The End of my “Special Vacation”!

A week has passed since I ended my “special vacation”. I had been taken 27 days for it! L

Wow! During those 27 days of my “special vacation”, this actually was my hospitalised in a hospital. I was having the blood test regularly, being the “guinea pig” for the medical students or the doctors whom would go for their specialist for examined. Sometimes, even the student nurses also came to me, but of course I rejected some of them too. As too many made me frustrated.

 

During my hospitalised, I had met 3 neighbours whom are the patients who next to my bed. One of them who had become my longest duration of neighbour was discharged a day earlier than me. She was an old granny whom aged 76 and with breathing problem. But she was a very friendly and happy granny. Both of us were talked in our mother tongue, Hakka, one of the dialects of Chinese as both of us were Hakka. The other 2 neighbours were a Chinese lady and Malay lady. But they were stayed for a short time.

 

Anyway, during my hospitalised, I was very bored, so I was online with my mobile phone and readings, sleeping to rest. Sometimes I was also watching movies with my laptop. This was how I spent my time there. My friends and relatives came to visit me sometimes. I even received a basket of flowers with fruits from my friends who could not come to visit me. I was surprised to receive it! :P My mother was there for me everyday as she brought the home cooked food for me. I was really grateful to my mum as she was having leg pain and still came to see me everyday. On the first two days of my hospitalised, she was even staying overnight with me in the ward. I was feeling really grateful to mum but at the same time also feeling sorry to her that I had caused trouble to her and my family at home too. My mum had to rush from home to bring me the food as I did not like to eat the food that served by the hospital as mainly spicy or was not tasted good.

 

Anyway, the nurses and the staff were very friendly to me during my hospitalised and I even had the room with the view of the city. Thus, I could see night view and fireworks displayed on the Eve of Deepavali and Awal Muharram. I could see the fireworks from different places! :P Well, at least it helped me to forget the time I was in the hospital. Guess what?! When my chest specialist told me that I could be discharged, OMG, I was so happy and I thanked him so much and another doctor saw me and felt happy for me too. After suffering 27 days, “kissed” by the “vampires”, I meant blood taking by the doctor for blood test, I could stop all those suffer! Until today, even a week had passed; my hands still have some bruises as not fully recovered from the needle poking! L

 

One week has passed since I ended the “special vacation”! The feeling is GOOD to be at home! Feel nice to sleep on my own bed. However, I have to stay at home for the moment as I needed to avoid going to the public / crowded places as advised by the doctor. Next I have to go back for my follow-up in beginning of December together with the chest X-ray. Hopefully I would be better at that time. During at home, I am trying to eat and to put on weight as I had lost weight on my “vacation”. So, I am trying to eat more and healthy food to put on weight now.

 

Lastly, I would like to thank all the doctors, nurses and staff who being friendly and taken good care of me during my hospitalised. To thank my friends and relatives who came to visit me and to thank my friends who had given me support, cheer-up on my FB. I am really touched by you all. However, there was one person that I would like to say “THANK YOU” the most is to my dearest mother. She is always there for me no matter what had happened to me, no complaints from her and always staying by my side. I know that is the love of mother to her child. Thus, I would like to say to my mother, I LOVE YOU & THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE FOR ME!!! J

My "Special Vacation"

Today is the day 12 of my "special vacation". But don't be jealous or feel happy for me for already having 12 days of vacation. My "special vacation" is meant that I have been admitted into the hospital! 

Yes, today is the day 12 of my staying in the hospital since 9th October 2014. The reason for the admission is I am having bacteria infections in the lung. Thus, I need to have the antibiotics treatment. My treatment is having 3 types of different antibiotics, they are Amikaxin, Lefloxacin, and Azithromizin. The Amikaxin is required to be in I.V treatment whereas the other 2 antibiotics are in oral treatment. 

Besides the antibiotics treatment, I also have to be "kissed" by the "vampire" in every 3 days. This means that I would have blood test in every 3 days to check if the quantity of the antibiotics is suited for  me, or required to increase or decrease the dosage. Moreover, the blood test is required to be done at before and after the antibiotic I.V treatment. This is the reason I called "vampire" for the doctor who comes to take my blood, ie . "kiss"! Haha! Don't you think my description is suitable for that?! :P 

Well, my special vacation has to be here at least until month end. I am still waiting for the result of the bronchoscopy which I have done on the day of my admission. Once the result is out,  the doctor then only found out the exact sickness of mine and decide for further decision. Thus, my "special vacation" is depend on my broncocospy result. 

I wish this special vacation would be ended soon so that I could return to my home. May God blessing me!! ! 

OMG! I Almost Celebrated My Mid-Autumn Fest at the Hospital!!!

9/9/2014 was the day of the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. It was considered as one of the major Chinese Festivals. However, on the early morning of 8/9/2014, 3:30am, I was having hemorrhage, i.e. coughing out blood and my mum has rushed me the hospital for treatment.

 

This was my third time of the hemorrhage since Year 2011. I was sent to the ER of the hospital for the treatment and then only been sent to the ward by afternoon on 8/9/2014. I was so shocked that I was having such sickness again as I was just having my chest follow-up on 13/8/2014 and the chest specialist has informed me that my condition has improved based on my Chest X-ray. The doctor even told me did not need to go for further tests except I have to put on some weight.

