Around Chinese new year, i found a lump in my neck. I went to see a doc, had 2 blood tests but he couldn't find anything. I went on antibiotics and anti- inflammatory capsules. After that it hadn't changed, so I had an ultra sound, it didn't show up anything. So the doctor said it will probably go away by itself. He said come back in 3 months if it hasn't, or if it gets bigger. So I thought that was it.
But on Saturday I found another lump, so I went back on Monday to be tested for TB. The chest xray was clear, and later on I'll get the results of the skin test. I've been told that even if the skin test is negative, I could still have TB.
The next thing to do would be to have a biopsy. I'll need to work out where to have it. Someone I know had a biopsy here in Phnom Penh at a big hospital, but they didn't really get proper results, they ended up having to go to Thailand to find out that they had TB.
(Both lumps are less than 1cm).
So far I've spent almost equal to 4 months rent. I feel a bit silly spending so much at the doctors when I don't even feel sick. It feels like a waste of money. And when I tell my Khmer friends I'm going to the doctor about a lump in my neck, they say, no, no need in Cambodia, its just normal.
But I have been talking to some Australians and they reckon I should keep investigating.
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, January 4, 2010
Stop looking in my ear, please take my blood!
So you know I've been sick, here is what happened:
Day 1-3
Dec 13-15,sat, sun mon
High fever (38.5-39) which started suddenly around 2am on Saturday morning. Really really bad headache and whole body
sore. I’ve had the flu before, and that’s also a temp and body aches, but these aches were worse. I couldn’t find a lying or sitting position that was comfortable. So between that the really really bad headache I couldn’t really sleep from Saturday morning until I think it was Monday night.
I realized these were all dengue fever symptoms, I have some info on it from when I first came to Cambodia. The travel doctor I saw in Australia told me to watch out for it as there is no vaccination and no cure and it can be fatal. Its spread by a particular type of mossie that bites during the day.
So its always something I’ve been trying not to get, but I didn’t want to jump to conclusions and think any fever I get automatically means I have dengue.
Took heaps of ibuprofen and para. The ibuprofen was a French brand so Kimsoeun had to try to remember his French so he could tell me how much/often to take it. I wanted to take the max without overdosing.
I couldn’t read or sleep or eat. I did eat a bit, but it took a lot of effort.
Day4, Tuesday Dec 15
I felt much better in the morning after finally having a sleep! And my pain and fever were gone. But now that I stopped taking all those pain killers my sore ear was back, it had been really sore for a week before I got the fever.
So we went to the doctor. He said I had an ear infection and sold me some antibiotics. Told us you can get a fever from having an ear infection. We went home.
Later that day my fever came back! But not as bad as before.
Day 5- fever got a bit worse than day before but only around 38-38.5, aches didn’t come back, felt like I wanted to vomit and had diarrhea. Still felt really tired and gross and a bit sore, esp near my knees. Didn’t want to eat and had strange taste in my mouth. I was still thinking maybe I had dengue or maybe an ear infection and side effects from antibiotics.
Day 6-
When I woke up my arms and legs red and itchy. Hmmm… this is not an ear infection symptom, but it could be from antibiotics?? The leaflet (which was thankfully in English) said a rash could be a side effect.
I rang an international clinic we have membership with. I wanted to know if I should go to the doctor again. She said if the rash is itchy its not dengue fever. (I don’t know why she said this as other I know have had dengue were itchy and a few places on net said dengue can have an itchy rash, but non itchy on face and chest).
I went to the doctor again. I told him now I have a rash and asked him if he could do a blood test to see if I’m allergic to antibiotics or if my platelets are low, which may mean I have dengue.
He looked in my ear and told me I should use eardrops.
I was a bit frustrated about this as I hadn’t mentioned my ear at all and it wasn’t sore, I had come about the rash, and the fact that I’d had lots of dengue fever symptoms.
He kind of laughed and said dengue fever isn’t a big deal for adults. I was also a bit frustrated about this as it is actually a big deal for expat adults, even if its not for Khmer (an Aussie doc told me they all pretty much have it when they are kids and if they don’t die from it they become almost immune to it, much hard for them to get, whereas it can be serious for expats,). I tried to tell him this and finally managed to convince him to do the two blood tests I thought I should have. (hmm.. that’s not how a doctors appointment is supposed to work??)
Even though I had a temp for about a week, both times I went to the doctor I didn’t have a temp.
Day 7 and beyond
The next day he rang me with test results. He said my platelets were low so it’s likely I did have dengue.
