Fever
7 August 2005 (Sunday) – 8 August 2005 (Monday) – Manaus, Brazil
It was around Sunday afternoon when I started to feel feverish. I thought it was perhaps due to the afternoon oppressive heat and I figured I would probably feel better once I go to Amazonas Shopping which was air-conditioned. Nope, I still did not feel any better. In fact, I felt quite cold.
Beatriz and I discussed the possibility of malaria. She said the symptoms of malaria was like flu, with 40C fever, shivering cold and you could barely walk. Hmmm… that did not sound quite like me. I took some paracetemol and hoped it would go away.
The next morning, I was still feverish, but this time, I was shivering with cold and I could barely walk. I called Leonardo who is a doctor and he advised that I go straight to the Tropical Hospital to rule out malaria first.
Eliosa, the maid of the house, then got into action to take me to the hospital. She called Dona Bia at her office to let her know what we were up to. Nathan lent me his cellphone.
At the hospital, in the Malaria Section, there was a waiting room with many people sitting around waiting their turns for the blood test. Gosh, I could not even sit in that room, as the air-conditioner was much too cold for me. I stood outside, but I could barely stand either. I very nearly collapsed on the floor, before I found a seat. But before I knew it, there was a call for Eliosa and it turned out Dona Bia had placed a call to the hospital and I jumped the entire queue and had my blood test taken right away. Wow. Dona Bia must be someone really important in the government! I love her!! Well, I felt bad to have received preferential treatment, but at that moment, I was very sick, on the verge of collapse.
The results was negative, which is good. Hence, now, Eliosa took me to a Posto de Saude (Health Post) for my treatment. We had to walk there, and under the 10:30am sun, I was practically melting as I slowly put one foot forward the other. To be honest, I had no idea how I managed it with my high fever and very weak state. I think I only thought of the immediate future, and that was to make it to the end of the street. I could not believe that 3 stalls that we passed by did not sell mineral water. At the 3rd stall, I simply burst into tears when I heard the negative reply. As I was really all heated up in there, I really needed a drink. The kindly man then quickly offered me a cup of cold water from his bottle which was for his own consumption. Finally, I felt much better to continue walking.
At the Posto de Saude, first, they took my temperature, 39C. Then, I saw the doctor after a queue. I could not understand her, so I got Eliosa to come in. Usually, only adults accompanying sick children are allowed in. Otherwise, only the adult patients are allowed in.
Eliosa was an absolute gem. She took me to get my urine and blood samples. She queued for me while I sat at the benches, lolling my head around, trying to stay conscious. I had never felt so ill in my life… truly! I could barely walk, I was barely alive! Throughout the whole ordeal, Dona Bia and Beatriz kept calling up to keep tabs on what was happening, if I was OK, etc… That was so nice of them!
The nurses pumped 3 injections into me, and later, I had to queue again to be put on-drip for 3 more things. Gosh, after more than 3 hours, endless queues, a chockful of drugs inside me and a final prescription from the doctor, we were free to go. By then, thankfully, my fever had subsided a little. But gosh, the works…
Tags: 04) A River Runs Through It, Manaus
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