 

Gosh, I had not imagined that I was then having the reoccurance of the hemorrhage after about 2 weeks after my follow-up! :( So, when I was given treatment in the ER, again, my hands had been inserted needle for the line and taking blood for test, chest x-ray, etc.. I was put on the oxygen mask to let me breath smoothly.

 

The doctor has arranged me in an isolation ward as they suspected I was infected pulmonary tuberculosis. The room was for one person. All the nurses, doctors or any visitors who came into my room were required to wear the mask for protection. I was given antibiotic treatment. The doctors came to examine me after I have sent to the ward and he had postponed my CT scan to the next day and he told me to rest for the day. Thus, I was  postponed my CT scan to the following day as instructed by the doctor. I was thinking that how long would I be staying in the ward for this time as the next day would be the Mid-Autumn Fest. I was feeling a bit sad then when this crossed my mind.

 

I needed to take some medicines thrice before I went for the CT scan due to I was allergy to some medicines. Besides, I had to fast before the CT scan too. So, by 11:30am of 9/9/2014, I had sent for the CT scan and the procedure was taking about 10 minutes maximum. After that, I could eat my meal as I was hungry. My mother has returned home to prepare meal for me and I was alone in the ward. I was listening to the songs, surfing net or playing games on my mobile to pass the time. Of course I also took some nap to rest.

 

By 3:40pm, the doctor came to my room and told me that she could discharge me by today as I did not infect any tubercolosis based on my CT scan result and the reason for my hemorrhage was due to my heart problem. She told me that I could go back home already and I required to have regular follow-up then. I was so happy to hear it and I quickly called my mother to inform her that the doctor had discharged me and I could return home. So, I started to pack my stuff and waited for my mother to be here. By 5:30pm, we finally received my discharged documents and we left the hospital and to go home.

 

Finally we reached home by 7:15pm as there was traffic congestion on our way home. I was so glad to be at home even I was at the hospital for 1.5 days but it was still a suffer for me! Anyway, I was glad that I was at home for the festival as I was almost "celebrated" the Mid-Autumn Fest in the ward!

Lastly, I would like to thank all my friends and relatives who had sent me messages during my hospitalisation, I would like to inform you all I was fine and I would take good care of myself to recover from my sickness. Thank you all for your concerns! May God bless you all!!! :)

Hospitalisation for 3 Weeks

Gosh, I have been staying in the UMMC ward for 3 weeks already. The reason is I have the rheumothorax re-occured. :( Again I have to go through all the suffers again, putting the chest-tube into my lung to let the air out, encounter the chest pain and shortness of breath.

 

Luckily the doctors and nurses here are very friendly. Some of the nurses even could recall my name by seeing me. Thus, I was telling me family that I am here for my "vacation"again! This is just to cheer myself up as not to feel down for it.

 

I have been many times of chest x-rays and CT scan this time. I knew there would be radiation for the side effects, but no choice I have to go for it in order to check on my condition. I really wish that I would recover soon and go back home as I miss my home!!! So, I am praying to God that I would have a speed recovery and may God bless you all!!!

 

3 Weeks Past

What have you done in the past 3 weeks? Enjoying your trip? Relaxing working? Busy net surfing? For me, I have been hospitalised for 3 weeks already due to pneumothorax! L During those 3 weeks, I have been taken many times of x-ray, few times of CT scan, needles poking on hands. It is really suffering.

The doctors came to examine me this morning and told me that I still have to wait as there are still bubbles coming out from my lung. I have to wait all the bubbles out. No wonder the doctor told me it is a “Waiting Game” for me and them.

I wish there would be a miracle for me as I could recover at soonest so that I could go home.

Is it my Fate?!

Gosh, I have been gone through the same thing for these 3 continuous Chinese New Year! For the past 2 years, I was celebrating my Chinese New Year in the hospital and I was thinking that this year I would have a healthy and cheerful CNY celebration with my family and friends. I was wrong. I only have spent 2 days of CNY with my family and I got admitted on the third day of CNY, i.e. 12/2/2013. 

I was having the thought of having a happy CNY for me in this year due to I was feeling alright as when I had returned for my chest check up just a few days before the CNY and my chest specialist was telling me that I could have my CNY at home this year. Both of us were happy for that. However, when I met him in the ward after I admitted, he was shocked to see me as he said that I looked ok on the day of check-up which was just few days ago. I then answered him back “I also don’t know!”  

So, here I am in the hospital for about 19 days. I yet to know when I could be discharged as my case has become complicated. I saw the patients who were having the same diagnosed with me had discharged already, most of the patients who were same ward as I were either mostly discharged or transferred to another room. Thus, I have met many new patients around me.

The sickness that I am diagnosed is called pneumothorax, which means the collapse of lungs. This is a sudden attacked to the patient, the person who easily have it are those who are weak, lungs problem or thin and tall. Mostly this is more attacked to the men. However, I was the unlucky as my lungs are weak and I was having the attacked on the middle of night. I did not realise I am having pneumothorax until I went to the hospital for treatment and the doctors examined me and given me the treatment.  FYI, after attacked by pneumothorax, the person would feel pain and having shortness of breath. When taking a deep breath, it would feel very painful.

