DENGUE, NO MORE

Tuesday, August 16.

             [1^st class] During our exam…

I was trying real hard to read and understand each question. My answers were not well-thought. Good thing there are ‘True or False’ and ‘Multiple Choice’ sections. I was not able to count the number of my erasures. But, I know my paper looks confused. And yes I was confused. My head was in a hazy clutter. It did hurt and I could not think straight at all. And I could not even write in a straight line no matter how hard I tried to control my right hand. My handwriting was in abstract scribble. It’s a terrible font invented, I admit. Epic fail.

For a 10-point essay question, two sentences were all I could write down. What a mess.

[2^nd class] During our report…

All the more, it was twice during our group report that I almost passed out. That’s why I needed to go out of the room once in a while every time I felt like I was about to lose my consciousness. What a shame if I passed out during the report. No way!

The night before this day, my mom told me not to attend my classes anymore. I could only wish.

How can I be absent when I’m ought to take an exam and deliver a report?

           [3^rd  class –last class] I missed it.

I asked my professor in my second class if I could stay for her next class because I don’t think I can walk without passing out. And so, she let me sit-in. After the class, I struggled my way to exit the building and rode a cab back home.

The next day, I was confined. My blood platelet count dropped.The day when I took my exam and when I delivered my report was actually my 5^th day of being sicked with Dengue Fever Syndrome. The doctor was startled that I was able to endure 5 days of Dengue without seeking medical help.

I was just one of the hundreds of Filipinos who were and are being distressed by Dengue strains. The casualties are doubling up compared to last year’s number of dengue cases. There’s no cure for it, the doctor told me. It only goes out of your system on its own. The best remedy would be water therapy.

No one is excused from Dengue possibilities. Not even me.

We should all be warned. 

Be careful, my friend.