Random Thoughts
The Tralee Hospital Trip
We were just back from our Benelux trip when the guys suggested that we take a car and go around Ireland. For one Joy and I.N.Gar opted out. Molu was busy with her studies Puthu & Chotu decided not to come as they were working that weekend. Some of the others were out of the country. So finally it was DeePee, Jee, Ykas and I (as usual).
It was more of a driving practice session for Jee and DeePee. Friday evening Jee and DeePee met at the designated place and rented a car. And everybody dropped in at 66NR to have a quick dinner. Jee and Ykas stayed back so that we could start from there early in the morning. I guess I went to bed around 11:30 as I was very tired. The alarm was set for 4:00am as all of us had to wake up have a bath and get ready. I woke up at 4:00 and went back to bed, as I felt very uncomfortable and felt that my stomach and back were hurting. I thought that I must have slept in a funny position, which I normally do so if I straighten up a bit I should be ok. DeePee woke me up at 5:00 and told me that the rest of the group was ready and they were waiting on me. I woke up and got ready, all the time suffering in pain. At some stage I even told DeePee that I was not joining them but he wouldn't listen. He thought that I was being the usual grumpy me because I had to wake up early on a weekend.
I finally got ready and boarded our little Ford Focus at 5:30. I felt things should get better as time went by and concentrated on listening to some music. I called up my Dad and Mom and spoke to them and even that didn't have any effect on my pain. By the time we crossed City West I could not sit. So I stretched out in the back seat. For once I was happy I am short, I could stretch out in the back seat of such a small car without straining myself too much. Even after the first stop I continued to lie down. All I knew was that there was a heavy fog and whoever was driving was driving slowly. I was trying to concentrate on something so as to forget the pain. By the time we took a second break my mental strength had won and I was feeling slightly better.
I decided to sit in the front seat and be the navigator. I was doing quite well. I even got out in the next stop in Kerry and walked around a bit and posed for photos. So seeing me strong enough the rest of the crowd decided to brave it up to Dingle. We were even making plans for staying overnight. Our first priority was to see the Dolphins and then have lunch and stay back in Tralee and drive around the Ring of Kerry the next day on our way back home. We reached Dingle and I realised that my pain had over taken all my mental strength and I could not even sit. So we decided that I should take a painkiller, eat something and if I still felt sick we should go to a doctor. It was a Saturday and no GP (General Practitioner) would be available. And the nearest big hospital that I knew was in Tralee, which was about 1:30 hours away from where we were.
I called up my doctor friend in Dublin who told me to take Nurofen and go to the hospital in Tralee. I took the painkiller and tried to have soup. One spoon went in and I felt I couldn't eat any more of that. I went back to the car and was lying in the back seat while the guys were getting ready to face a long day ahead of them. It was sad that I could not enjoy because it was a wonderful day and getting such sunny days in Ireland is not common. After their lunch they walked around Dingle and found a small Surgery and woke up a duty doctor who hadn't got a wink of sleep the previous night. The doctor was a nice man who checked me up and told me that I will have to go to the Tralee General Hospital and he had written a letter to the duty doctor there to attend to me as soon as possible. He even called them up and told them to expect a patient coming from Dingle. In all my hurry to leave for the hospital I forgot to pay the doctor. I sent the hospital an email later asking them how to send the payment; they never bothered to reply L
The next one and a half-hour was hell with Ykas driving like mad to the hospital. That only increased my pain as each time the car bumps my pain would increase. I tried telling Ykas to drive slowly but he wouldn't listen. He was happy that he got an excuse to drive that fast. We reached the hospital and I walked (?) into A&E. And I was made to lie down in a bed there till the doctors arrived soon. A Pakistani doctor, Dr.Sultan Malik was the first one to check me. He sent me for X-rays and other tests. I was wheeled in a stretcher to the lab for my X-ray with DeePee walking beside me holding my hand. It looked quite funny and I wanted to laugh though I was crying in pain. After the X-ray I was brought back to my bed and I continued to lie there till Dr.Vincent came to check me. Dr.Vincent was very patient with me and explained all possible reasons for the pain including cancer and took more samples for more tests and told me that they would be available in three weeks. He then decided to give me a pain killer injection and allow me to go home when I felt comfortable.
Injections are not something that I like but I was ready to do anything to stop that pain. Within minutes after I got a shot I was feeling much better. I got down from the bed feeling guilty for wasting everybody's time. I almost fainted, went and sat in a chair till I felt a bit steady and walked to the doctor and got my discharge summary and walked out to meet the gang. In the mean time Jee and Ykas had decided to go hunting for accommodation, just in case they had to stay back in Tralee. They were summoned to the hospital immediately and after immediate stocktaking we decided to drive all the way back to Dublin. The drive to Dublin was uneventful except for Ykas' rash driving and breaking lights a couple of times. We reached Dublin at around 11:30 and had what Chotu had cooked for us and went straight to bed.
After that trip I have been told strictly by the group that if I have to travel I have to have my medical certificate ready saying that I will be ok during the trip. I have my medical certificate ready and am eagerly waiting for the next trip guys are you listening?
22-Jul-2001
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Shyamala Sathiaseelan
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