I was having good condition after the treatment but then it becomes complicated. Thus I would need sometime more for my recover. I cannot do anything now but to wait for my lungs to recover. This is the reason I am in the hospital for more than 2 weeks.

I really don’t understand why did I have my CNY in the hospital in these years, is it a fate for me?! A coincident timing?! I really wish it is NOT as I am frightened to stay in the hospital and it would make people depress easily, especially when saw the patient dead, or in severe condition, e.g. Cancer patients, or the family cries. I really do not want to see all those happenings repeatedly.

I am always telling myself to stay strong and hang on; all those incidents would not affect me. But I also not sure that how long could I hold on for it as I feel depressing sometimes.

Lastly, GOD please helps me to have speed recovery as I miss my home, my own bed.   

My 12.12.12

If you have been following my blog, you would know that I had to go to the UMMC in today for the report of my chest bronchoscopy which I done in last month. Well, I went to the Chest Clinic of the UMMC in this morning. I waited until 10am then only was my turn.

 

While I was waiting for my turn, I was very nervous. I was afraid that the result would show not good or the chest specialist wanted me to be admitted for the medical treatment (touch wood). I was really worried and nervous while waiting for my turn.

 

Well, when finally my number was being called, I went to the consultation room. My chest specialist was smiling to me and I greeted to him too. He was asking how was I feeling and I told him that I feel alright and have some coughing occasionally. Then he was reading the report and was smiling for it. He told me that there was not any bacteria shown in my lungs according to the report, and I needed to continue my oral treatment. I asked him if I need not to be admitted and he said "yes". I was relieved to hear that! :) The doctor then told the nurse to check my weight and then he said I am underweight, I knew it too as I am very skinny.

 

The doctor advised me to gain weight as the person who was underweight would have weak immune system and then would cause osteoporosis in future. He advised me to eat more. He was then asking my heaviest weight that I had before and I told him it was during my high school days and he was teasing me for it. He was joking to me that I would have blown away by the strong wind as per my weight now. Anyway, the doctor wanted me to continue my treatment and I needed to go back for follow-up after 2 months time.

 

I wanted to thank to GOD that my result shown good and the lucky thing was that I would not need to be hospitalised for the medical treatment. I wish I would stay healthy always!!! God bless!!! So, my 12.12.12 is a good day!!! :)

12.12.12

In less than 10 hours, it would be the day of 12.12.2012. Many people like this date as it is a special date as it happens once a thousand years. Some people may celebrate such date in special way as they think it is the 10 days before the Doomsday. Some couples would have their marriage on this day.

 

However, 12.12.12 is also a day which is nervous for me. The reason is that I have to go to the UMMC to get my report for the chest bronchoscopy that I have done in end of October. If my report shows not good, I guess I have to get admission again for the medical treatment. I wish my history would not happen, as last year, I went for my report and the chest specialist wanted me to admit immediately and have treatment. I was hospitalised for 2 full months or 60 days!!! :(

 

Thus, I pray for the history would not be repeat this time. I rather to take more medicines for my treatment instead of being hospitalised. By staying in the hospital, I would become very emotional and I could not stop for being injection! I would not want to face such things again.

 

I pray to the God that my result would be OK as I would not be admitted for the medical treatment. So, my friends, kindly pray for me together to the God! I already felt very nervous for 12.12.12 for my result and I could not have good sleep at night for the past few days.

 

I wish that I would have good news for my result tomorrow! Please pray for me and wish me luck my friends!!! May God bless me!!! 

Sufferings from the Chest Bronchoscopy

I returned to the chest clinic of the UMMC for my chest follow-up in last Wednesday. I also did the chest X-ray. The chest specialist told me that my chest x-ray was alright, nothing changes and I needed to continue my treatment still. He then wanted me to go for the bronchoscopy again on the next day, i.e. the Thursday. The reason for the bronchoscopy was that I could not provide the phlegm (as usual), thus by carried out the bronchoscopy would get to know if my lungs would have the bacteria still.

I had to fast for an overnight before my bronchoscopy. On Thursday morning, I went to the Endoscopy Unit of the UMMC for my bronchoscopy procedure. I waited around 9am, and then it was my turn. A Chinese male doctor was carried the procedure for me. He explained the procedure to me and after I understood it, I had to sign the consent form for the procedure.

It was taken about an hour for the procedure. After I was done for it, I felt very weak and sleepy, thus I took some rest at the waiting area of the Endoscopy unit. I felt my throat was aching too and I was kept on coughing, I managed to cough out some phlegm at that time. I think after I rested about an hour, I left the hospital and headed home.

However, I still felt unwell after day. I could not eat the hard food, just a little bit of porridge as my meal. The reason was that my throat was pain. I was feeling cold and badly headache and giddiness. I was having some mild fever too. All those are the effects of the bronchoscopy.

