Celebrate your good health...

 

Celebrate your good health...

It was 31st March 2023, end of the financial year, was busy in clearing day to day official activities. A mail needed an urgent response, it was successfully responded from our end. As day passed by, the pain of my teeth gradually increased. I decided to consult a dental expert as our in-house dentist had suggested that the tooth needed extraction and during extraction few equipments might be required which were not available in our facility.

 I requested one of my colleagues to take the appointment of the dentist.  Thankfully at around 5pm she managed to get the appointment. I went to the chamber. My colleague was eagerly waiting for me. To my great relief only one patient was sitting outside the chamber. Within few minutes the door of the chamber opened and I was called in. As I sat on the dental chair one of the doctors examined my teeth. She said that the teeth have already decayed and only a small portion is left and according to her it needed extraction. She enquired whether I had Blood Pressure, Sugar. Since I had none, I replied accordingly. She asked me to wait for some time and said that the senior doctor who was attending another patient would also examine before taking any final decision. After examination it was finally decided that the tooth would be extracted. Local anaesthesia was administered, I could feel the stiffness of the gums. Within few minutes of struggle my teeth was successfully extracted. The doctor prescribed the a medicine to be taken. He suggested to wait for sometime and then leave for home. I enquired whether I could drive back home to which the doctor said that I can. I waited in the waiting area for around 10 minutes with my colleague and then came back to the office. My colleague left for home. As I didn’t want to take risk and hence waited in the office for around 45minutes then drove back to home.

As I was driving back home, I was feeling the pain gradually. I guess it was post anaesthesia affect. I reached home. The pain became severe, I took the medicine which was prescribed by the doctor. It was a great relief. After sometime we had dinner and then I went to bed. At around 11.30pm I woke up to go to the washroom. As I was getting down from the bed my husband enquired where I was going, I told him that I was feeling hot and then went to the washroom.I didn’t put the latch.

I could feel my husband calling Maa! Baideu! stating that I fell in the washroom and was unconscious for few minutes and was not responding. I could not understand what was going on. They splashed water on my face, I gained consciousness and responded to them. My husband told me that we should go to the hospital and get examined by a doctor immediately. I agreed to him.. Later I was informed that I fell down in the washroom and became unconscious, hearing the sound of the fall my husband rushed into the washroom and dragged me out of it and started calling mother and baideu, after few minutes I regained consciousness.

 I called up the night in-charge who was on duty and briefed him about the incident also added that I would be reaching hospital within few minutes to consult a doctor. He wanted to send the ambulance but my husband insisted that he would drive to hospital. I too agreed to him. I was feeling severe weakness. As we drove through by lanes of Pub Sarania, there was light traffic in Ulubari… the distance was found to be very time taking …somehow, we reached hospital at around 11.55pm, as the night in-charge had already informed, the emergency team, they were alert. My husband briefed the on-duty doctor about the incident, in the meantime, my vitals were checked ...to my great surprise I could hear nurses whispering to each other B.P was found to be high, sugar was also high... The doctor enquired whether I had history of hypertension, sugar I replied negatively. I got little worried about the findings but I surrendered myself, I had no option but to obey to them.  One of the senior doctors rang me up and enquired, I briefed him about the incident over phone, he informed that I would be shifted to ICU for better monitoring. As per the doctor’s advice immediately CT scan was done, blood investigations were also done. CT scan report ruled out any head injury.

For strict monitoring I was shifted from emergency department to ICU and medication started. The on-duty anaesthesiologist checked my vitals and instructed the nursing team to ensure that the vitals are checked on regular basis. We hardly think of our vitals which help us to do our day to day activities, but when we are sick the bip sound of monitors makes  us realise our vitals BP, pulse, oxygen rate, whether it is increasing or decreasing. The monitors sound of ICU during night hours is really frightening. Intubation of critical patients, monitoring syringe pumps, counselling attendants on day to day basis is not a joke, salute to the doctors, sisters, HK staff. Again blood samples and urine samples were taken for investigations.

I felt drowsy, I don't remember when I fell asleep. 

In the morning hours, in spite of restrictions in ICU my colleagues rushed to see me. I could feel the warmth, their love, blessings showering on me. The discipline in the ICU was really praiseworthy, few ICU staff came and requested me to wear ICU uniform, according to them if I would not wear, they would be scolded by the in-charge, listening to their innocent requests I agreed to wear it.

The HK team arranged everything on the bed itself as I could not go to washroom due to cannula. They arranged a tooth brush, a small soap for hand washing.  I was informed that my vitals were found to be normal. I got little relieved. The on-duty anaesthesiologists checked the vitals himself. He stated that echocardiography procedure will also be done to rule out any cardiac issue. After some time eco cardiography was also done. To my great relief issue related to heart was also ruled out. 

In the meantime, the consultant came and checked the vitals, after examining the reports, he advised to shift me to a cabin also added that I should take rest and hence visitors need to be restricted. After completing the formalities of ICU, I was wheeled to cabin 314. A print out was pasted on the door regarding restriction of entry.

Lying on the bed I could feel the pain of the IV cannula in the right hand through which injectables were administered in the ICU. The nursing team decided to put the cannula in the left hand, they somehow managed to get the vein and put the cannula after long struggle. The consultant advised for monitoring of BP for 24hours and hence Holter was advised to me. Electroencephalography was also done. Both the the reports were found to be normal.

One by one bottles were hanged in the IV stand and got emptied gradually…. I had no option but to lie on bed and watch the droplets passing through the IV sets.  I thought simply Lying on the bed would make me weaker and hence decided to watch TV so that I could engage my end and keep myself cheerful.  I scrolled through the TV channels.  news channels, kids channels, discussions etc... I opted for kids’ channel and watched the cartoon show…. After years I had watched the channel. My daughter and husband were surprised at me, watching the cartoon show. They could not resist the way I had absorbed myself in the show…they clicked a photograph. 

With great relief all the reports were found to be normal hence after 24hrs monitoring I was discharged from the hospital. The total bill amounted to around Rs 42,000/-(Rupees forty two thousand only), I was little worried how would we pay the bill amount. As I expressed it to my husband, to my great relief he said that as he had done health insurance for all of us and hence the expenses would be borne by them. Maximum medical expense was paid by the insurance company, we had to pay Rs 7,000/- (Rupees seven thousand only). I remember one of the housekeeping staff came and advised me to have more home cooked rice so that I would become strong and don't fall again. I smiled and said that I would stick to her advice. While coming back to home I could feel the love, care our staff had showered  on me within  24hrs..it was priceless.

As per the advice I visited the consultant for review after 3days of the discharge. After checking vitals, he informed that I was fit to resume duty but as my hands had got swollen because of the injectables, dressing with magnesium sulphate and glycerine was recommended by him. On the 5^th day I resumed my office…but was advised not to drive for 15 days hence till today I have refrained myself from driving, hope I would drive to office on the coming working days...

What happened and why it happened is a still a big query for me..

Lessons learnt: -

1.   Ensure that the vitals are checked before doing any minor procedure even if one is not under        medication.

2.     DONOT drive even if any minor procedure is done under local anaesthesia. Request one of your       colleague or family members to accompany you.

3.       Strictly adhere to proper medication as per doctor’s advice. If required take second opinion.

4.     Health Insurance is a must, ensure that your insurance policy has maximum medical expense coverage, discuss pros and cons before purchasing a health insurance. 

5.   For any medical emergency, if possible, arrange vehicle to shift the patient to hospital immediately instead of waiting for the ambulance. Don’t waste the golden hour.

 

Celebrate your good health, it is more valuable than wealth