Kuantan Specialist Hospital - Day 1

My first entry for the new year and yet it's not something that I wish I would start a new year with. Actually I got many other interesting story to share but I should spare my friends from the misery of not knowing the situation I'm in now so I should start with the updates on my health first. Warning, there might be many gory details here so if you have weak stomach, you can stop reading now.

who knew me long enough knows that I always have problem with my stomach. Gastric, acute appendicitis, adhesion colic, period pain, diarrhea, constipation and sometimes I also not sure what is wrong with my stomach. I just know that I'm in pain. That's all. Having to endure a frequent painful stomach, I have adapt a tolerance towards the pain. I can just tahan it. No need for painkillers. Minyak angin or hot water bag will do.

But last Monday, as usual after my Subuh prayer I went to the kitchen to clean it up. I was doing the dishes when suddenly I felt as if my stomach being ripped. Sakit gila ok. But I just suck it up and continue finishing my morning routine. Akak is going for PLKN and I don't want to miss sending her off so until she's save inside the bus, I just have to tahan it. When she's boarded the bus and leave us, I started to have serious painful attack. Went home, eat breakfast and lie down most of the time. I can't move, I can't stand straight or even walk. Jannah help to massage my back and soles and the pain seems to low down a bit.

I was suppose to go back to Putrajaya in the evening but I was still in pain. The work is calling but the pain seems like it'll be longer than usual so Eman left without me. Tahan, tahan, tahan and until I did my Isya' prayer then only I said "let's go to hospital". I was so much in pain and can't move much so general hospital is not an option. It'll took hours to wait based on previous experience so I checked with my insurance agent and went to Kuantan Specialist Hospital instead. Jannah and Hayat send me there.

Everything was so fast there. Went in and immediately they sent me to emergency room. They took my urine for a test. Then a doctor came and checked on me but referred my case to a gynae. But before that they started the IV drip first and took my blood for another test. Dr. Suraya the gynae came and performed ultrasound diagnostic but found no cyst or anything related with reproductive system like the first doctor suspected and my womb is normal. For further diagnostic, I was admitted and they send me to room 223.

I can't seem to remember which one happened first but I was checked by Dr. Ngun and he ordered for a nasogastric intubation, did an x-ray and had a suppository pain killers inserted via my anus but I remember the final and most traumatic one; the nasogastric intubation; a procedure to remove stomach content like acid and gasses. Ya Allah it was the most painful thing I have to endure alive ever. I still feel traumatized by the procedure. 3 nurses came to perform the intubation and I immediately knew that this must be really painful ones. They had 2 sets of tube; 15mm and I can't remember the smaller one either 14mm or 12mm. Nurse 1 sprayed something inside my nostril and it was quite pedih. When they inserted the 15mm tube into my left nostril, Ya Allah I don't know how to describe but it was so painful that I moaned, cried and shouted. Aaaarrrrggghhh, uuurrggghhh, Ya Allahhhhh. Sakitnya hanya Allah yang tau. It was not even down at the throat yet before the tube can't go any further. They try to force it but it kind of stuck there and all the time I was crying and moaning and finally I said to just stop and change the tube.

I asked the nurses if we can just skip the intubation but they said no. I cried and cried and cried before finally courage up and said let's do it. So again they sprayed something inside my right nostril and this time they used the smaller tube but felt no different from the first one. So there goes another session of crying, moaning and shouting and this time much more worse than the earlier one. Again the tube stuck somewhere but they push it harder and finally it reached the throat where I started coughing until I vomited saliva and blood. I didn't saw it but Jannah who was there to accompany me saw the whole thing.

The room which was quite noisy before became a complete silent. While coughing and vomiting I can hear the nurses said, "alamak ada darah la", "terkena kat lung ke?, "merahnya muka dia", "tegakkan kepala" bla...bla..... Nurse 1 keep inserting the tube, Nurse 2 help to massage my back while holding something to hold the vomit. I keep vomiting that Nurse 3 took one big plastic bag to hold the saliva and blood. Jannah said there was a lot of blood. The air-conditioned room became so hot that I was wet in my own sweat.

Finally the tube passed my throat and the nurses told me to keep swallowing so that the tube can went down into my stomach. I was so much in pain but I just did it and keep swallowing and can feel the tube moving down. Fuh even writing this make me traumatized again. Finally it's over but I was still in so much pain mainly at my nostril and throat. Difficult to breath and swallowing. I was uncontrollably moaning aloud and crying. Right after the procedure end, Mak and few of my siblings arrived. Syukurlah Mak was spared from the trauma of seeing her daughter underwent that painful procedure. If not she would be traumatized as well. Jannah was the only one who was brave enough to be with me. Hayat ran outside in fear. The nurses keep apologizing to cause me so much pain. Kesian diorang. One of them even said, "saya rasa bersalah la". So you can imagine how bad it was.

The tired me

The bag that was supposed to collect acid and gas from the stomach

The first IV drip point

They were cracking jokes but nothing will take away the pain it seems

I keep crying because of the pain and even forced Jannah and Mak to ask the nurses to remove the tube. I can stand the stomach cramp but not the tube. But of course la they won't remove it right. They just gave me painkillers and I was so tired from the procedure that I was kind of dozed on and off. Everyone went home around 1am leaving Jannah to stay with me. I can't really sleep because of the pain at my nostril and throat due to the tube. The room was quite warm too since the other patient can't stand air-condition. Going to toilet with IV drip is another hassle but syukurlah the toilet was just a few step away from my bed.

What a long, tiring and painful day for me. When others were dreading or looking forward to start working on a new year, I was dreading another day being warded and the works that I left behind in office.