It’s Good to be Sick…Sometimes

I over estimated my body and pushed it to the limit last weekend. After being in the sun the entire day at the camp on Saturday and standing for close to 11 hours on Sunday invigilating at a professional exams, I went for a jog after I got home on Sunday evening. I thought my body could take all that pressure but looks like it got fed up with me and decided to boycott me. On Monday night, I was feeling so sick that I wasn’t even able to chat with my online friends.

I slept even before 11pm…a rarity nowadays. Slept for about nine hours and when I got up on Tuesday morning, my head felt so heavy. I can’t over-sleep, remember? I’ll get a headache. I got a little worried that morning and this being a busy week, I decided to see the doctor to get some medicine on standby…just in case. Yeah…typical Singaporean kiasu mentality…hehe.

I hardly visit doctors, not more than twice in a year if I remember correctly. I hate going to the doctor so it’s not easy for them to earn my money. If I can, I’ll normally self-medicate. But the flu medicine was running low at home so I had no choice but to go see one on Tuesday. As it was just a common flu, I didn’t think it warrant the paying of exorbitant fees at private clinics so I went to the polyclinic a stone’s throw away from my place. As usual, I had to queue and queue and queue. First I had to get a queue number to register. There were at least 50 people ahead of me in this queue. After registering I was given another queue number, this time, to see the doctor…queue again.

While waiting for my turn outside the consultation room, I took out my iBook to do some work…yup, this workaholic needs to keep herself busy at all times. While I was doing my work, I realised there was ‘free’ wireless internet access so I login to my MSN and hey…there were some friends online. I chatted with Clio and Spunk. Spunk was also feeling a little unwell and told me to get an MC for her…I tried but the doctor wasn’t amused…hehe!

Clio was so bored at her client’s place so we had a good chat. She told me about her experience with a couple of ghosts at a client’s place during the Chinese New Year. She was all alone then…must have been so scary then…eeeeks! I get goosebumps just thinking about it. I told her there was also a ghost that used to loiter on the staircase of my old office. My friend saw it and told me only after I moved out of that office. Spooky siah! Wandering souls are everywhere.

Time seemed to fly whilst I was chatting. Before long, it was my turn to see the doctor. I went into the consultation room, told the doctor I was down with flu and really just needed the usual medication. He took my temperature, no fever he said, then checked my throat, ya…a little inflamed, asked me some standard questions then started writing the prescription for me. I requested for extra dosage to combat the bad weather these days…so easy to fall ill. He said okay, he’ll give me more. The entire consultation took no more than two minutes I think.

I next had to queue…yes…queue again to pay my fees, then queue to get my prescription. LOL! That was the longest queue…took almost an hour! When I finally got my medicine, I got quite upset. The stingy young doctor gave me only a small bottle of Expectorant and one miserable strip of antihistamines. Why so stingy doctor? He did give several strips of pain-killers…but for what huh? I also don't know because I wasn’t feeling any pain. I was finally able to make my way home with my miserable dosage of medicine after one hour and forty-five minutes!

When I got home, I wasn’t feeling sick anymore so I didn’t even take my medicine. Maybe the doctor too knew I was recovering and didn’t need the medicine. Maybe Clio’s ghost story sacred the wits out of me and chased away the flu bug…haha! Cheh! Should not have wasted so much time queuing…should have just stayed at home and chat right? Hehehe! No lah… I think my healthy eating and exercising helped me recover quickly…so I must make sure I maintain this good healthy lifestyle.

I was really surprised at the number of online friends whom were so concerned about me when I mentioned I was ill. Everyone kept asking how I was feeling, advised me to get more rest, drink more fluid etc. So much concern from friends I’ve not even met before. I was so touched. Thank you friends! Must have accumulated a lot of good karma to be able to know all of you in this life!

I remember Ajahn Brahm did mention before that it is okay to be sick sometimes, in fact, it will be quite abnormal if we don’t fall sick at all. When we’re sick, we should just let others shower us with attention, take care of us. How right he was. Ya…it’s really nice to be sick sometimes…definitely.

ps: My mum went to the polyclinic too in the afternoon for her regular check-up. She asked the doctor for some flu medicine even though she wasn’t sick at all and she was actually given a big bottle of Expectorant and one and a half strips of antihistamines! Double of what I got, not fair! Doctors are so biased!…moral of the story…get senior citizens to help obtain medicine next time you need them!