The rash and temp were gone in a few days, and not more aches and pains. But its taken almost 2 weeks to feel normal (and I still haven’t tried a long bike ride yet- I used to spend 30 min- 2 hours each day riding, just rode a few min on Saturday).
The last two weeks I’ve still had nausea so trouble eating. As well as feeling really tired. For awhile I was having multiple 2 hour naps throughout the day, and going to bed at 7.30pm. Couldn’t get much done, I kept falling asleep.
But recently I’ve been able to walk to the market, buy food, and come home and cook- and then eat it. It felt like a major achievement, and like I had so much more freedom than when I was sick.
Its been interesting hearing people’s reactions- Khmer and expats so different.
Other expats tell me about their dengue experience, and we compare symptoms and especially talk about their recovery time, as it can take a long time to get better, like you can feel tired ages after you feel fairly normal.
But Khmer people are surprised. The lady who changes my money at the market said ‘but you’re and adult, can adults get dengue fever (Lit: fever blood/blood fever)?” I think some Khmer people don’t believe that I had dengue, they keep telling me that adults don’t get it.
So that all happened in the last 3 weeks, I think that’s called a mild case of dengue.
I hate to think what its like to have dengue bad enough to warrant being evacuated to Bangkok as sometimes happens to expats (we have membership with a clinic in case this happens- I’ve heard it can cost up to 20 000usdfor medivac).
The downside is they say after you’ve had it once, the next time you get it its worse. The upside is, there are 4 strains of it, and once you have one strain you are immune to that strain. (So one down, three to go?) I’ve a few different versions of this- like someone told me that once you have it you are immune for a year.
Day 1-3
Dec 13-15,sat, sun mon
High fever (38.5-39) which started suddenly around 2am on Saturday morning. Really really bad headache and whole body
sore. I’ve had the flu before, and that’s also a temp and body aches, but these aches were worse. I couldn’t find a lying or sitting position that was comfortable. So between that the really really bad headache I couldn’t really sleep from Saturday morning until I think it was Monday night.
I realized these were all dengue fever symptoms, I have some info on it from when I first came to Cambodia. The travel doctor I saw in Australia told me to watch out for it as there is no vaccination and no cure and it can be fatal. Its spread by a particular type of mossie that bites during the day.
So its always something I’ve been trying not to get, but I didn’t want to jump to conclusions and think any fever I get automatically means I have dengue.
Took heaps of ibuprofen and para. The ibuprofen was a French brand so Kimsoeun had to try to remember his French so he could tell me how much/often to take it. I wanted to take the max without overdosing.
I couldn’t read or sleep or eat. I did eat a bit, but it took a lot of effort.
Day4, Tuesday Dec 15
I felt much better in the morning after finally having a sleep! And my pain and fever were gone. But now that I stopped taking all those pain killers my sore ear was back, it had been really sore for a week before I got the fever.
So we went to the doctor. He said I had an ear infection and sold me some antibiotics. Told us you can get a fever from having an ear infection. We went home.
Later that day my fever came back! But not as bad as before.
Day 5- fever got a bit worse than day before but only around 38-38.5, aches didn’t come back, felt like I wanted to vomit and had diarrhea. Still felt really tired and gross and a bit sore, esp near my knees. Didn’t want to eat and had strange taste in my mouth. I was still thinking maybe I had dengue or maybe an ear infection and side effects from antibiotics.
Day 6-
When I woke up my arms and legs red and itchy. Hmmm… this is not an ear infection symptom, but it could be from antibiotics?? The leaflet (which was thankfully in English) said a rash could be a side effect.
I rang an international clinic we have membership with. I wanted to know if I should go to the doctor again. She said if the rash is itchy its not dengue fever. (I don’t know why she said this as other I know have had dengue were itchy and a few places on net said dengue can have an itchy rash, but non itchy on face and chest).
I went to the doctor again. I told him now I have a rash and asked him if he could do a blood test to see if I’m allergic to antibiotics or if my platelets are low, which may mean I have dengue.
He looked in my ear and told me I should use eardrops.
I was a bit frustrated about this as I hadn’t mentioned my ear at all and it wasn’t sore, I had come about the rash, and the fact that I’d had lots of dengue fever symptoms.
He kind of laughed and said dengue fever isn’t a big deal for adults. I was also a bit frustrated about this as it is actually a big deal for expat adults, even if its not for Khmer (an Aussie doc told me they all pretty much have it when they are kids and if they don’t die from it they become almost immune to it, much hard for them to get, whereas it can be serious for expats,). I tried to tell him this and finally managed to convince him to do the two blood tests I thought I should have. (hmm.. that’s not how a doctors appointment is supposed to work??)