Luckily on the next day, my fever had gone. But I was still having some sore throat and some coughing until today. I wish I could recover from those ASAP as I was suffering stomach pain from my coughing. In the meantime, I have to wait for my bronchoscopy result for 6 weeks time. I would only get to know it during my next chest appointment on the mid of December. I wish my result would be ok!!!

My Chest Follow-up

I returned to the UMMC for my chest follow-up on Monday morning since I discharged a month ago. Luckily I did not need to wait for long queue. I managed to see my Chest doctor by 9:30am. According to the doctor, my condition is OK as I do not have any more coughing and thus I have to continue with my medicines everyday. I still have to take 3 types of antibiotics for my treatment for at least a year and to have my follow-up in every 3 months time. My next follow-up would be in June.

Well, I wish that with the medicines I am taking, I would be able to recover soon. Here I would like to apologise to my friends that I would not be able to go to the public area for this period of time as I need to take good care and watch out my health carefully. The reason to stay out from the crowded area is to prevent any infection from others on me. So, I could not have any meet-up with you all at outside! :P

Anyway, since I am staying at home most of the time nowadays, I do many readings and also exchanging postcards or letters with my foreign friends. So I would not waste my time easily and feel bored to stay at home. If you have come across any interesting book, you may recommend to me! :D

My Third Bronchoscopy

I have my bronchoscopy done on 9/2/2012 and it is the 3^rd time for me. I have to fast for at least 12 hours prior the procedure. Anyway, I was put into full sedation by the doctor in this time. The doctor who did the procedure for me is the chest specialist whom I always visit for my follow-up. I was surprised to see him after I had pushed into the room for the procedure as I was feeling nervous who the doctor would do the bronchoscopy for me.

The doctor sprayed some anaesthetic into my throat to numb it but I felt it tasted disgusting and it made me wanted to vomit. Then I was instructed to lie down on the bed and put on the oxygen mask and wearing the checking BP cuffs on my hand and I was started feeling dizziness and then became unconscious.

When I was awake, the procedure was done and I was not in the room anymore and I saw the nurses from my ward were there and then they pushed me back to my ward. I could feel that my throat was hurt and my lip was swollen. I guess the feeling of swell was due to the anaesthetic. I was feeling very tired and drowsiness still after returned to my bed. I could not eat and drink for 2 hours after the procedure. So I was taken my rest. When it reached the time for me to eat, I could only eat a little bit of porridge and then a burger by small bites. After my meal, I was still feeling sleepy or drowsiness, I guess it was still the effect of the anaesthetic, thus I went to bed and I had been slept for 2 hours. I was been sleeping for the whole afternoon on that day!

2 days have passed now since my scope, I did not have fever as at todate and my throat is not so painful anymore, it still hurts a bit. But I have the coughing and I told the doctor as he said it is normal for having the cough after the procedure. So now I wish that my cough would stop soon and wish that the result of my scope is good.

Hot Water Please!

Gosh! There is no hot water available in the bathroom of my ward for 3 days. Yes, I am still in the hospital and I could not have my bath in satisfaction since 3 days ago. I was wondering what has happened to the hot water in the ward here as there has no hot water available in the bathroom for the whole floor.

This happened to me in 3 days ago. When I took my bath, I realised that the hot water temperature was not the same as the normal days it is used to be. The water came out in the hot water pipe was a little bit warm and eventually became cold instead. I was thinking that it was just my imagination (I was having some giddiness at that time) or the hot water in my bathroom was not in function well. So I was finished washing my hair and took my bath in a quick pace. When the cleaner came to clean my bathroom, I told her that there was no hot water available in my bathroom and she told me that the whole floor had no hot water available too due to some technical problem. Thus, report had been made and had to wait for the maintenance staff to do something for it.

I was patiently waited for 2 days and yet there was no hot water available as at todate. I made the complaint to the nurses few times and they told me the maintenance staff had repaired it on yesterday but nothing had changed or even improved. Every time when I turned on the hot water pipe, it was cold water instead of hot water. Thus I could not have my hot shower for the past few days; instead I was having cold shower. Every time after I finished my shower I felt cold as the water was cold for me, therefore, I was bathed in very quick pace as I did not want to catch flu. However, I did not know that how long I could stand the coldness for my bath as I started to have cold already. I did not want to fall sick, but I could not stand it for myself as not

taking bath for a day.

Tomorrow is the Monday, I wish that the maintenance staff could repair it ASAP so that the hot water is resumed and I could have my satisfaction hot bath. I guess that I was not the only patient here would like the hot water to resume soon, so are others. Thus, HOT WATER, PLEASE!!!

Extend from 42 days to 60 days or More?!

Today is the day 43 for me in the hospital here. The doctor told me that my treatment would be stopped at 6 weeks which mean 42 days, and then the doctors changed the decision to 2 months, i.e. 60 days. Gosh, it is a new record for me to stay in the hospital for such a long period. It is a first experience for me now! L

So, I would have my bronchoscopy on 9/2/2012. This is due to I do not have any phlegm to provide for the sputum test. No choice I have to go for the scope procedure for the doctors to check. I could foresee that I would have fever again. Sob sob….

