Wednesday, February 14, 2007

A Second Chance

On the 14th January 2005, I fell very sick. I kept throwing up everything that I ate and I had diarrhoea. I thought it was food poisoning. It went on for 3 days. Sensing that something could be wrong, my husband Chris sent me to the A&E Department at a nearby hospital. After a bout of tests, it was confirmed I had Dengue Fever.

I was warded immediately and put on drip. My fever was 40 degree Celsius. And throughout the whole night, I was constantly sponged with cold water to bring down the fever. I was freezing but my body was burning hot.

Every day a nurse would come in twice to take my blood samples. I couldn't eat and was on drip most of the time. Chris slept in the ward to keep me company at night. For the first few days, he would rush from the practice after closing hours to the hospital. In the afternoons, my son Jaymes would come after school to take care of me.

I was very sick and my temper was horrible, the nurses were reluctant to come near. I would pull out the needle of the drip and refuse medication. Chris would silently bear my nonsense. He would help me to the toilet and also bathed me in the mornings. Then he would go home to check on the kids before rushing to work. School had just started not too long ago, so there were many things to do.

Also he was having a lot of trouble from our tenants. They knew I was hospitalised and yet they wanted Chris to go down to fix up the internet and changed new furniture and fixtures.

On the 6th day, my condition deteriorated. My red blood cells count dropped to a dangerously low level and my gums was bleeding. I couldn't get up and I was too weak to speak. I had lost 6 kg in that few days. I was dying.

The doctor quickly ordered a plasma transfusion. At that time, there was a Dengue Fever pandemic in Singapore. A few people died and hundreds were hospitalised. The doctor couldn't promise that I would get better. It would depend very much on whether my body would accept the new plasma.

I could see that Chris was mentally and physically drained, at that moment I just wished to die. I was suffering so much that I couldn't take it anymore. I would get hysterical and Chris would hold my hands and pleaded with me to hang on and get well. At times, he would hold me tightly and cried. During the next 2 days, we could only look at each other with tears streaming down our eyes.

Seeing him so weary and miserable, it really broke my heart. I was prepared to leave if it was God's will. It was a torture to see the man who have always been my pillar of strength to crumble.

On the 3rd day of my blood transfusion, I got slightly better. Chris was ecstatic. When I was off the drip, he went to the market to buy chicken to boil soup for me. And he would spoonfeed me.

I was warded for 12 days. Chris stayed by my side 24 hours a day for the 5 days I was really sick. He couldn't go to work and he told the tenants to go 'f*** a spider' when they couldn't stop calling him on his mobile! hahaha.......

I've been through Hell and back, it was Chris who gave me the strength to fight at my most critical moment of my life. To my husband, Christopher Tan, this Valentine's Day post is dedicated to you.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

51 comments:

  1. Awww..!! that's the sweetest story..!!! Happy V-Day to you and yours..!! Your husband.. Chris is a Gem..!!

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  2. oh, yes he is.

    This was a very difficult post to write because I was crying so hard as I recollect what happened then. I would not be alive today to write this if not for him.

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  3. You husband is the best man in the world for you! Thank God for men like him around who is willing to be there even during the stormiest of times.

    I'm so glad you made it through. Why don't you go hug your husband, Chris on my behalf, OK? And tell him that I wish him a Happy Valentines Day as well!

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  4. AWWWW. That is beautiful!! That is love there! I can't believe it is Valentine's Day for you already! Happy V-Day! I was having a contest on my blog for stories of how people met. I should have just made it ANY story!

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  5. Wah... when u promise some wacky stories for the v-day, we are(or I am) expecting sth notti.
    But my dear, this is the sweetest V-day story i ever heard. i can feel my tears building up, almost roll down from the eye sockets... Kudos to ur Chris thou i dunnoe him in person. I hope i will be able to find someone who can stay by me thru thick & thin oneday.

    Given a 2nd chance, the more u outta live life to fullest, for u and ur family!! Happy V-day to u!

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  6. I hear you .. i was writing a post to remember 13th Feb.. but i couldn't post it.. because i was crying buckets.. even after all these years.. :( so i understand how you feel.

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  7. Three cheers to your husbnd, Mr Christopher Tan. I am sure that you are deeply touched by his love for you.

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  8. Think we are even, blogspot just deleted my post :-)

    Never knew they had dengue in Singapore. Had mine in Malaysia, no drip, not too much bleeding, no appetite yet not at all aware of who was around me.

    So lets herish every minute of our life, as a stupid mosquito can change our destiny...

    Happy cooking!

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  9. Man, those dang-blasted mosquitoes will getcha! When I first landed in S'pore they bit me and I got pink eye. Glad you are better!

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  10. Hi Sherry!
    hahaha..... Chris is going to get more than hugs, should I tell him it's from you too? hahaha.....

    Thanks for everything.

    Happy Valentine's Day!

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  11. tasha dear!
    Thanks. We are one day ahead of the US, so we get to celebrate it earlier.

    Aaaahhhh, would have love to enter your contest though.

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  12. zeezee darling!
    Thanks. I believe you will find someone as good. Just open your eyes big big and dun get sweep off by sweet talk.

    You can see I'm living like a crazed woman! hahaha......

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  13. oh mamabok,
    Hope I get to read the post, email it to me if you can't post it. I'm being a kaypoh again, but I also want to give you a 'listening ear'.

    Happy Valentine's Day darling!

    *Hugs*

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  14. oceanskies,
    Hi dear!

    Life is so funny. Sometimes you dun get a second chance at all and you go off just like a candle flame.

    I hope you would be happy doing whatever you are doing and dun bother what others may say about you. Only you know what you want & what is right for you.

