Flotsam & Jetsam

When my cell group leader got admitted to the hospital, I was shocked and unsettled.

Why her again? I questioned.

On the first day when i visited her, her face was significantly paler and her radiantness is lost. She was still waiting for the diagnosis and had to remain in the hospital for a few more days. Just the week before, She was full of energy and tremendously cheerful. Despite all that uncertainty, she had never wipe her smile across her face.

When the next week approached, the news that she was transferred to the intensive care unit for 2 days had left me feeling worried and scared. When I was directed to a special big room isolated from the rest of the room, I told myself that I need to be prepared for what I am seeing later. As I walked past the individual rooms within, every room is like a sad story unfolding.

However, when I finally step into the ward she was in, it left me wondering why the room was empty. A sweet smiling nurse told me my cell group leader was just transferred out to another unit. I was pleasantly relieved.

Although she had not been as cheerful as she had been, she never once complain that she was in pain. However, it was me who showed my vunerable side and i felt my eyes welled up.Silly move.

As I settled down I managed to find out from her that She needs to be connected to a respirator(or a machine that assist one in breathing) at night while she was sleeping because her lungs are unable to expel the carbon dioxide within the body.

The next day, my friend and I visited her again. This time she was still connected to the respirator but her spirit was lifted and the chirpyness in her voice is back though a lot softer. The main diagnosis revealed that her condition was due to a viral attack and not because of her previous genetic blood disorder. She would continue to be under observation and further blood samples are sent to the lab for confirmed diagnosis.

We sang croaked to her till she was unable to keep her eyelids open. She will sleep like a child that night.

I had always seen her as someone who treasured life and never left her days past without a challenge or a fight. That is because she knows the preciousness of health, something that I easily taken for granted because I had never lose it before. This had taught me to see and appreciate the fine things. Even if the message could only stick with me for a day or maybe a week or so, i hope I would be constantly reminded to be thankful that I am able to breathe the fresh air.