Don't Get Sick On The Weekends

I was wiped out on my back the last 10 days. I got sick -- with what I don't know but I have ended up wheezing away! I hope all the medicine I am taking now will very soon put an end to the wheezing.


It all began with the sniffles. So, I took Carinox. While the latter stopped the sniffles, I began to sense a heavy head and fever. For two days I took panadol to bring the fever down and did steaming to get the phlegm out. On the second night, when my thermometer showed 102, I decided, enough of home remedies! And I went to the panel doctors.


It happened to be a Friday and a little past 10pm. My regular doctor, Dr Nagesh, had just got off duty so I saw this young locum. I told him my problem and without checking out my blood pressure and doing a chest examination and checking for a fever only after I asked him, he prescribed a course of antibiotics and something for the phlegm.


I dutifully took the medicine only to find myself oozing out with phlegm! I blew my nose away with huge tissue clutches of phlegm. It was so bad that I kept myself -- and my neighbours -- awake with all the coughing and sneezing I did through the night! The next morning, exhausted, I went to see the doctor. Again, Dr Nagesh wasn't in and I had to see another locum.


I told him my problem. This time, at least, he did a chest examination with his stethoscope and prescribed another course of antibiotics and some mucosolvan. Aha, now I will get better! But, I was to be disappointed. There was no relief. I kept blowing and blowing my nose and coughing and coughing. I persevered until I had completed the antibiotics, and went to see the doctor again.


Thank God! Dr Nagesh was in! She checked me out, put me on a nebulyser immediately, calmed me down and sent me off with three different types of drugs. I took the first dose of the prescription and breathed normally again! No more dragging coughing and sneezing! I slept like a baby that night and gradually began to get better. Thank God for Dr Nagesh!


The only residual problem left is the wheezing. But it is getting better and better.

What is the upshot of all this?


Well, if your regular doctor keeps a Mon-to-Fri or Mon-to-Sat afternoon schedule, just make sure you don't get sick on the weekends -- or you will end up at the mercy of locums who don't know anything about your medical history!