Being Sick
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| A Daddy M Original |
It has been a turbulent past month. In a course of over 30 days, Daddy had been out of commission every other alternate week. It started with flu followed by a bad case of tonsillitis and continued with a bout of food poisoning. The last month was not enjoyable. I had spent more time hugging the toilet bowl than I had spending time with you.
Over this bout of illness, Daddy realised that certain things in life cannot be taken for granted. This episode had been by far the worse I had experienced over almost 4 decades of my life. So much so I was even bedridden for a couple of days due to consistently high fever and general malaise. Throughout this period, I was actually worried. What if one of this day I would be in this constant state and lead to something far worse?
I cannot bear the thought of leaving you, little boys. It terrifies me to think of what would happen in a scenario where I would not be around. Eventually, this day will happen... I just wish it would be in a far far far distant future.
Morbid thoughts aside, this episode taught me a lesson. Better be prepared than sorry. Here is some advice
1) Always have medication ready.
The essentials
Panadol - Fever and Flu
Charcoal -For Diarrhoea
Doctors may not be available in the middle of the night. If they do, it means burning a hole in the pocket.
2) See a doctor
Don't fight the pain yourself. See the doctor if symptoms persist. Early treatment is better than prolong illness.
3) Stay isolated
In between my bouts of illness, both of you have caught the bug and it was a musical chair session of seeing who falls sick next. It may be wiser to stay isolated so the virus would not have a chance to multiply.
4) Rest and stay hydrated
The best cure for illness is rest. Lots of it.
In today's world, rest is considered a luxury. If it is so, enjoy it like a king. Rest and Rest. For fevers, diarrhoea and vomiting, the best friend is actually water. Drink tons of it. Before sleep, waking up and in between.
5) Stay Healthy
Eat right, exercise and relax. Life is not a rat race and you are definitely not a rat. Take things easy, breathe and refrain from a stressful situation. For me, I think the main cause of this illness could be contributed to stress at work. It is not something I am proud of, but managing stress could aid in staying healthy.
Do remember children when you are older, you may not be as strong as you were when you are in your youth. Age does funny things to the body, but as long as you constantly maintain a balanced lifestyle, you would do fine.
Remember your body is like a car. It needs a tune-up periodically in order for it to run efficiently. It is never fun to be sick, especially if it takes time away from your love one. The most important lesson learned is to treasure the moment now. Do not wait for the worse to realise it is too late.
Be well, my sons.
Love Dad
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