Even though I had a temp for about a week, both times I went to the doctor I didn’t have a temp.
Day 7 and beyond
The next day he rang me with test results. He said my platelets were low so it’s likely I did have dengue.
The rash and temp were gone in a few days, and not more aches and pains. But its taken almost 2 weeks to feel normal (and I still haven’t tried a long bike ride yet- I used to spend 30 min- 2 hours each day riding, just rode a few min on Saturday).
The last two weeks I’ve still had nausea so trouble eating. As well as feeling really tired. For awhile I was having multiple 2 hour naps throughout the day, and going to bed at 7.30pm. Couldn’t get much done, I kept falling asleep.
But recently I’ve been able to walk to the market, buy food, and come home and cook- and then eat it. It felt like a major achievement, and like I had so much more freedom than when I was sick.
Its been interesting hearing people’s reactions- Khmer and expats so different.
Other expats tell me about their dengue experience, and we compare symptoms and especially talk about their recovery time, as it can take a long time to get better, like you can feel tired ages after you feel fairly normal.
But Khmer people are surprised. The lady who changes my money at the market said ‘but you’re and adult, can adults get dengue fever (Lit: fever blood/blood fever)?” I think some Khmer people don’t believe that I had dengue, they keep telling me that adults don’t get it.
So that all happened in the last 3 weeks, I think that’s called a mild case of dengue.
I hate to think what its like to have dengue bad enough to warrant being evacuated to Bangkok as sometimes happens to expats (we have membership with a clinic in case this happens- I’ve heard it can cost up to 20 000usdfor medivac).
The downside is they say after you’ve had it once, the next time you get it its worse. The upside is, there are 4 strains of it, and once you have one strain you are immune to that strain. (So one down, three to go?) I’ve a few different versions of this- like someone told me that once you have it you are immune for a year.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Traffic accidents
On Friday we went to visit "B" at his place just out of Phnom Penh. The other week he had a moto accident and he isn't going to be able to walk for ages.
He and two nephews were on a moto and were hit by a car on their left. They were thrown on the ground. "B"s head hit the ground a few times and his helmet split open- imagine if he hadn't been wearing one!
Before pulling his leg out from under his moto he rang a family member to tell them what happened and where he was. It's good he did it in that order as when he tried to get out from under his moto he saw his leg twisted in a strange way. He must have fainted because the next thing he remembers was being in hospital.
One of his nephews had some bleeding in his brain and can't remember things anymore. It sounds like he won't recover from this. Is that what we call brain damage?
The driver of the car gave them 1000USD for all three. Just for "B"they have already spent more than that.
Please pray that his leg will heal well and quickly. Its been less than 2 weeks and he is already feeling bored not being able to walk. His family lives in a wooden house on stilts, as he can't climb up the ladder to get inside he sleeps under the house.
The other person we know of who had a bad accident recently we don't know any more about. No one we know has been to see him recently. All we know is he and a missionary were in a car crash and the missionary died.
He and two nephews were on a moto and were hit by a car on their left. They were thrown on the ground. "B"s head hit the ground a few times and his helmet split open- imagine if he hadn't been wearing one!
Before pulling his leg out from under his moto he rang a family member to tell them what happened and where he was. It's good he did it in that order as when he tried to get out from under his moto he saw his leg twisted in a strange way. He must have fainted because the next thing he remembers was being in hospital.
One of his nephews had some bleeding in his brain and can't remember things anymore. It sounds like he won't recover from this. Is that what we call brain damage?
The driver of the car gave them 1000USD for all three. Just for "B"they have already spent more than that.
Please pray that his leg will heal well and quickly. Its been less than 2 weeks and he is already feeling bored not being able to walk. His family lives in a wooden house on stilts, as he can't climb up the ladder to get inside he sleeps under the house.
The other person we know of who had a bad accident recently we don't know any more about. No one we know has been to see him recently. All we know is he and a missionary were in a car crash and the missionary died.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Overwhelmed
Yesterday was a really intense day. Perhaps like eating a bowl of really yummy peppermint ice cream (intensely yummy) but occasionally coming across a really hot chili that somehow got mixed in (small but painful). If you like peppermint ice cream and you don't like spicy food that analogy will work. It was so exhausting but that's only just starting to catch up with me today.
Let me tell you some of the things that happened. (Keep in mind this is all happening in hot humid weather.)
"Ice cream" was the dominant feeling of the day, but I'll start with a "chili".
