My Bad Experience

I have had a bad experience in 2005, no, we as a family. My daughter was only 1 year and 5 months then. This is what had happened . . .

Sometime in May 2005, my husband complained of a headache and felt dizzy. I brought him to the hospital for a check-up since his headache lasted for 5 hours. The doctor on duty won't liked to release him and needs to be confine due to high blood pressure and fever. But my husband insisted that he want to go home. The doctor just prescribe him some medicine and requested us to sign a waiver. I was so worried. And when we arrived home, I kept on asking him to follow the doctor's advise. And at last he listened after 2 hours. He continued to complain of his headache and dizziness and his feet are starting to lose strength.

I brought him back to the hospital where he had his check up requested for confinement, however, no room was available. I brought him to another hospital and was glad that there was available room. Another doctor attended him as requested by us. After a series of laboratory tests, it was found out that his potassium was so low and needs to boost up.

Family and friends came by to visit and encourage us.

The doctor came in and told me that after 24 hours he may be released in the event his potassium will be normal.

After 24 hours, his potassium did raised but his leg continued to lose strength. Until he has not moved at all. He can't even open his eyes, nor swallow his saliva. He was as if asleep yet not moving at all. He is in the state of coma. The doctor who attended him, don't even understand what my husband sickness was. He concluded that maybe my husband had a stroke. He referred us to a neurologist. The neurologist recommended that he must undergone a CT scan to which we acknowledged. The results were good, no sign of damage but then he had celebral incepalitis, a certain type of virus has invaded his brain stem or the control system of movement of his brain was infected, which explains his inactivity. The neuro further recommend for a spinal fluid test, a process to test the kind of virus he had. We sent his sample via air to Makati Medical Center because in our place no hospital had conducted such test. The result were all negative for Herpes Zoaster, Measles and .... oh, I forgot the other deadly virus. The conclusion of the neuro was that an ordinary virus that causes cough or flu had entered into his brain stem. And there will be two results: either he will recover 70-100% or be a vegetable for life. I really cried so hard in the bathroom really prayed for strenght for my husband and for my daughter. She (neuro) gave an anti viral medicine and after days of inactivity, to my relief, he started to show progress. He was discharged from the hospital after a couple of days, but he cannot control his movement, he can be compared to a baby who doesn't know how to control his head, doesn't know how to walk and write. When he started to talk again, the first question I asked him, what is square root of 25 and the integral of X squared. To which he answered correctly though with difficulty.

He had an everyday therapy for one whole month. He continued to show progress. He started to learn how to write ABCs and numbers. Good that he's memory stayed intact, he is still intelligent, hehehehe. After a month, he had a follow up check-up with the neuro and I was so amazed that he can already walk and answered all the questions perfectly. The neuro further recommend for a MRI to which he undergone in Chinese General Hospital.

Looking back, I never imagine now seeing him restored to good health, that we were able to face and fight all those obstacles. I am so thankful to our CREATOR who had been there to guide and support us and for blessing us along the way. Also to the support of our respective families and relatives, friends, brothers and sisters in faith ( for their prayers and encouragement), to his therapist, Gem, to his neurologist and other people who one way or the other had played the role for my husband's rapid recuperation.

It still pained me whenever I remember that tragedy and still brought tears when I tell it to other people, but it had helped me build a better relationship with GOD and molded me to be a better wife and mother.

It also gave me a lesson to really show love to the persons whom you love and let them feel special while they are around.