Dengue - II - The order of disorder

 

Dengue II - The order of disorder!

 

Now onwards I will celebrate my birthday twice a year. 6^th Aug 2024 the birthday of Anu is a rebirthday for me.

 The years 2006, 2015 and now 2024 have been impactful years in past three decades. They all have sum of the digits of the years as 8 and this 8 has been following me since childhood. Sounds a bit superstitious but has lot of masala material for time pass analysis. Will surely do it some time.

 Got up on 30^th July with an unusual headache that I assumed was of migraine. It wasn’t. I missed the first clue. It was a viral headache. Had I taken the clue correctly I would have skipped my over exhaustive morning exercise regime at least for that day. The best way to keep a Dengue virus quiet is by being quiet.

 The later part of the day at work brought along body pain along with increasing body temperature. This gave a clearer indication of presence of Dengue or a virus alike. The prototype medical steps took a day and a half and after that we decided to take it seriously with body temperature persistent around 101^o F. Approached Sujata Birla hospital where Dr. Jaydeep recommended hospitalization. He made a room available in the Magnum Hospital that is beside SB.

 The tests started one by one.

Dengue?              - Absent sir!

Zika ?                     - Absent sir!

Swine flu?           -Absent sir !

Rickettsial inf?   - Absent  sir!

 The attendance of my soldiers started?

WBC count          – around 3000

Platelets              – 1.36L

 In the next day’s attendance Mr. Dengue, my old 2015 rival, raised his hands to say Present sir!

 My survived Platelets were down to 1.04L and then 80k in four more hours. The medicines were keeping the temperature very well under control and I was clinically looking fit and fine. Dengue virus didn’t trouble me much. Mr. Dengue was beaten easily at a healthy Platelets count of 80k. All clear!! Knocked out!!

 But my desire to eat was vanishing. The temperature was in good control but my motions were not. Loose motions started with some frequency. In a washroom moment I noticed blood that blew my head.

Is 80k platelets strength bad enough to cause internal bleeding?

Or is it not blood and something else?

An hour later the stool test declined any internal bleeding and we were relieved for that night.

 The story took a turn from here on…

 The phase where I thought the fight is over, actually initiated a disorder, camouflaged with the acidity effect. Though I was getting irritated with gastroenteritis problem because of which I had absolutely no intentions of eating or drinking anything whatsoever, I was very thrilled to go home to celebrate the birthday of Anu. I had plans to get the already booked Ather ev Ritza from the showroom. All was well till here. But every next half an hour was deteriorating my health at the speed of light.

While Anu was getting showroom Ather home, my breathlessness was increasing. With the energy depleted state I made myself look alright so that Anu won’t take me back to hospital. I had a feeling that patience with some rest will get me back to normal.

 Something I was assuming as acidity and gastroenteritis effect was actually “Ascites”.

Ascites I am told is a medical condition that occurs when the fluid builds up in the abdomen and then other inner body organs causing unbearable pain. I starting feeling that.

A night before this day capillary leak happened in my body. When the doctor gave extra saline water doses to counter balance my refusal to drink water, the fluid flowing out of veins got the pressure to eject fluid in the already punctured veins at higher rate towards the lungs. This liquid settling around the lungs was increasing my breathlessness.

 Meanwhile my friends Nikhil and Nishant had come to my house with a delicious Red velvet cake to celebrate the birthday of Anu. I felt very sad when they both were told at the door to avoid talking to me when they had come in a celebration mood. Even two sentences spoken were like two hours speech for me and a walk from bed to washroom was a marathon of sorts.

 The sudden demise of my friend Santosh in Pune just a week ago, was making me aware of the uncertainties in life these days. The biology of belief makes things better is what I knew and was trying to construct a happy atmosphere around me. Pretending to be perfectly fine with silly jokes being cracked with Nikhil, Nishant and Naman were some attempts to keep me away from negative thoughts. But honestly, Patience was the only key with me!