I spent the morning at three different hospital-like places. A friend of a friend is sick so we went to visit her and give blood for her. She's been sick for months, has three kids and a husband who is often drunk. She was lying on the bed crying and crying. As her husband drinks they don't have enough money for food. She said she didn't mind dying as her life is so hard anyway. But I guess other times she worries about what will happen to her kids.
Hospitals here don't have all the staff that ones in Oz do. If you are a patient you need family to stay with you to cook food and look after you. She had her kids and her mother with her, and my friend brought her some take away meals and fruit.
So overwhelming thinking about this sick ladies' life. Others from her church have been bringing her food as well, even thought they barely have enough food for themselves each day.
Knowing there are so many sick and poor people in Cambodia is overwhelming.
After visiting her I went to give blood, the doctor wanted 300ml so they took me to a place that does it. I've given blood in Australia, but this was the first time in Cambodia. I was a little nervous- wondering if I would understand all the instructions, wondering if the needle was clean etc etc. Luckily the form I had to fill out was an English version, although the lady who had to read it couldn't read English. When they were about to stick the needle in me I was trying to watch so I could see if it was a new clean one, but at the same time not wanting to watch. So I guess that was a bad experience as such, but a second intense thing for the day. (I went to the toilet there just before I gave blood- there was a sick but with no taps in the sink (there was another tap else where though)- perhaps a little different from medical buildings in Australia.)
And now to the "Ice cream". The Bible school had their Khmer new year celebrations yesterday. In the afternoon we had a chapel service, then games outside. We ate dinner together on the grass, then back to the hall for a singing competition and dancing.
As well as students and staff, others came including people from church, old students, my old language helper, some Aussie friends. So it was really fun to see everyone. The students had spent the last few days decorating the hall. (photos below)
The chapel service was fun for me, we sang some songs that I know some of the words to. I would have been able to sing more if I had the words in front of me, but I was still able to join in a bit.
Some of the games were so funny to watch- they had a sack race with TWO people in one sack. So funny!!!!
Other games were tug of war, and throwing black round seeds to knock other ones over.
In the midst of all the fun, someone ran into some glass Coke bottles. The next thing I knew they had picked him up- all I saw was a bloody foot in the air. He was put in a car and raced off to the doctor.
During dinner I sat with our Aussie friend and people from our old and new church. Then if was back into the hall for a singing comp. A rep from each small group got up to sing a song. It was so funny to watch- during the singing people kept running up to the singer to give them flowers. Everyone was very excitable and there was so so much cheering and clapping. (Not sure how to explain this very well, I guess you had to be there- it was so so funny.)
The boy who hurt his foot got up (half carried) to sing too, much cheering. He was given a seat to sit on.
Things got a little crazy towards the end. When people ran out of flowers they started grabbing pineapples and watermelons from the hall decorations. Students had created a centre-piece to dance around, but it ended up doubling as a source of presents for the singers.
Soeun's small group won!!! A student in his small group sang a song that he (Soeun) wrote about Romans 8.
After that it was time for dancing. Soeun and students played music and others danced around the fruit thingy. The students tried to teach me khmer dancing but mostly they ended up laughing- it was fun! I thought after giving blood I would be tired but I ended up dancing and hanging around for ages. The fun that had started around 2pm lasted until about 10pm!!!
But then I got a message from a friend. They had their bag snatched on the way home. Not pleasant. Travelling by moto or tuk tuk is dangerous at night, esp around this time of year when people need extra money for New Year things.
So that's why I'm feeling overwhelmed and tired today! Also I've been thinking about traffic accidents lately as the other day one happened in front of my as I was riding up a main street (Norodom). And did I mention it's hot and humid these days?
Let me tell you some of the things that happened. (Keep in mind this is all happening in hot humid weather.)
"Ice cream" was the dominant feeling of the day, but I'll start with a "chili".
I spent the morning at three different hospital-like places. A friend of a friend is sick so we went to visit her and give blood for her. She's been sick for months, has three kids and a husband who is often drunk. She was lying on the bed crying and crying. As her husband drinks they don't have enough money for food. She said she didn't mind dying as her life is so hard anyway. But I guess other times she worries about what will happen to her kids.
Hospitals here don't have all the staff that ones in Oz do. If you are a patient you need family to stay with you to cook food and look after you. She had her kids and her mother with her, and my friend brought her some take away meals and fruit.
So overwhelming thinking about this sick ladies' life. Others from her church have been bringing her food as well, even thought they barely have enough food for themselves each day.
Knowing there are so many sick and poor people in Cambodia is overwhelming.
