.... Thank you for coming back for the part 2 of my H1N1 journey :D
To continue from last post.. :D
I got off the honest taxi and headed home. My plane was early for almost an hour, so I was home at around 7:30am.
Since the normal doctor's clinic doesn't open until 9am, so I was able to chill out at home and raided the fridge for breakfast! :D
I was thinking, hey awesome, no fever = no H1N1, but I will go see the doctor nonetheless because my throat was really sore and the coughing was quite bad. :D
I entered the doctor's clinic at 9:15am, my introduction to him was, "Hi Doctor, I just came back from USA this very morning and the airport staff checked that I was okay to see a normal doctor such as you." :D
He immediately measured my temperature, to my surprise, my temperature reaches a low 98.9. Without further examination, he immediately told me I should go visit the special H1N1 clinic for safe measure. :D
So, off I went after 3 hours :D Well, I need to shower and pack some important things such as my camera, cell phone, and a bottle of water. :D In case I have to die in a hospital of H1N1, I will die clean. Camera is something of a must have when you want to record your own death of course. :D hahah
Those are the things I remember to bring. The most important thing I forgot though was my HKID card!!! :D haha So I was made to wait at the clinic for 2 hours to wait for my dear Mom to bring my HKID to me, further exposing her to the risk of catching H1N1. :D The fact was, I was too lazy to go back home to get it :P
The clinic was all decorated in red, like a very serious business there. :D
The nurses there all worn protective gears! :P
When I was waiting at the clinic, only another guy was there waiting to get treated. I don't think this swine flu is as serious as what the government think it is anyways.
Anyways, at the special clinic, my temperature had somewhat risen to a 99.3. By the time I saw the doctor and she measured my temperature again, it was at 99.9.
So, my temperature was rising and the doctor decided I should be treated just like a H1N1 patient.
The examination process was more thorough than a normal flu. Lots of questions was asked such as whether I was pregnant or having any hidden long term diseases or whether I was allergic to different things. :P
Here is my mom waiting for me at the clinic.
I was getting a bit sleepy by the time, so I didn't quite remember what she asked me. The only thing I did remember was the nasal probe!!!! From here on, I will refer it as "Alien Abduction Nasal Probe!". Let me show you what was done to my nostril!
Here, you see me, head leaned back a bit. The nurse has this plastic strip like thing about 1cm round and 6 or 7 inches long shown here in red. She inserted this probe into my nose and very gently said "relax, it's gonna hurt a tiny little bit".
What a liar!!!!! :D It does not just hurt a tiny little bit!!!!! Imagine having a childbirth through your nose!!!! :D Except, for childbirth, only hurts one way!! But alien abduction probe hurts both way in and out!!!! OUCH OUCH OUCH! :D
In a scale of 1-5 painfulness, I say it at least score a 6!!!!!
I know, I know, I am just a wuss, a big cry baby! :D But truly, it hurts like hell. :D I was going like "ou ou ou ou ou ou ou" aloud the whole 3 minutes the nurse was raping my nose! :D
The mucus was collected for testing. It's gonna take 3 days to know whether I really have H1N1. So the doctor there prescribed me 3 days off so I don't spread the flu to others except the people who live with me, namely the senior LaBeans. :D
Also, I was also given my Tamiflu dosage and some other flu medicine. This is the first time I had visit a government health care clinic. So now, officially, I am in the system of public health care. :P
A funny thing happened before this clinic visit was over. The doctor forgot to write up the doctor's note for my 3 sick days. So, I had to go back up to ask for them. The nurse asked me which room did I visit to see the doctor? :D I forgot..
I was so dazed after the alien probe, I said "hmm.. I didn't see a doctor, I got probed in the nose very painfully and just collected my medicine."
The nurse said, "Huh?!? It cannot be, you must have seen a doctor before we probe at your nose!! Are you serious?!"
I was so sure I didn't see any doctor before the probe, so I said, hmm. no no no doctor... just probes. >:D
After about 10 minutes of fuss and buzz, I finally cleared my head and pointed at room A and said, Oh yeah, I kinda saw a doctor who asked me lots of questions in that room.... :D
The nurses looked at each other and laughed in relief. :D
After 3 days, I didn't get any calls, so I was officially discharged from my quarantine. But my flu wasn't cured and the regular doctor wrote me up 2 more days of sick days. :)
This entire H1N1 experience was quite interesting. I hope I can call this a 'once in a lifetime' experience. :D After all, I don't want aliens probing into my nose again. :D OUCH :~D
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