Bad Week

The last week has to be the worst week I have had since I came here last February. Solely because I was taken ill. Really, really bad... unfortunately though, I had to weather it out without taking medical leave as my GM is away on leave out of the country. It started right after my off day on Friday the 3rd...  there were many already sick due to the hot and wet weather with all the rain and I probably caught it on Saturday when I got caught in the rain.

When you're my age and you pay attention to your body you will know when you're about to get sick so on Saturday night I took some paracetamol before sleeping as a precaution as I could feel the mild body aches coming. By morning, when I had my shower, the aches were at full blast... toweling myself dry felt like my skin was tearing and I had developed a bad cough... just like that. I really can't remember the last time I had a cough... that's how long it has been. I headed to see the in-house doctor immediately and he gave me 600mg Ibuprofen for the aches and Prospan for the cough as it wouldn't cause drowsiness. 

The 600mgs of Ibuprofen (Brufen brand name) worked almost immediately and the aches subsided... they were still there but at least I didn't feel like I just got hit by a train.

The Prospan wasn't very effective or should I say not effective at all. It tasted just like maple syrup. I guess it's probably more suited for children.

By Wednesday, the cough was so bad that I decided to take the drowsy stuff. What I don't understand about cough syrups is, why the hell must it be so sweet? I understand that it needs to be flavoured so people will actually take it but really, does it have to be literally a syrup? Here's the problem... it's supposed to make you drowsy but then it has so much sugar in it that it makes you hyper at the same time... so, it actually makes me cranky and it is extremely annoying... your'e drowsy and wanna sleep but your body just won't allow you to sleep. Smart huh?

By Friday, I couldn't take it anymore... it was serious... the in-house doctor was away on leave... the panel clinic on Pangkor is closed on Fridays... great! Just great! I decided to take the boat out to the mainland to go to a clinic. The doctor says my lungs are okay and suggested that I get a jab... whatever dude... whatever... as long as you get rid of this fucking cough.

He also gave me this cough syrup which I must say is pretty good as it cleared up my phlegm... I didn't feel drowsy although he said that it would make me drowsy and it tasted of prunes... that's the good part. Good stuff. RM75.00 for a jab, some paracetamols, lozenges and antibiotics.

It has indeed been a horrendous week... feeling like shit... weak... unable to rest... need to work... and trying to stay away from others so I won't infect them as well. But, I'm much better now with the occasional cough here and there and hope to be able to hit the gym again this evening. That's a full week with no exercise. Sigh...

I hope I won't have to go through this again... it normally happens once every 18 months or so... just hope it doesn't anymore.