After visiting her I went to give blood, the doctor wanted 300ml so they took me to a place that does it. I've given blood in Australia, but this was the first time in Cambodia. I was a little nervous- wondering if I would understand all the instructions, wondering if the needle was clean etc etc. Luckily the form I had to fill out was an English version, although the lady who had to read it couldn't read English. When they were about to stick the needle in me I was trying to watch so I could see if it was a new clean one, but at the same time not wanting to watch. So I guess that was a bad experience as such, but a second intense thing for the day. (I went to the toilet there just before I gave blood- there was a sick but with no taps in the sink (there was another tap else where though)- perhaps a little different from medical buildings in Australia.)
And now to the "Ice cream". The Bible school had their Khmer new year celebrations yesterday. In the afternoon we had a chapel service, then games outside. We ate dinner together on the grass, then back to the hall for a singing competition and dancing.
As well as students and staff, others came including people from church, old students, my old language helper, some Aussie friends. So it was really fun to see everyone. The students had spent the last few days decorating the hall. (photos below)
The chapel service was fun for me, we sang some songs that I know some of the words to. I would have been able to sing more if I had the words in front of me, but I was still able to join in a bit.
Some of the games were so funny to watch- they had a sack race with TWO people in one sack. So funny!!!!
Other games were tug of war, and throwing black round seeds to knock other ones over.
In the midst of all the fun, someone ran into some glass Coke bottles. The next thing I knew they had picked him up- all I saw was a bloody foot in the air. He was put in a car and raced off to the doctor.
During dinner I sat with our Aussie friend and people from our old and new church. Then if was back into the hall for a singing comp. A rep from each small group got up to sing a song. It was so funny to watch- during the singing people kept running up to the singer to give them flowers. Everyone was very excitable and there was so so much cheering and clapping. (Not sure how to explain this very well, I guess you had to be there- it was so so funny.)
The boy who hurt his foot got up (half carried) to sing too, much cheering. He was given a seat to sit on.
Things got a little crazy towards the end. When people ran out of flowers they started grabbing pineapples and watermelons from the hall decorations. Students had created a centre-piece to dance around, but it ended up doubling as a source of presents for the singers.
Soeun's small group won!!! A student in his small group sang a song that he (Soeun) wrote about Romans 8.
After that it was time for dancing. Soeun and students played music and others danced around the fruit thingy. The students tried to teach me khmer dancing but mostly they ended up laughing- it was fun! I thought after giving blood I would be tired but I ended up dancing and hanging around for ages. The fun that had started around 2pm lasted until about 10pm!!!
But then I got a message from a friend. They had their bag snatched on the way home. Not pleasant. Travelling by moto or tuk tuk is dangerous at night, esp around this time of year when people need extra money for New Year things.
So that's why I'm feeling overwhelmed and tired today! Also I've been thinking about traffic accidents lately as the other day one happened in front of my as I was riding up a main street (Norodom). And did I mention it's hot and humid these days?
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Dengue fever vax might be coming soon!
On radio Australia I heard that they are developing a vaccination for dengue fever.
When I went to the travel doctor to get ready to come to Cambodia they gave me various needles and things. But they told me there is no vax or cure for dengue fever so all you can do is try not to get bitten by a mossie carrying it. More about dengue fever here and here.
When I went to the travel doctor to get ready to come to Cambodia they gave me various needles and things. But they told me there is no vax or cure for dengue fever so all you can do is try not to get bitten by a mossie carrying it. More about dengue fever here and here.
Monday, February 16, 2009
sick of being sick
You look pale and ugly like an old grandma, you should go and rest.
That's what my language helper said to me this morning after class! I have a cold AGAIN!!!! Plus was vomiting yesterday. I've pretty much been sick on and off all year.
Friday, January 30, 2009
How do you say “obstetrician” in Khmer?
An expat women we know has had trouble explaining what her father’s job is. When Khmer friends ask her she explains he is a doctor who helps deliver babies, but not a midwife.
She ask Soeun what the word for “obstetrician” in Khmer is. He said as far as he knows the midwife does it all. Our friend asked “But what happens if it’s a complicated birth?"
I think she wanted to know who they would call if it got too much for the mid wife to handle.
Kimsoeun’s face was still blank, I don’t think he had heard of such a doctor.
When his mum gave birth to his younger siblings it was just him and an old lady from the neighbourhood help at the birth. There are people who train as midwives at nursing schools, but Soeun said they probably didn’t want to go to remote villages after they study, so often an old lady will do the job as a mid wife.
Click on the quote below to see the full article.
"Maternal mortality will continue to be a problem so long as the majority of mothers are using traditional midwives [non-schooled family or community members] to give birth, especially rural people," she said.
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