?? I sleep in the same room as her!

Nevertheless, I encouraged her to go back and have a blood check, just in case *touchwood* and she really needs the rest. She is too stressed out due to exams and presentations and stuff.

She came back on Wednesday night. "So how?" I asked nonchalantly. "Is it dengue?"

She said, "Dunno. Didn't check. Fever went down already, should not be dengue."

I think her temperature is still a little high, and she looked a little pale, but I let it lie at that. "Rest more, drink more water, don't worry so much" I nagged like a grandmother.

Thursday she looked really sick. We are worried, but she acted tough. I wasn't around practically the whole day (stay back from 12 -5 in com lab doing assignment, then 5-9 go to temple) and I didn't ask her to join our Mei Yueh surprise Birthday Celebration at midnight coz' she was asleep.... I hoped she was feeling better... But she looked pale.

Friday morning. She woke up to a nosebleed.

While having breakfast, she had a nosebleed.

*panicpanicpanic-jiamun wanna run around in circles ady!*

Li Xuan looked at her bread. "I have no appetite. I feel like vomiting when I eat. But I am hungry"

"You have not been eating much the past few days, it hampers your body's natural way of recuperating...."

She shook her head. "I want to eat, but if I am to vomit all out, what's the point?"

In the end, she took a little food at a time, a few bites, when the nausea comes, she stops until se feels better before taking another bite.

God, I felt helpless! I can't help her...

"You know, Jia Mun, I am worried that I will have a nosebleed when presenting my Progress Report later."

*dumbfounded* She is sick and she is worrying about her presentation. I am healthy and I have done close to nothing for it. (never mind my presentation is not til this Friday)

"Don't worry, it'll all be ok... You know, you can skip our Advert Discussion later... I'll just put forth your points for you... You should go back to your aunty's house and rest.."

"I told my aunty 2pm dy. I can handle it la."

I offered to carry her bag for her as we walked to the bus. She smiled. "I am not so sick that I need someone to carry my bag for me. That'll be bad!"

I laughed. "Well, prevention is better than cure. Let me help you carry while you are still ok, so that you will never reach that stage."

She declined anyway. She walked really slowly that day, much slower than her usual brisk pace.

I slowed down. Had to stop many times to wait for her coz' it's not our usual pace.

All was fine for a while. I told her to rest. She really didn't have to pay attention to all the presentations. She's sick!

Well, she refused. What else can you expect from little Ms.Perfect-Diligence Li Xuan?

Her turn came to present. And at the end, her nose started bleeding.

Damn.

I wanted to go out and talk to her, after she rushed for the bathroom. But Ms. Farrah only allowed one person to leave, and since I am a lousy comforter (I need social communication classes!), I told Amy to go. They are closer friends, after all, for this room mate of her sucks in forging friendships.

She came back and slept the next classes away. I have no idea if she slept or was just closing her eyes, but the lecturers understood.... after being informed of the situation at hand.

She left for home later that afternoon.

That evening, I received a SMS from Amy, forwarded from Li Xuan.

"I'm admitted to hospital ;-) [what the hell is the smiley face doing in her SMS? She's admitted to the hosp for Heaven's sake!] tell eliz n my groupmates. Might nt b able to go 4 cal quiz n d presentations. Thx."

WTH?

She is admitted in the hospital, and she is worried about the assignments and quiz???

How is she gonna get better?

I called her just before she was admitted. Asked her how she was doing, what happened... She really has dengue, and the doctor injected glucose into her (well, she wasn't eating properly since falling sick...)

And the fool of me forgot to ask which hospital she is in.

Currently I cannot contact her...

But Li Xuan, get well soon! We miss you!

Everyone, please pray for her.. Radiate metta, ask for God's blessings, anything. Just pray for her.

And everyone, please be careful! Expect fogging in Cemara-Akasia soon.

"May you be free from physical suffering, Li Xuan
May you be free from mental suffering
May you be free from enmity and danger
May you take care of yourself happily"

And FORGET about the ASSIGNMENTS and TESTS!!!!!!!
Concentrate on getting well!
And Ms. Syeela bans you from thinking about work til' you are back!
I wish I can tell you all these... Sigh. Should have taken your aunt's number...