Wednesday, April 06, 2005

Friend at NUH

Is it common to end yourself up in a hospital? How many of us actually stayed in a hospital before? Hmm i wonder.

I got a news earlier today about 1 of my friend. First he said he cannot enlist this friday. I was like "wah so late le u still haven enlist?" Then he followed it byy saying that he is now in NUH. His stomach burst.

What a news.

I asked him which ward is he in and told him i'll be visiting him after work. I was thinking how big the issue can this be. If there is a hole in the stomach, it means the digestive jucies in the stomach will leak to the other organs nearby ... so his life can be in danger. But somehow his sms lack that seriousness. He told me he can't believe he is so unlucky. So i decided not to prod him with more questions, knowing that he loves to worry and asking more makes him worry more.

I met up with Miss Zhen after work at Buona Vista MRT. We took a shuttle bus to NUH and began searching for the ward and a shop that we can buy goodies for my friend. We bought 2 packests of biscuit and 1 big bottle of green tea. Then we went to meet my friend.

He was all smiles when he met us. He doesn't really look sick. Though maybe not as jumpy as his usual self, he seems pretty normal to us. We greeted his father and was then directed to sit next to him by his dad. As his Dad left us to our own circle of conversation, Hong [that hospitalised friend] started pouring out his woes and fill us with details.

Last Sunday, he felt a very painful stomachache around midnight. It was very painful and he had to woke up in the middle of tghe night, struggling with the pain. He began to ask his father to drive him to NUH while his father hastily tried to treat him with medications of his own. In the end, he was drove to NUH. The Doctor told him that there was an unsual high level of air outside his stomach. He then said he looks quite okay outside but what's inside him is horrible. So he began worrying [as usual].

He was operated on his stomach. What actually happened was that his stomach ulcer split and there was a small hole in his stomach. Thank God he was send early to the hospital or the unthinkable could occur. He told me when he was in the operating room, he sniff some chemicals [chloroform like substances that makes people unconscious]. The next thing he know he was back at the ward with a tube in his nose. Apparently the tube was inserted through his nose, through his throat gut and then to the stomach. He told me he felt nauseous with the tube in his throat and it is very painful when they suddenly pull the tube out. Urgh.

The doctors said that the hole was probably attributed to stress, overconsumption of alcohol, irregular meals, etc. The definite cause of this problem is uncertain. It seldom happens to kids and teenagers. So it is really unfortunate that my healthy friend ended up like this. We chatted alot and learn that he can only eat jelly and drink soup for now. He is much okay now compared to yesterday from what we heard. We told him to take care of himself and not to worry too much. Just glad that his stomach din actually burst. -____-

Take care of your health and eat regularly and promptly. Staying in hospitals ain't fun. Trust me. :)

1 comment:

Mr Missile Rocket Launcher said...

Yes,friend. I have stayed in a hospital before. I can share almost the same experience as your friend as I have stayed in NUH for a week back in 1998 from 8th November, Sunday to Tuesday, 16th November. I underwent (hmmmm,is there such a word?) a major operation for my spine. My life was at stake, a matter of life and death. The facilities there were fantastic. Nothing compared to the other hospitals in Singapore.