Total System breakdown!%$*($#)

Last week, My body parts started breaking down one by one. Sign of becoming old, haha. As you can see in my previous post, it all started with tooth ache. It went on for 2 days. Then there was a travel to Bangalore. Because of the change of place, I ended up in tonsillitis. It was going on for 2-3 days. Driven by heights of uncomfortableness, I almost hunted the whole place for atleast a general physician. She recommended some medicines. But it did not respond. Yesterday, around 3:45 pm or so, I was in the office. Suddenly, I experienced sudden pain in both my ears. I thought it could be because of the AC. I sit right below the inlet duct. I frantically trying to get some cotton to plug my ears. I begged in my neighborhood. To my bad luck, no one was having it. I thought to have a hot coffee thinking that it will ease my ear pain. No correlation, but still. Nope!!! The pain continued. I decided to leave office and meet some ENT ASAP. I called up my hubby to inform him. He gave me some clinic address which was close to our residence. I shut down the machine, took the lift. I started walking closing both my ears. The pain has deepened. For me to take autorickshaw, I have to walk almost 5 mintues to the entrance gate. I decided to check out the cab facilities at my office itself. I approached the transport vehicle. Some cab drivers were lazing around. I narrated my story. They wanted me to talk to the administration guys directly. I called from my mobile narrating my pain. Immediately my request was approved. Thank God. The driver rode the car so fast to the clinic I mentioned. Good that there was not much traffic. By this time, my pain intensified. I got the feeling that my inner ears is going to burst out.

I finally entered the hospital. The receptionist told that the doctor will be available from 5:00pm. I occupied a seat far away from AC and ceiling fan. I closed both my ears with my hand tightly. In the mean time, I called my hubby to inform that I’ve reached the hospital and requested him to come immediately as I could not tolerate the pain. He promised that he will join ASAP. I was going on seeing the wall clock. Time is not moving at all. My pain is aggravating. Both my ears is making lot of sound just like the sound that comes out from room air conditioner outside the room…”Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr”. Both the ears were vying with each other, which ear is throwing lot of noise, sort of competition. The time in the wall clock crossed 5:05 pm . Every minute moved at snail pace. I asked the receptionist once again whether the doctor will come or not. He said he is on his way. He asked me to go to first floor where the doctor does his consultation. I carried both my handbag and lunch box and started climbing the stairs to the first floor. I saw one more person waiting for the doctor. I walked up to the attender and informed him that I had been here from 4:45pm. Hence when the doctor comes, please allow me to see him first. He agreed to that. I tried reaching my hubby too. He didn’t take the call. He must be driving. Around 5:15pm, my hubby came in. As soon as I saw him, I broke down. Tears simply started dripping from both my eyes and started crying like a small kid…just like my children. My hubby asked me “Romba vallikutha!!!”. Before he could complete his enquiry, I was nodding my head profusely holding both my ear closed. He was enquiring the doctor arrival to the attender. After waiting for 10 more minutes, the doctor finally reached. Thank God. I was immediately called into the room. I was still crying. As soon as he saw me , he told me” This is the best example of uncared cold”. He examined my throat, ears. Prescribed some 6 tablets and asked me take immediately and have some food after reaching home. He added that it will take 2 hours for the pain to subside. 2 HOURS more!!!! Took the medicines and left the hospital. I was crying all the way on the road too without heeding the presence of other people around me. My hubby was holding my hand all the while. So kind of him to have taken care of me. Thank god he was in station. His presence meant a lot to me.

While driving back home, the medicine has started doing its action. I got the sensation as if a live insect entered the ear and trying to escape. The inner tissue of the ears started shaking or shrinking or whatever. It was “Grrrrrrrrrr….Gmmmmmmmm..Grrrr”. I was pressing my hand on the ears continuing my crying ..now loudly”. When I reached the front gate of my house, my children were very happy to see us early back from office. I thought of controlling my tear. I tried to wipe my tears off and put a smiling face. But the pain was so steep that more I wanted to control, the more kid in me became dominant. My daughter was the first to realize it. Her face changed from cheerfulness to questioning enquiring look. I smiled at her tackling my tears and pulled her cheek and gave a big kiss. My son was also looking at me and asking me “why tears in your eyes?”. I was happy to be back with my children. I'm still not dead. Alive very much.

A small digression. I had been to USA 4 times (short trip of 1 and ½ months – longest was for 3 months) and usually it was during the months of November, December, Jan, feb, March which is the so called winter season. I had been to Portland, Maine during Jan, feb, March. It will be usually snowing these months. When I was there they had the worst snowfall. People say that they didn’t have such amount of snow in last 20 years!!! It was too cold and heavy. Most of the days, I had to “work from home” as commuting will be an issue. As usual developed tonsillitis and ran high fever. No one was there to help me. Locked inside my suite all by myself. I prepared some rice porridge and had it for 2 days!!! I always prayed to God then that please don’t take my life in this alien land (US). You take my life when I get back to India (my own land). You cannot call it patriotic. The sense of loneliness in a strange land with strange people with no one around you to take care. It drived me or anyone crazy.

I got the same kind of feeling yesterday when I was alone in the hospital waiting for the doctor. The pain in both ears ran so worse that I got this feeling that let my husband come and then let worse happen to me. On the way back home, I was thinking about my kids. I want to see them and pass off. Crazy me. Thinking too much beyond limit.

I throwed my office bag and lunch bag in my bedroom and tried to lie down. I was trying to find a comfortable posture but to in vain. I was rolling from one side to another. Lied face down then turned to the front. On seeing this, my daughter sympathetically asked me “Paining?”. Her questions smoothened me mentally. My husband diverted their attention by taking them away to play. My husband offered me a hot cup of tea and 2 slice of bread. I forced myself to eat inspite of the pain I felt while swallowing. In the mean time, my ears started poping out and poping in. Ah! The bluck..bluck…sound of the ear drum…UUUUhhhh!!!! I tried to sleep. I closed my eyes and tried to think something nice. My ears continued contesting for its loudness. “Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu”…..Around 7 pm or so, I fell into a short catnap. I heard vaguely my MIL calling me to have my dinner. It was 8’o clock. By this time, the pain subsided profusely. My hubby had taken the children to the doctor as they also had severe cold and cough. I was having couple of dosa’s when my children came back. My Son ran towards me and inserted his finger into my ears and asked me “Your ear pain is gone?”. I was nodding my head like my son. “yes, yes”. So nice of him.

The dose of the medicine was so high that I slept like log the whole night. Today I’m off to office with energy as usual……..