    I love you, PY. Take good care of yourself.

    Happy Valentine's Day!

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  15. Hi skinnycook!
    hahaha.... we're even.

    ya, the disease was very bad. Imagine kena killed by a mosquito. How can I be killed by a mosquito?!!! I will die with my eyes open!

    We have to be very careful becos we cannot get Dengue Fever the 2nd time.

    Happy Valentine's Day!

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  16. Hi Dwayne!
    hahaha.... the mossies got you too huh! I'm fine now. Thanks.

    Happy Valentine's Day!!!

    * Hugs *

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  17. I'm spending the waning hours of Valentine's Day eve wondering why she didn't email me back, the other she gave me a hug on MSN and said to call 'only if I wanted' and the other she seems interested in me but am I not sure what she really wants or if I want to let myself like her.

    The you had to go and jerk my tears with that beautiful tale of love.Be careful. Writing like that will acclerate global warming; it started to melt this iceberg. Al Gore won't be pleased but you helped me feel something other than jaded fear while I was trying figure out how to avoid contact with any Woman, for whom I may have fellings, for 24 hours commencing at Midnight.

    Roses for my Mother, sister and two nieces may be the only gesture required. Valentine's Day is for giving. And forgiving is the most powerful expression of love I know. It is also the most painful.

    Gregg Scott
    www.GWEGGY.com

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  18. awwwww Gweggy dear!

    You will find the best woman just for you! But you have to get out and meet them!!!! You are always on the computer, any wonder if a good woman would find you.

    And you are expecting something on V-day from an MSN? Get real, man!

    I wish you all the best, dear!

    * Hugs *

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  19. You are a very blessed woman. Thanks for sharing the story. Must learn to appreciate our spouses more. Must also appreciate the 'ngiao' NEA guy who booked us for breeding mosquitoes.

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  20. (sit upright) Huh!!! Mr Lam, you read my blog too! Waahhh! So flattered.

    After your buddy 7early 8early slam me this morning, I was so upset. Thanks for brightening my day!

    hehehe.... the 'ngiao'NEA guys....

    Happy Valentine's Day!!!

    * Hug *

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  21. awwwww...i am tearing now...i had dengue in 2003 right b4 i conceive my 1st baby.

    newey, happy valentine's day to u too...give a hug to ur hubs for me, can? hehe

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  22. omg! what a hellish time for you at the hospital. i was sick for a week last week, but mine pales to what you went through.

    anyway, happy valentine's day. <3

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  23. omg! what a horrible time for you in the hospital. glad you got through that.

    anyways, happy valentine's day! <3

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  24. Huh Miche,
    You have it too? 4th person today who told me that :(

    hehe..... thanks.

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  25. Hi Carlos!
    I'm glad you're better now. Take care of yourself. Have some time to smell the roses!

    I'm glad to be alive!!!!

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  26. Wow, what a touching story and I was moved to tears! Its such great news that you managed to pull through and love is still in the air for both of you...

    We really must learn to treasure our partners more cos love is the best thing that ever happens to us!!

    Happy Valentine's Day!

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  27. You're right scubscub (ang mo kio's wife, hehe......).

    Cherish each other.

    When you going to have baby huh?
    hehe....

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  28. Thank you for your greetings. Happy Valentine's Day. :)

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  29. You have a great husband! May both of you have the sweetest Valentine's Day ever. :)

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  30. Focus on the good things in life, n dont go out when the mosquitos do :-)

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  31. What a sweet way to cheer you Chris and the story tell how much it means to have a close and good friends when thing go tough!
    Wishing you a Happy Valentines Day too:-)

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  32. theskinnycook,
    yes,I'm terrified of mosquitoes!!!

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  33. Well I sure hope you are well this Valentine's Day my friend. Happy Valentine's Day to you!

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  34. Same here, any mosquito that enters the house is on death row :-)

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  35. stef,
    Let's declare war on the mosquitoes!!! Eliminate them!!!! Charge!!!!

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  36. Your story is simply so sweeping and so well written that it blows my mind. I really think that you are going to give Xiaxue and mr brown a run for their money. No wonder you have such a huge fan base! I am also glad that you found somebody "to love and cherish, to have and to hold, now and forevermore, till death us do part."

    Awesome and sweet beyond belief.

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  37. Aiyo Walter,
    You praise me to the moon!
    Please don't compare me with any celebrity bloggers anymore or else they really think I want to take their places.

    To have the compliments of a good writer like you, I have proven that I can write. That is enough.

    Thanks.

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  38. Eastcoastlife, after reading Walter's comments, I think I should learn from you how to be a good writer.

    Then again, maybe I shall just be myself. I write for self-expression, not to attract readers. *winks*

    But I would like most of my posts to be reader-friendly nevertheless.

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  39. Huh? Don't la! Sometimes some people read my posts also 'catch no ball', I'm not qualified to advise others how to write.

    I enjoy reading your posts, you write well too.

    Actually I write what I think, not particularly catering to anyone. I would like to be more open in my thoughts but my son is the Censor Board. hahaha....

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  40. ah...so there is actually a censor board behind your blog. wow.

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  41. Hi! Been very busy these few days, didnt get to visit your blog.

    Hope you are much much better now.
    Take care the CNY is coming, lotsa goodies out there calling! hee hee

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  42. Hi ang mo kio!
    I thought you went to Taiwan already!

    Look so stiff on TV leh! If not quite good-looking lor! I think you on purpose wan, right? So that Izel can 放心!Good boy!!!

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  43. You have a wonderful husband! I'm so envious! When are you going to introduce him to me?

    SL

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