Well, during my stay in the hospital, I noticed that there are many ‘stories’ behind the beds. What I meant is that every patients have their own stories like their sorrows, problems, etc.. E.g. A lady patient is here for almost 2 years in the isolation ward and her husband is here to take care of her everyday. This patient is in coma, and I think her husband is really love her very much and even the nurses said he is a very good husband.

Another patient is a teenager girl, who has skin problem. She always admitted here due to her skin is very sensitive and she comes from a single parent family. Her mum and she are the only family and they are having the help from the welfare society. This patient is looked quite lovely but her face is with so much reddish and so are her hands. Her mother has to keep her bed very clean to avoid any infection to her skin. While I was staying here, she had discharged but then she came back about 3 days later. When she was discharged, I saw her face was ok, but when she returned to the ward, her face was reddish again. According to her mum, this patient had applied one month leave from her school and she was yet to return to the school and then came back to the hospital again. I felt sorry to her.

So, those are the only small part of the stories I blogged here. I think I would share with you for more of the ‘Behind the Beds’ stories in next time.

Back to my own case, I wonder when I would be discharged. During my 40 plus days here, I managed to watch 4 TV series (1 Korean and 3 HK TV series), few movies and 2 Japanese anime series. Since I would have another 2 weeks to stay here, I guess I could go for another TV series here.  Haha! Moreover I have 12 neighbours (as at todate) as my next bedded. As I required to stay for 2 months here as instructed by the doctor, I really wish that I would have a full recover before I discharge and hopefully on day 60 I could go back home with full recovered and without any extension anymore.

GONG XI FA CAI

2 more days will be the Lunar New Year as it is the year of Dragon. All the people, especially the Chinese are very exciting for this New Year. Many families will have their baby dragons in this year I believe.

Anyway, I will have my Chinese New Year celebration in the hospital again for this year. Yes, I said “again” as I was having my CNY in the same ward in last year too! L Well, I will not feel sad as before as I thought of the positive side, I will have my treatment here until my recovery and then I would have a healthy body. So I would not blame anything for it.  Moreover, all the nurses here are very friendly and I am already familiar with them as we always joke around.

Although I could not go back home for the CNY, the doctor allows me to go back home for few hours in the day time on the CNY Eve and 1^st day of CNY. It is called home leave but it is an exceptional case for me as it is not practice always. So I manage to go back home for few hours in the daytime. Well at least I could see and feel my own bed after staying here for 32 days. Although it is only few hours to be home, I am also very glad for it.

So, tomorrow is the Chinese New Year Eve, the Rabbit year is ending soon, and the DRAGON is coming! I am wishing you to have a Happy & Prosperous Chinese New Year. May the year of Dragon brings you good health, happiness, success and prosperity!!!

GONG XI FA CAI!!!

My Day 17 in the Hospital!

For those who have been followed my blog would have known that I had been admitted in the UMMC on 21/12/2011 due to I have diagnosed with mycobacterium abscessus. Well, today is the 17^th day for me here, and I have to stay for another 10 more days at least. L

Well, the antibiotics treatment for such sickness is minimum 3 weeks. For my case as it is quite serious, the doctor wants me to stay for 4 weeks for the treatment. I am still wondering if I could be discharged for my Chinese New Year.  According to the doctor, if I have been discharged for the CNY, it only would be for a few days and then I needed to be re-admitted for the antibiotics treatment via IV. This is due to some antibiotics could not be taken orally but by injection or IV. Anyway, the doctor is yet to decide for my discharge date. I need to go through the chest X-ray and/or CT scan before my discharge in order to see if there are any improvements for me. After all those past 16 days of treatment, at least my coughing is better nowadays as I have reduced my coughing times, as I am only cough once awhile. However, I was having the side effects from the antibiotics, i.e. diarrhea. It really was a suffer for me, luckily the doctor given me the medication for it. Besides, I am also required to have blood test twice for checking my liver function in every 3 or 4 days. The reason is as I am on few types of antibiotics treatment, the doctor worries that it would affect my liver, therefore,  I have to let the “vampire”(which is the doctor) to “suck”(which means using the needle to take) my blood. This makes me that I am having many “bites”(the needle pokes) on my 2 hands! Sob...sob…FYI, it hurts!!!

The served food by the hospital is not tasted good and my mother cooked from the home and brought it to me everyday. Luckily most of the nurses here are with kind and helpful gratitude and some are also very friendly and they are treating me well. Some of them even have recognised me and said that I am back here again. Well, at least I would not feel so lonely here. But I still miss my home and my warm bed. Guess what? My mother brought my own pillow for me. :P  FYI, I was able to watch the fireworks displays from my ward here on the counting down of the New Year. So, I was celebrating the New Year with my mother, my next bedded patient and her nephew here at the chest ward of UMMC! We were wishing each other Happy New Year when the fireworks started! Guess it was the first experience for 4 of us that to celebrate the New Year in the ward. Haha!

So, I have to stay for some more days here, I wish I would have a speedy recovery and to have a good health for my own. I will stay strong to overcome all the pains and wish all of you to give me support for it. Lastly, may God bless you!!!

Mycobacterium Abscessus

In my previous post, I have mentioned that I have diagnosed with mycobacterium abscessus and I said that I would provide the link for your information. However, I have missed to do so and I would like to apologise for it. So, here is the link for you for further details, Mycobacterium Abscessus.

