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Day 5 - from building to body

As I am writing this I feel weak, not able to concentrate properly. Only my strong desire to chronicle my experience here has given me the push to type out this entry on my iPhone.

It's still relatively under control, this thing my body is experiencing. Yesterday night, it started with burning and spasming in my stomach. I just couldn't sit upright. Lying down made the pain bearable.

It was now 1130pm, a time when I would usually pray my supplementary Tarawih prayers for Ramadhan, but I just didn't have the strength for it.

And so I slept.

Or try to sleep. The dreams I have just keep on referring to the burning in my stomach. I can't remember the last time it hurt this bad. An aftershock rocks the house slightly.

I wake up at 3.30 in the morning to a dream that was very unnerving - I dreamt that my stomach acids had burnt away my stomach and mouth. I shake off the dream, and drag myself to make ablutions and pray my Tarawih.

As I pray, every movement seems like swimming in lead. It takes almost superhuman strength to complete the 8 raka'ats, and I even push myself to make an additional 2 raka'ats for tahajjud.

After that I sleep.

6 am, I wake up for dawn prayers. I have a long day ahead of me. Teaching from morning until afternoon as I have to replace a colleague on leave. Then I have physio. And tonight we all have a meeting with the Malaysian High Commissioner.

I try to get myself ready, but I can't. I start purging.

That confirms it then.. I have gastroenteritis, contracted by drinking from a polluted water source - effects of the burst warer pipes and sewage system from the earthquake.The news talked about it yesterday. I never realised I would be one of those affected.

I can't make it to work today.

I text my boss and pray to God she can find a replacement in time.



Comments

Cat-from-Sydney said…
Stick to bottled water, please.... Apparently the masjid people have set up a volunteer group to help others. Would be good to join them, mate. If you're hale and healthy though. purrr....meow!
September 8, 2010 at 11:44 AM
Jordan said…
Yikes. Sounds like my last few days, only worse.
September 8, 2010 at 12:47 PM
Razee Salleh said…
Hya Bro,

Yikes, bad turn of luck huh? Hope you get well soon.
September 9, 2010 at 9:16 AM
Abdullah Mohd Nawi said…
Thanks guys.. feeling better now alhamdulillah.. :)
September 9, 2010 at 4:15 PM
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