What A Scare!

PART 1. I Don't Feel Well.

Woke up this morning with a dry and painful throat.

It has been hurting for several days now, but I have not done anything except taking lozenges to ease the pain and hope it goes away. The wedding dinner I attended last night did not do anything but made it worse from the late nights and lack of sleep I have been deprived of.

I was thinking to call-in sick, but I had some important work I had to complete. Moreover, I had arranged for a group discussion with several other departments today, so I went to work anyway.

Fortunately I had to postpone the discussion to tomorrow since there were several key people unable to join-in due to urgent matters at the last minute. I could not really talk that much today anyway.


PART 2. The Call From Mom.

So I got some of my own work done instead and planned for more to finish when I received my Mom's call on my cell phone. Her tone was not the cheerful sound I normally hear whenever she calls.

Oh dear, hope nothing serious... I thought, no... prayed in my heart.

"Hi Mom, what's wrong?" I asked, bracing myself expecting the worst.

"Its your Dad..." she paused with a coarse voice, "he's not well..." my heart was beating faster, "he feels giddy and could not get up." Mom said, sounding very concern.

"He finds it difficult to walk to the toilet, so he stays in bed now." Mom continued.

"Yes. Ask him to stay in bed and don't get up until he feels alright again," I told her firmly, trying to keep my own self calm, "stay in bed to avoid falling down. We don't want him falling down." I reminded Mom.

"He is OK, he just needs to rest for a little longer this morning... too long than normal. It worries me." Mom replied.

"Giddy... any vomiting, pain in his chest or complaining of other thing than giddy?" I asked like an online paramedic... who has no clue as to what I was doing. I was just assessing how serious his condition was. Should I go see him immediately or should I just call for an ambulance?

"I'll come right over," I told Mom. "Get him ready if he can get up. I'll send him to the doctor."

"No, no its not that serious. He is resting now. He is complaining of giddiness," Mom replied, "but it would rest my mind if the doctor checks his condition... can you take half-day today?" She asked.

"Yes I can, if you think he can wait. I will be there by 1:00pm," I told her, "get him ready by then, but call me immediately if anything is wrong!"

So I took an urgent half-day off work and went straight to my parents' home. I told Sis about it. I thought she had to know. Funny... she was the only person I thought of calling amongst the 6 other siblings.

It rained hard when I reached their place. Dad was up and about. He seemed much better than when Mom described him in the morning. I felt a little relief just seeing him walking about getting himself ready to go.

He insisted that Mom followed us to the doctor's, so we waited out the rain until it was about 2:10pm. I guess he felt at ease when Mom is around him. Now Sis kept calling me for updates.


PART 3. What Is Wrong With Dad?

Took a cab to Oxford Medical at Pasir Ris West Plaza along Pasir Ris Street 72, beside the White Water Condominium. We were the first ones there, since the doctor just reopened after lunch.

Dad's blood pressure was 130/80 which was good for an 80 year old man. His lungs, clear of phlegm and normal. Phew!

The doctor asked some questions and asked to be updated on his colonoscopy he had last June. It was checked good and will have his annual check-up again in June 2006.

For now, he has a runny nose and a slight discharge from his left ear. A condition he failed to tell us until I asked him again at the doctor's reception.

"Other than a runny nose and a slight infection in his left ear, he is otherwise, a healthy man," the doctor said with a smile, "very good health for an 80 year old." He said, impressed with Dad.

"That explains his dizzy spells and unable to balance himself properly..." the doctor continued, "most likely due to these two conditions." He assured us. "He should be fine. I'll give him something for his..."

Double phew! I thought to myself. What a relief!.. as the doctor's voice drowned against my thoughts.

You give me a good scare, Dad! As I smiled to myself, looking at his wrinkled face. He appeared relief himself and smiled back when he noticed I was looking at him.

Thank you Allah for sparing him and caring for him... I just had to say my thanks in my heart as we sat down back at the waiting area, waiting for the medicines to be dispensed out.


PART 4. Laughing Lines On All Faces.

A heavy load had been lifted off Mom too. She was moody no more. The wrinkled lines on her forehead from frowning disappeared. In replacement, her laughing lines appeared as she smiled with relief.

Dad was his usual self again... quiet in general, but with occasional jokes here and there. Seemed like he did not need the medications at all, I thought. And Mom seemed to read my thoughts when she said the same, exact words to Dad.

We went shopping at NTUC Supermarket there and ended-up at Causeway Point, having dinner and shopping for necessities for their newly adopted babies.. the two Sister-Hamsters we gave them a few days ago.

The day started off quite "sickly" and very scary for me, but it ended-up with a happy tune with Mom and Dad safely home and loved. Sis was coming over to their place to cook dinner for them... Oops! We had dinner already.

I thank The Almighty for every day He grants us to be together.