Breaking My Silence On Dengue
Over the last several months, Panama and sections of the Caribbean have been experiencing a severe Dengue outbreak. I contracted the Dengue virus and battled with it for nearly a month. Yes, I know many of you are shocked at the news. And I hear you asking, how come I didn’t tell you. Well its a long story. Suffice it to say, Empress a member of this Blog has contracted the Dengue virus and is unhappy with me for not sharing my firsthand knowledge with all of you. So here goes.
I returned to Panama at the end of October from my Caribbean island-hop. First I attended the Baptism of my Goddaughter in Barbados. Then I participated in the JBU Mission Conference in Jamaica. I came back bursting with stories galore. However, I got a little distracted with the Patriotic Celebrations that kicked off the 3rd of November.
Dengue and Flu Like Symptoms
By Tuesday November 6th, I woke up feeling extremely tired and thought I had too much of the bombos the day before. My head felt strangely heavy like I was having the worst sinus congestion ever – just without the other symptoms. It was the same the following day, and the next and by Friday the 9th I could hardly get out of bed.
By Wednesday, one week later I was aching in places I didn’t know I had. The headaches were unbelievable. I hadn’t felt this kind of pain since migraine was in. My eyes felt like I was wearing two plungers (yes the kind you use in the bathroom) and someone on the other end of the plunger did not like my brown eyes and wanted them out. Badly.
Unbelievable Pain And Emergency Room
Eight days after the saga began, on Tuesday 17th, when the headache refused to quit and my eyes about to pop out of my head I threw in the towel. I went to the hospital. Whatever the doctor saw and heard made him order me a strong drink – 1 x IV Fluid spiked with vitamins. Next he ordered a full blood count and conveniently forgot to mention that he was also testing for Dengue.
I was in the hospital Emergency Room from a little after 8pm that night after the Radio Program. Somewhere near 1:00am Wednesday morning I woke up to overhear a conversation in rapid Spanish and the word Dengue repeated several times. Of course, I wondered who they were talking about. When the doctor who is a member at First Isthmian along with the 2 other members who had gone with me to the hospital came by my bedside and started one intense conversation about absolutely nothing – I realized they had something that somebody didn’t want to tell me. So I demanded the results of my blood test (after all!).
Dengue Classico!
Of course, I checked to see the name on the document. Hospitals have been known to mix up test results. I hoped that this was one of those times. Today, was not one of those days and that was my name right there.
Ok then doc, tell me something even though I have the result in my hand..
What Do You Mean I Have Dengue?
He patiently took the time to explain what the results meant. Read on to see how he helped me understand my Dengue positive results.
Look out for the rest of the story,
Marvia