A Sick Mouse

It took three doctors, five consultation visits and having spent close to $300 to find out what is causing my prolonged cough. I went to my regular General Practioner (GP) for three times, dutifully completed the medication but I was still coughing away.

I was gasping for breath when I laid down to sleep on Sunday night and close to midnight, I had to wake Grimlock up to accompany me to a 24-hour clinic. From my wheezy cough, the doctor pronounced my condition as having asthma and that struck me like a thunder bolt. I didn't have any asthma throughout my growing up years (none of it in my family history either) so to be told at a not-that-young-age of 35 that I am asthmatic was really something. I told him of this but he seemed certain of his diagnosis. He put me on a nebuliser and prescribed a course of antibiotics, cough syrup and a Ventolin inhaler (first time I got my hands on one), and told me to consult a lung specialist when I get better. I found out from the clinic nurse that he was not one of the clinic's resident doctors.

I went back to sleep with the word "asthma" hanging over my head. Woke up at 5am and started coughing away, and felt breathless again (even after taking the cough syrup). I stopped trying to sleep and got ready to go to work, earlier than usual. I had a meeting at 11.30am which I needed to attend to. I was gasping for breath and I just felt lousy. I decided to finish up whatever I had to at work and then seek a third opinion. I contemplated checking myself in to A&E (was wondering how soon they can attend to me and if my condition actually warrants this course of action). I prayed for wisdom and decided to look up my childhood GP in my former estate. He has my medical records like from I was seven old till my mid 20's.

Going back to my former childhood GP was like seeing an old friend again (mentally I felt almost instantaneously better). He just came back from a trip and started work yesterday (thank God for the timing!). I showed him all the prescriptions for the two recent consultations and described my symptoms in detail. He diagnosed my condition as bronchitis which resulted in the wheezing, and he dispelled my concerns of being asthmatic (I didn't have any medical history of it). I also checked with him if there was any allergy reaction involved or my ailment had anything to do with my cats. He said that was unlikely. He prescribed a stronger dosage of antibiotics plus five other medication, and recommended I take a chest X-ray (which I did) and put me on home rest for two days.

After the medication kicked into effect, the gasping stopped. I finally could have a good night's sleep, only to be awaken by Skoda's singing at 7am. At 7.30am, I surrendered and let her in to the bedroom, or rather in fairness, let all three in (time to take my medication anyway). Then they couldn't make up their minds if they wanted to be in or out. At 9.30am, I gave up and shooed all of them out. I went back to sleep and woke up at 12.30pm. The cough is not as chokey but I still have quite a bit of phlegm. Feeling quite druggy, otherwise I am better now. Just called up the clinic to check the X-ray result. Nurse said result is normal but to call back again to check with doctor (he is not in yet).

I was hesitant initially to doctor-hop. The gasping was a scary experience. I'm glad I listened to the small inner voice. Thank God for watching over me :)

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