 While all this was happening the body exertion was increasing the fluid level around my lungs and decreasing the oxygen saturation at the same time. Anu has saved me in every health disorder of such degrees. She disagreed with me to be relaxed and be in a state of patience. She called Manju didi, Dr.Santosh along with Dr. Jaydeep in tandem.

When the three doctors convinced me one after the other on mobile calls, I realized how grave the situation was. I got up immediately to get admitted again. On my way towards the door from the bedroom Anu grabbed my hand and made me walk properly. At the door my Mom and Dad asked me to stay relaxed but could not control their own emotions. I could see their restlessness. 

 On the way from house to hospital Anu updated me that Dr. Santosh and Manju didi have left Nanded and Aurangabad midnight to be near me. Manju didi had gone back to Aurangabad after the initial discharge news but came back again Tuesday morning. Her trouble shooting approach was closely seen yet again!!!

 Doctor Relatives coming overnight to save me gave a comfort, but the thought that they are driving midnight all the way from Nanded to reach me asap was making me aware of the depth of my problems. I again understood the importance of these three people in my life.

Now I don’t feel I am Atheist as I find these three God like figures in my life.

 Reached Magnum hospital just to see the ward-boys and nurses running in different directions to manage machines and test gadgets before I got settled on the bed. This was the scariest phase in the entire process. My O₂ saturation was 80 or so and the breathlessness was increasing. The blood clots were evident as the nurses were putting  pressure on my hand to get the blood out for the tests. The ECG was normal but the external oxygen supply through the pipes in my nostrils was quickly made on. A steroid injected in the body followed by HRCT scan and then the rush towards ICU were some activities happening in very quick span. I was surrounded by three doctors who were called specially to spot the new problem that I was grappling with. They were interrogating me in and out.  My consciousness was slightly dipping down. It was somewhat like Sharman Joshi scene of Thee idiots.

 Dr. Jaydeep wanted a bed in Sayadhri hospital because that’s the biggest hospital in Nasik with all the facilities around. Phew!!! Why do I need a big hospital? Why so many tests? How many more? And how long? These were the questions keeping me disturbed.

 Later on I came to know that night Anu was half collapsed and Naman was extra active on Activa searching for Bed in Sayadhri hospital. I had tears in my eyes. Nikhil and Nishant quickly took the charge when they came to know Namans’ loneliness, reached him quickly and stayed in the hospital till 2am. A friend in need is a friend in deed!!

 Anu was uncontrollable. She noticed similarities in the events when she lost her bro in covid. Didn’t sleep at all. Anju who already has her health issues was there entire night with Anu on her lap. The nurses almost pushed Anu out of ICU as she was coming inside ICU after every 15mins just to see whether I am stable or not. She had called all the Gods down on earth to save me with the Atharva shirsha Mantra continuously going on mobile speaker for those critical 48 hours.

 When the 2D echocardiography turned out to be normal Anu was a bit relieved. Also she found solace when she knew that the charge was taken by the two family Doctors who reached Nasik around 7am travelling 600km in a night.

 The 48 hours of critical state passed away and the doctors ran a round of tests again. The problem was spotted and reduced as well. Took the oxygen away from my nostrils for an hour to notice that the saturation was still above 95. Two days of close observations happened.

The final attendance again….

How’s the josh?

Heart ?                 - High sir!

Liver?                  - High sir !

Kidneys?              -High Sir!  

Lungs?                  - Good enough

 

Now the liquid jacket around my Lungs is getting thinner and I am becoming thicker by the day.

 

That was the order of disorder!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the virus.

Denga is a Spanish prefix that mean sudden cramps. From here the word Dengue got in use.

Recovery from the infection by one Dengue virus provides lifelong immunity against that particular virus serotype. However this immunity confers only partial and transient protection against subsequent infection by the other three serotypes of virus.

The four Serotypes are DEN-1, DEN-2, Den-3 and DEN-4. Though closely related these four viruses are genetically distinct. They are called serotypes because they interact differently with antibodies in human blood serum.