Typhoid Fever

(Post dedicated to my AWESOME, AWESOME mom who basically took care of everything so efficiently so I could concentrate on having quality bed-rest...Mom, u're the best! )

Juz came back from Indonesia - Jakarta and Bandung. Had a GREAT time! Well, but for now I'll focus on the tale of typhoid fever (or what's commonly called "tipes" in indon) and I.

Was in Indonesia for about one week (juz came back yesterday), and on my 2nd last night in Jakarta (staying in a relative's house), my stomach seemed to acquire a mind of its own.. u know the feeling when u juz have to vomit whatever's in ur stomach cuz it's contracting like hell? Well I had that, and worse...I ran to the bathroom and vomitted whatever's inside of me,n after 3 separate vomitting incidents I thought "Ok that's it. Stomach empty now. Curse the restaurant serving whatever food causes this n go back to sleep."

But Stomach wasn't about to let me do that. I vomited WATER for about 4-5 times (This is rounding down) during the night, which kinda freaked out my mom who was sleeping in the same room. She thought it was food poisoning though, not surprising in Indonesia. I managed to lie down, n realised I had slight fever. Made a mental note never again to eat at the tomato noodle (which was the last meal I had before this vomitting episode.)

Next morning, my mom insisted we go to the hospital, though I -with my youthful pride and usual heck-care attitude- said tt it wasnt necessary, tt I'd be ok by evening. (cuz a somewhat similar vomitting accident happened once when I was alone at home n I juz slept through the day as a cure.) Moral of the story: Mom DOES know best..they have motherly instincts for things like these.

OK,so we went to the hospital. That's when the doctor said tt very likely I have typhoid fever, and tt it's a very common disease infecting returning Indonesians who've spent more than 3- 5 years abroad. Was ordered to have a blood and urine test done to determine if I really have typhoid.

Went to lab to have blood test. No prob, truth is I'm rather fascinated by blood tests. Next, urine test. Drank a bottle of mineral water, waited half an hour, went to the restroom..n produced several drops of urine...
"uh, nurse, is this enough?"
"NO of course not! drink some more and wait."
Drank another bottle of mineral water, waited for another half an hour, went to the restroom,several more drops..
"Uh nurse, how about this much?"
"It's way too little!"
#@$#&^*&8" (was cursing myself for this anomaly, cuz usually I go to the restroom quite often, especially in a cold place)
Then it dawned on me tt I could've vomitted too much fluid the previous night tt my body's simply using up all the fluid to replace it... Fascinating thought from a biological viewpoint, grave disadvantage in my situation..
So I simply drank some more, waited some more, and for the third time asked the nurse "Uhm...like this?"
"hm...ok, a little,but it will have to do.."
Well I'm not sure she gives mark for effort, but I'm juz glad to get it done...

In the evening, lab test out, I'm tested positive for typhoid. Went back to the doctor who explained graphically what the typhoid fever can do to me, namely: intestinal perforation, which will kill people by internal bleeding. That's for the acute stage though.

Next day..lying in bed the whole morning (flight to Batam a 4pm, then from there by boa to Sg)...it's true that typhoid makes u lethargic. To make matters worse, another symptom appears : diarrhoea (irritating to spell, even more irritating to experience..) Did some research on the net on typhoid,n what did I found? The mode of transmission is oral-fecal. Which means, someone who's a typhoid carrier must have passed motion (*shitted*), used the same contaminated hand to prepare food, n I ate the food prepared by those hands...

Not the most appetising of thoughts.....

Well, there are other modes of infection too, e.g. flies walking on faeces then walking on food, ice cubes made wih contaminated water, etc..basically all involving excrements.

Hufh...

I consider myself really lucky though, cuz I managed the return journey to Singapore with nothing more than grumbling stomach (from the diarrhoea), and today my appetite is back! yay! Looks like I have a really mild form of the disease. Still must continue to eat soft, non-oily food, but at least I do like tofu and porridge.

For those usually hygienic ppl that wants to visit Indonesia, please ask for typhoid fever vaccination first. Do some research about it on the net, cuz Indonesia's reportedly quite colonised by the typhoid fever bacteria, Salmonella typhii. Oh, Indonesia....