My brush with H1N1

Yesterday was one of my most drama days ever in history. I have been having flu-like symptoms and I had close contact with a h1n1 patient on Sunday. Since I am a high risk patient being an asthmatic and upping the risk by recovering from bronchitis, I thought I better check whether am I down with bronchitis or h1n1 or BOTH. I called the respiratory specialist who has been seeing me to ask him for advice. He was not around but the nurse told me to self-quarantine for 7 days or go to hospital straight. Not fully convinced, I decided to go to one of the Pandemic Preparedness Clinics near my house to check for h1n1 virus. It should be PREPARED to do the h1n1 test. I was not very keen to call the ambulance and having the whole world goggle-eyed to see me being escorted by paramedics decked out in full protection gear and barricading the way as you walk. I will feel like a virus.

When the clinic nurse heard I had close contact with h1n1 patient, I started to feel that I am the virus. Her treatment towards me was more icy than the isolation. Hello…I thought this clinic was Pandemic Prepared for such cases. She told me the doctor asked me to go to the hospital now.

me: Now? On public transport? Can meh?

nurse: (audible sigh and a hint of exasperation) You wait. (came back) You call the ambulance 993 or you want us to call for you?

me: I thought this is a Pandemic Preparedness Clinic, can’t I do the test here?

nurse: Noo..ooo! (detect of panic) We are not able to do such tests here! You call the ambulance ok?

I was confused. What does PPC mean then? Left on my own since she had already closed the door on me, I decided to call another doctor but she was away. I was in a dilemma. Do I really have to call the ambulance??

I decided to be socially responsible and not take public transport. So I called the ambulance 993, thinking they will know best.

hotline: You take a cab to any hospital.

me: Hah? Can meh?

hotline: (rattling off) As long as you are not having a fever of 37.5 and above, you can take a cab to any hospital.

me: Are you sure or not? I was told I cannot take public transport.

hotline: You don’t take bus la. As long as you are not having a fever of 37.5 and above, you can take a cab to any hospital.

me: I read today newspaper that some h1n1 patients have no fever symptoms, you sure I can take ah?

hotline: (momentary pause). Why don’t you go to your own doctor and do the test?

me: They don’t want to see me, they ask me to go hospital straight. You sure I can take ah?

hotline: (longer pause) Both your doctors say you cannot take public transport?

me: Yes. But you say can, I will take la

hotline: (hint of shriek) OKok! I will despatch ambulance for you! You have to wait 45 mins and above because there is a high volume of demand for ambulances.

If I am a mystery patient testing the system of preparedness for H1N1, you all will sure fail. How can there be such discrepancy in the procedures? I heard later from Lai Wah another PPC clinic was able to do the swab tests. I waited 2 and a half hours for the ambulance. But the ride made up for it with siren and all. Haha. Not sure why the siren was switched on, I was not critically ill. They were driving so fast, maybe they need to go eat lunch or something. It was cool to see all vehicles giving way and traffic became suddenly so smooth. I thought their presence at my block will bring hordes of people as I was not sure what they would do. Thankfully, nothing as I imagined; one of the paramedics garbed in protective gear came out and gave me a mask.

That was the waiting area for all testing for H1N1 virus. The atmosphere was very sober. Everyone was wearing a mask and about 1 metre away from one another. All medical personnel was wearing protective goggles, mask, garb, gloves etc. Though the bustle of activity, the whirring of fans were louder than any conversations that could be heard. I felt like I was in the movie “Outbreak” eons ago on the Ebola virus. The screening was speedy, in no time, I had blood pressure, temperature, nose and throat swabs, blood tests, x-rays taken. And all equipment was cleaned immediately with disinfectant after use, even the toilets. Changing of seats was prohibited and the seat was disinfected immediately after the patient left. Some of them had IKEA leather seats…wow. Walking around the area was not encouraged.

Thus began the long wait…I was told it would take 6 – 8 hours for the results to be ready. There was nothing to do. I was not seated at the tentage where the rest of the people are. I was inside the building near the nurses’ workstation. People around me looked sicker than me. I had a horrifying thought: what if I had no H1N1 but because of my close proximity with those suspected, I got myself infected?? Weren’t that be an irony?? But it was too late to do anything..

But the medical assistants made my wait seem shorter. From time to time, they would come and offer us water, newspaper, food. I must say the food was really good, hooray for our government.  There was fried rice for those who were hungry. There were a variety of drinks, milo, canned chrysanthemums, water, and you can take as many as you want. I even saw cup noodles. Not long after, bread and biscuits made their appearance with more drinks again. And the last I had was a chocolate crossiant which was really good, the chocolate was of quality standard, where did they buy it from, I wonder.

The cleaning aunties were also very friendly. Somehow they were very amused by me and made small talk with me. Their working hours are really long, 13 hours. I must salute these medical personnel at their dedicated effort to serve the community in this high risk environment. Their jobs were not easy too especially they have to clean and disinfect the toilets at every use. There were hundreds of us, you can imagine the work. I waited and waited and started to become super bored. I was elated 5 hours later to hear from the doctor that I could go home and wait for results. But I had to wait for the ambulance again! That was another long wait.

auntie: Hah? You still here? (She has been coming to check on me once in a while)

me: Ya lor…still waiting for ambulance. So long la..they say not enough ambulance, should ask helicopter to fetch me mah..

auntie: Aiyah! You must go and tell the nurse, then it will be faster!

me: Can meh? (my favorite phrase of the day)

auntie: You come with me!

auntie: Nurse! She ask me about ambulance! I don’t know anything, you help her! She wait very long already leh!

Auntie is so smart! She act blur and gave an excuse to go enquire from the nurse. Because of her, I was able to process my request and got myself out of the place within half an hour! And they asked a merc maxi cab to fetch me home. Initially it was supposed to be 4 of us patients sharing a cab. I was a bit freaked out. But thank God eventually I was the only one.

I was dreading every phone calls that I received. But when after 10 hours later I did not receive any calls, I decided to call them. I was made to wait again for someone to pick up my call after asking me to hang on! But the wait was worth it in the end when I was told I was tested negative! Yeah! I was so happy that I shouted yeah and got one in the response too from the nurse.

Now am praying very hard I did not get infected while sitting there for 6 hours waiting for the results at the waiting area…

~ by dansktan on June 26, 2009.