FYI, I also do not know what are the symptoms of such illness. For my case, I am having cough on and off and have a little bit of phlegm sometimes. Due to I could not provide phlegm for the sputum test to the chest doctor, he did the bronchoscopy for me and then the result shows that I have diagnosed with it. According to the doctor, I have such illness due to my body immune system is too weak, thus, I got such illness! :(

Anyway, I'm still having the treatment at the hospital now. I wish that I would recover soon! So, take care all of you!!!

OMG! I’m Admitted Again!!! :(

Last Wednesday (21/12/2011), I returned to the UMMC to check my chest bronchoscopy result with my chest specialist. I have blogged about my chest bronchoscopy in my previous post. Guess what?! The chest specialist informed me that my result was not good as I have diagnosed with mycobacterium abscessus and I was required to admit for the treatment immediately. Then he was making the arrangement for me to enter the chest ward. I have been waiting for about 5 hours then only managed to enter the ward. Luckily I was been arranged to 2 bedded ward.

Anyway, I was given 2 types of antibiotic IV and another one type of antibiotic for oral daily. One of the 2 types of antibiotic called Tienam for IV has to be taken 3 times per day and another type is needed for one time only. According to my chest specialist, my treatment is required for 2 to 4 weeks and after that I still need to continue treatment for at least a year. According to the doctor, the illness mycobacterium abscessus is easy to diagnose for the person with weak immune system, therefore I got such illness as such bacteria could be found in everywhere, for example soil. If you would like to know more details about mycobacterium abscessus, you may click here.

I started to admit on 21/12/2011, so I was celebrating my DongZhi Festival and Christmas at the ward. I am such an unlucky person as I was having my Chinese New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival at the hospital too in this year as I was also admitted during those days. This is the 4th time for my admission in this year. Sob sob!!! :(

So I am here at the ward, taking IV and medicine everyday. There is also side effect of the antibiotic, which is diarrhea. Thus, I am having diarrhea for few days since I started the treatment and the doctor also given me medicine for my diarrhea. Today is the 7th day for me in the ward and also taken 2 times of blood for test. The reason for twice is pre and post antibiotic IV.

The food of the hospital is not tasted good and the air-cond is sometimes too cold. Gosh, I have to cover with 2 blankets and my own towel for my sleep as it is even colder at night time. However, sometimes the air-cond is not cool enough and feels warm. I could not adjust the temperature due to it is centralised system. I guess such environment would make the patients even sicker. Moreover, I think I would become the “guinea pig” as there were many medical students around here and they like to approach me to ask some questions and checking and this is what I HATE the most. I am feeling like a “white mice” for them instead. Sometimes, I just reject their request.

Since the doctor said my treatment is required for at least 2 weeks, so I would celebrate my new year of 2012 here too. Due to my admission, I could not send off my cousin sister and nephew for their further study at Canada and USA respectively as they are leaving in this morning and tomorrow. So, I just wish them all the best and good luck here. I really wish that I would not be celebrating my Chinese New Year here; I wish that I could be at home for my Chinese New Year. I’m praying to the God to bless me so that I could recover and be discharged soon. I also wish that may God bless you all!!!

Side Effects of the Bronchoscopy

I had done the CT scan for my lungs on 18th November at UMMC. I then was having my chest follow-up about 2 weeks later, which was on 5th December. According to my Chest doctor, the condition of my lungs had gone worsened as compared to the results of my CT scan that I done in year 2009. Thus he wanted me to go for the bronchoscopy of the lungs on the next day since I was having cough for quite sometime and could not provide the phlegm for the sputum test.


Bronchoscopy is a technique of visualizing the inside of the airways for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. An instrument (bronchoscope) is inserted into the airways, usually through the nose or mouth, or occasionally through a tracheotomy. So, I was having my lung bronchoscopy carried out on 6th December morning at the UMMC. I had to fast for 12 hours before the procedure. My chest doctor carried the procedure for me. Before the procedure started, the doctor explained the procedure for me and told me the side effects after the bronchoscopy. According to the doctor, some people might have fever, coughing out blood due to the procedure. Then I had to sign a consent letter for carried out the bronchoscopy.

Before the procedure started, the doctor had given me some medications to anesthetize and then I was lying down flatly on a bed. I was monitored during the procedure with periodic blood pressure checks, continuous ECG monitoring of the heart, and pulse oximetry. I was also wearing the oxygen tube. The procedure was carried in a special room. The doctor had inserted a flexible bronchoscope into my mouth. The instrument was advanced to the trachea and further down into the bronchial system and each area is inspected as the bronchoscope passes. I was conscious during the procedure and it was a suffering for me as I felt a bit irritating that there was a tube in my throat and it felt very uncomfortable. I recalled that I was unconscious for such procedure when I first did in year 2009. But this time I was conscious. Anyway, the procedure was taken about 20 minutes.

