Close encounter with H1N1

Our whole family just returned from Hong Kong on 25th June 2009, Thursday.

Both Vincent and I received sms during our trip to self quarantine at home for 7 days as we are returning from one of the “affected countries”.

On Saturday morning, when I carried Jaelyn when she woke up, I can feel that she is very warm. By 12noon, I checked her temperature and it was 38 degree Celsius. OH MY!!! I was panicky, worried, scared, afraid… whatever words I can find to describe my feeling… I don’t want to bring her to KK to hospitalise!!! No no no!!!

So we gave her fever medicine… still the temperature did not go down… Both Vincent & I were scared stiff… We called her usual PD, Dr. Goh Siok Ying and she advised that we should observe her for 1 –2 days and only bring her to KK if she developed cough and flu. But said that if we want to bring her to see doctor, any doctor would refer us to KK because of our travel history. Even if we bring her to Dr. Goh on Monday, she also would have to send us down to KK.

Midnight, Sunday, Jaelyn still running a fever of 38 degree Celsius. Both of us decided to bring her to KK the first thing in the morning.

28 Jun 2009, Sunday morning, we brought Jaelyn to KK Hospital Children Emergency. The moment we got off the car, the nurse asked if we did travel for the past 7 days and immediately we have to be sent to the isolation tent and only 1 parent allowed.

I went with Jaelyn. She was crying and crying… she was scared because everyone was wearing a mask. Then the nurse took her pulse, she cried and struggled and wet her pant. Shortly after, the nurse took an apparatus to measure her oxygen level, another struggle. Then we waited very long to see the doctor. Thank God we packed our portable DVD player and Jaelyn’s favourite Hi 5 disc.

The tent was full of sick kids… all wear mask. You can hear the nurse saying… fever… 38.5 degree Celsius… this one back from Indonesia… so on and so forth… I was so so so SCARED!!! I almost teared… I felt so helpless and my husband couldn’t come in.

I held Jaelyn and prayed and prayed that she will be fine. In fact, her temperature dropped to 37.4 degree when the nurse took her temperature. Finally we get to see the doctor. The doctor said Jaelyn was generally healthy except for fever and diarrhoea. She did not think she is having H1N1 but as part of the procedure, she had to take a swap test. A long cotton stick was put into her nostril to take out some sampling for testing. We were given home quarantine for 7 days till 4 July 2009. I thank God that we get to go home. It was not as scary afterall. However, we have to stay home and wait for the test result. The doctor said that if the test is negative, they will not call us. If it was positive, KK will call us to straight bring her back to hospitalise.

We went home… Sunday passed by very quickly. Jaelyn poo-ed 8 times and her fever subsided in the evening…

29 June 2009, Monday… No call from KK! Was working from home and about to “off work” so I started writing this blog… And my HP rings!!!! Unfamiliar number… Doctor from KK called to look for parent of Chua Xin Yi Jaelyn.. I held my breath…

“I’m Doctor Tay from KK Hospital… I called to inform you that Jaelyn’s test result is out… the result is NEGATIVE.”

PRAISE THE LORD!!! God is good! The doctor said if we did not receive letter from the Ministry of Health, Jaelyn need not be home quarantine.. That is sure good news!

What a close encounter with H1N1!