Dengue and Tsu Fhu Fei

Dengue is still in the air. Even though the Department of Health is doing all their powers to minimize the outbreak, more and more cases are being reported everyday.

I am not saying that the surroundings we move around in are not clean; it is just that when we go out in the Metro, we see numerous places where mosquitoes breed. Who in their right mind loves mosquitoes? Almost everybody hates them.

My sister, Chloe Jean aka Tsu Fhu Fei, caught dengue just last week, she is 24 years old and I tell you, it was a nightmare.

She had a fever for two days. She would not eat and kept throwing up anything we tried to feed her. Any food she asked for, we produced just so she would eat. However, she had no appetite. The worst part was that we did not know until after two days that she had dengue.

According to fellow friends, dengue cannot be properly diagnosed until the fifth day from the onset of the fever.

Mom got worried and so did our Dad and most of our family physicians. Even my "little sister" was scared. We thought she had gastro-intestinal flu. Tita Amor asked for a blood test and that Tuesday, we waited. My brother and I were so scared.

You see, Chloe has always been a fighter. She is in denial that she is sick but she knows she is sick to the bone.

By the time I brought her to Makati Medical Center for another round of blood exams, she was already recovering from dengue. Sounds impossible, but it was true. She already HAD dengue! Just to make sure, the attending physician advised us to monitor her platelet count for six, 12 and 24 hours cycle. We went to the Laboratory and ER for five times and good thing that on the sixth trip, she was clear and out of danger. What a week!

I was told that those who had dengue fever before are at a greater risk of developing the disease again; that's why I told Chloe to be more extra careful wherever she goes and in commuting to and from Makati, Ateneo and UP.

As a breather for a hospital and scary week, I treated my cheeblings for dinner last night at TGIFriday's Glorietta 3. As usual, madhouse as ever, but we enjoyed the night out with good food and good company.

Love you, Owie Smowie!