After the procedure, I was pushed to another room to rest. I was having badly cough for a while and also giddiness. All those were the side effects after the procedure. FYI, it is required someone to accompany the patient who carried such procedure. I was still wearing the oxygen tube due to I felt breathless after the procedure done. I think I was taken about an hour plus by lying on the bed to rest and then only I felt better. The chest doctor came to see me and he told my mum and me that he would see me in 2 weeks later for the results. So my next appointment would be on 21/12.

After taken the rest and felt better, I left the UMMC and headed home. Guess what?! Due to I was very weak, I got fever as the doctor told me that it was the side effects of the bronchoscopy. Gosh, I was having the fever on and off for 5 days then only I had recovered. It really made me very suffering. Moreover, I am very worried for the results of the bronchoscopy as I wish it would not be a serious case. So, now I only could wait until this Wednesday for my results but nothing else!!!

My Angiogram Experiences – Part 2

My second angiogram was taken on 23/9/2011. The radiologist who carried this procedure for me was a Malay male doctor, named. Dr. Hazman. His assistant was a Chinese female radiologist. The reason for me to have the second time of angiogram was that I was still having haemoptysis after a day I got discharged from the hospital. Thus, I was admitted again on 22/9/2011. :(

My second angiogram was taken 3 hours for the procedure. Again, I was being given an injection to prevent any allergies and to sign the consent letter before the procedure started. It was a totally different experience for me for my second angiogram. I was suffered for my second angiogram procedure. It took me 3 hours for the procedure and I was having sudden chest pain in the middle of the procedure. The radiologists then quickly stopped the procedure for about 15 minutes and they called a heart doctor came to check on me. I told the heart doctor I was having the chest pain and it was the area that the radiologist had inserted the catheter. Then they let me rested for awhile, of course I was still lying on the bed to rest but I was sweated so much too, I think it was a cold sweat for me. One of the nurses helped me to wipe off my sweat as she wanted me to feel relief. After awhile, the radiologists started the angiogram again and this time he was telling me just to hold my breath for 5 seconds for the x-rays. Both the radiologists for my 2 angiogram procedures were kept on asking me if I was feeling ok during the procedure and they also talked to me.

I was wearing the oxygen mask during the procedure and I had been using 6 bottles of oxygen tank for my 2nd angiogram. After the procedure done, I was very tired and felt very weak. I also had no mood to talk as I felt strengthless and just wanted to sleep. My mother was accompanied me for the whole night. I could not move my leg for 6 hours again of course.

On the next day, after I woke up. I was having chest pain and when I swallowed the food, I felt painful for my chest too. I told the doctor about it and the doctor advised me did not eat too much at one time, he told me to eat a little bit in few times and it was the side effects of the angiogram. Then I was taken some liquid food on that day as I felt my chest pain when I eaten the solid food.

Few days later, the radiologist, Dr. Hazman came to my ward to see me. He asked if I could walk. I told him I could walk and he said it was good. Then he told me the side effects of the angiogram, he said some people would have back pain, it would last for 1 week to 4 weeks. I then told him no wonder I was having back pain, He said it was normal and I could take pain-killer to stop the pain or apply some cream too. FYI, I was having the back pain for 4 weeks after the angiogram and I did not take any pain killers to ease my pain due to I did not want to take so many medicines. I just asked my mother to apply cream for me for 3 times daily. Frankly speaking, the back pain really made me suffered so much. My mother advised me to take pain-killer but I rejected.

Besides back pain, I was also having coolness for my right fingers for a week after my angiogram as it was one of the side effects too. Another side effect of the angiogram was shortness of breath. Guess what?! I could not run away from it, and I got that side effect too and it was really made me suffered.

Since my second angiogram, I got back pain and shortness of breath easily. Even I walked for few paces, I felt shortness of breath. Thus, I had to wear the oxygen mask most of the time during my hospitalisation. After I got discharged, I was using the oxygen concentrator. Like I said, I got the shortness of breath easily, thus, I was staying at home to rest and most of the time I was lie down on the bed or sofa as I was having back pain too. But sometimes, I also forced myself to walk for a while as doing some exercises. FYI, in the first two weeks after I got discharged, my mother was washing my hair and bathed for me. This was due to I was too weak to do those by myself as I got shortness of breath easily. Thus, I was depending on the oxygen concentrator so much during those time. I even felt like lazy to talk, therefore I did not talk much during those days and I also only managed to talk in the soft-tone. When I felt angry, I felt my back pain and started to have shortness of breath, thus, I controlled my temper so much at those time.

It is already 2 months passed my angiograms, and I am feeling much better now. At least I would not have shortness of breath easily now and my back pain had eased. Thus I hope my health would recover soon and the 2 angiograms for me were really a “special” kind of experience for me and I am having 2 wounds in my groin.

My Angiogram Experiences – Part 1

For those who have been followed my blog would have known that I had admitted into hospital twice in the month of September. This was due to I was having quite serious haemoptysis or coughing out blood. Moreover I was having twice for the angiogram for my lungs too or it is also known as bronchial artery embolisation. Now I would like to share with you for my 2 times of the angiogram experiences.

