Monday 23 March 2009

ICU pics

I got the following pictures from my sis, during my days in ICU KB and RIPAS.

Day 1 - 2pm at KB ICU. 6 hours into my coma.

Day 5 - 7pm at RIPAS ICU. Few hours after coming out of coma.

Saturday 14 March 2009

Alhamdulillah

Gift from ONEFinance, BSP. Thanks guys!


Alhamdulillah, 

After 6 days in RIPAS ICU, 3 days in RIPAS Ward 20 and a week at KB hospital, I was finally discharged on Wednesday.

Thanks to my friends, relatives and colleagues for their prayers and well wishes. It really touched me when I learned that the BSP Surau as well as many mosques organised Solat Hajat for my recovery, including mass-reading of the Surah Yassin by the Institute Tahfiz.

What really happened? 

Well, I got a fever on 23/Feb Monday afternoon (38+ deg C) and brought to the local hospital where I was observed for 2 hours. After everything cleared, I was released.  

On Tuesday morning, I remembered asking my wife to bring me to the hospital again as I was shivering badly. Next thing I know, I woke up in RIPAS ICU on Saturday. 

What I DIDN'T know was the roller coaster in between. Apparently that Tuesday my temperature went up to 41 deg C, BP 40/30 and heart rate 169! To make matters worst, they couldn't determine what was causing my condition and had to transfer me to RIPAS ICU (100+ km away or 1.5 hrs drive), where they have the CT SCAN machine and more specialists. I learned lots of relatives who visited me at ICU left the room crying as they thought I couldn't make it... It was THAT serious.

Anyway, I arrived at RIPAS ICU by 6.30pm that same afternoon, and CT SCAN was done immediately which dismissed Meningitis. They continued throughout the evening with blood culture, spinal tap and whole lot more tests. By the 2nd day, my BP and temp stabilised and by the 3rd day I could breath on my on. By the 5th day they slowly removed me from sedation and by the 6th day I was discharged from ICU to the normal ward.

They still couldn't determine then what caused it but the medications actually improved my conditions.  By the time I was discharged in KB hospital on Wednesday, they believed the cause is likely to be Viral Encephalitis (Virus Infection to the brain). Whatever it is, I am grateful to Allah for the recovery, and able to see my wife and the kids again.

My beloved wife (Mrs G) has been my rock during the whole episode being with me throughout: Sleeping on the floor at the ICU waiting room & being my personal nurse at the general wards, cleaning me up, feeding me, read to me, often waking up in the middle of the night to give my drinks and medications, with all her love and care. That loving care really helped with my recovery. Did I also mention that she had to make that critical decision to transfer me to RIPAS hospital on the first day? It was a big decision to make and I am really grateful that she did that, otherwise...

My little sister also took a week of compassionate leave to accompany my wife at ICU, and helped out with lots of stuffs (especially carrying stuffs heheh). She's continued to visit me at home whenever she can to help out. I love you Leeja.

As of now, I have lost 6 kgs and I know that is muscle loss, not fat, as I can feel my legs are smaller and tired. Only my liver test readings are pending now, as it was still higher that normal when I was discharged. I will have a review this Monday and I hope everything will be settled. All I need to do now is continue my own physiotherapy, walking around the house to build up those leg muscles again.

Again, thanks to all for the prayers and best wishes.

Pg Hj Azmi @ Gembo