An angiogram is an imaging test that uses x-rays to view our body’s blood vessels. Physicians/radiologists often use this test to study narrow, blocked, enlarged, or malformed arteries or veins in many parts of the body, including the brain, heart, abdomen, and legs. The physician may recommend an angiogram to diagnose a variety of vascular conditions, including:

• Blockages of the arteries outside of the heart, called peripheral artery disease (PAD)
• Enlargements of the arteries, called aneurysms
• Kidney artery conditions, called renovascular conditions
• Problems in the arteries that branch off the aorta, called aortic arch conditions
• Malformed arteries, called vascular malformations
• Problems with the veins, such as deep venous thrombosis (DVT) or blood clots in the
   lungs called pulmonary emboli

I was having one of the problems above, i.e. bleeding from the lungs and therefore I coughed out blood seriously. The reason for bleeding from my lungs was some of the veins in my lungs had “burst” and caused the bleeding. As I was a TB patient before, my lungs already had some scars, thus those scars caused the infection of lung and eventually I was having badly cough and thus the bleeding started. :(

My first angiogram for the lung was taken on 16/9/2011 during the evening time and it only taken an hour for such procedure. However, as for my second angiogram, it took me 3 hours for the procedure and it was done on 23/9/2011 which was also done in the evening. 2 different radiologists carried the angiogram for me respectively. The first radiologist was a Malay lady and the second radiologist was a Malay guy whom I think he is a very good and experienced radiologist. Both of my angiograms were treated as the emergency cases.

Before my 1st angiogram taken, the house doctor had given me an injection as to avoid the risk for an allergic reaction on me. Then I also required to sign a consent letter for carried out the angiogram as there are risks for such procedure. The radiologist asked if I was allergies to the seafood. Allergies can increase the risk of a reaction to the contrast dye. The extra fluid associated with angiograms can sometimes cause problems for patients whose hearts have poor pumping ability, such as those with congestive heart failure. I told the radiologist that I am not allergies to the seafood, and then she said it is OK, and did not need to worry. After that, I signed on the consent letter and then I was pushed into the room for the angiogram.

Once entered the room, I saw it was a room equipped with a specialized machine with 3 monitors. I was told by the nurses to lie on a bed and then I was instructed to lower my panty due to the radiologist was required to insert the angiographic catheter into an artery in my groin. I was very nervous at that time too. I was also wearing the oxygen mask for the whole procedure. Before the insertion, the assistant of the radiologist (who was also a radiologist) cleaned my skin in the area to reduce the risk of infection. I was very embarrassing at that time due to it was a male assistant radiologist to do it. He then numbed my skin with an anaesthetic and then the main radiologist told me that they would make a tiny puncture to reach the artery with a needle. The radiologist done it in a very fast pace and once she inserted, she told me the worst part which was the most painful for the procedure had done. She told me to relax and breathe normally. FYI, I was conscious for the whole procedure.

After the radiologists inserted the catheter, I could see the monitors were showing some images. I think it was showing my lungs and I could see the heart was pumping too. Later, I found that it advances a thin wire through the needle, threads a catheter over the wire, and guided it to the desired location. The radiologist used x-rays that were projected on a video screen, a process called fluoroscopy, to see the catheter as it moved through the arteries or blood vessels.

When the radiologist had positioned the catheter properly, she injected the contrast dye as she told me that I would have a bit of warm feeling because the contrast dye entered my bloodstream. I did feel the mild warm feeling. She then started the procedure by instructing her assistant to take more x-ray images to see how the contrast was flowing through the arteries. During the procedure, I was asked by the radiologists to hold my breath for about 5 to 10 seconds as they needed to take the x-rays. I think I was told to do it for few times. The radiologists also told me to lie perfectly still to prevent sudden movements from blurring the x-ray pictures. But I did some fidgeting during the procedure for few times as I could not stop helping it.

Well, my first angiogram procedure was going smooth and it only took an hour for it. In my first angiogram, the radiologists only put 6 coirs into my lungs to patch the blood vessels to stop the bleeding. After the end of the procedure, the radiologist removed the catheter and then the assistant pressed the insertion site which was my wound for about 20 minutes to help stop bleeding and then pasted the plaster to cover my wound. Then he told me to keep my leg straight and to lie down straight for 6 hours to minimize bleeding from the puncture site. The radiologist also told me that if I felt my wound was having some hot feeling, it meant that it was bleeding and required to seek for the treatment immediately. After that, I was transferred to another bed by the nurses and then sent back to my ward. I saw my mother was there once I had been pushed out by the room and then she went together with me returned to the ward.

Since I could not sit up but just to lie flat on the bed, my mother was feeding me for some soft food and drink. I also dared not to move my lower body at that night as I was afraid that my wound would bleed. I also did not sleep well too. So, in the next day, after 6 hours, I started to move a little for my legs and few more hours later, I could leave the bed to walk. My haemoptysis also stopped after the angiogram and of course I still needed to take some antibiotics treatment and then I was discharged from the hospital on 20/9/2011. Moreover, I also did not have any side effects from the angiogram as the doctor said some people would have rashes, pain or swelling on the wound after the procedure.

So the above is my first experience of my angiogram for my lungs. I was thinking that I was recovered after such procedure but it was not and eventually I had to undergo for another time of the bronchial artery embolisation in a week later after my first angiogram and it was a totally different experience for me. I would blog about it in my next post.