I opened my eyes, stared at the ceiling, and wondered what I was doing there. Wasn’t I supposed to be laying on bed? Why am I laying on the bathroom floor? It took me less than a minute to understand that I would have had a blackout and fallen down. I can’t remember how I was feeling at that moment, but I did get up, finished my business in the bathroom, and stepped out. Before I knew, I found myself laying on the floor once again. This time right beside my bed. So, I had a blackout once again! As I tried to get up, I could feel a small hard piece inside my mouth. I spit it out on my hand. It was the broken piece of a tooth. I would have fallen with my face hitting the hard-tiled floor that caused my front tooth to break off. Later, I discovered bruises all over my left arm, which was a consequence of the fall in the bathroom.
It was an early Wednesday morning when all of this was happening, and I was all alone at home.
I placed the broken tooth on my bedside table and somehow climbed onto the bed. After about 10-15 minutes, my mind started connecting the dots and drawing conclusions on what was happening. The day before, I had very high fever with temperatures ranging from 103°F to 105°F, sometimes almost 106°F. No paracetamol, no cold-water therapy was helping and the fever that started off in the afternoon, continued late into the evening. The fever came down only middle of the night accompanied by heavy sweating. As a result, my body would have lost salt and electrolyte and my BP would have fallen. Also, I couldn’t drink or eat anything the day before, except a few sips of ORS.
After a while when I felt a little better, I climbed out of bed and made myself a cup of black tea. I had that with two biscuits, only to throw up within moments of swallowing the same. Immediately, I typed a message to M, my ex-colleague, friend, and neighbour. M stays in the flat just below mine and was the only person who was aware about the severity of my sickness. I hadn’t told my family much as they are far away and cannot do much other than just worry for me. My sister isn’t in town too. She is visiting our home, Shillong. I have no idea what I would have done without M.
A simple Tonsil infection went awry, just because of a Doctor who refused to prescribe any medicines till I got tested for Covid. Did people never suffer from any fever-related ailments prior to Covid! Well, I got myself tested and the results were negative, as I had anticipated. Along with the tonsil infection, I had a molar tooth fracture too. The two were unrelated but managed to confuse me and my body sufficiently. To add to all the misery, the dentist I visited goofed up. As a result, I was suffering from acute toothache along with fever and other associated symptoms of an untreated Tonsil infection. Reeling under the pain of a fractured tooth and an overall unwellness due to the Tonsil infection, I surely have taken some wrong decisions.
Well, a lot of water flowed under the bridge for the past two weeks and I am doing much better now. The tooth problem remains, which is now multiplied with the addition of one broken front tooth and another sensitive to touch. I don’t remember being this seriously ill anytime in the recent past. Not at least in the Bangalore chapter of my life, which is 11 years now.
If the first doctor would have cared to give me some antibiotics, none of this would have happened. And, she happens to be the General Physician in one of the most reputed hospitals in Bangalore.
I routinely visit this hospital, however, this time I felt very negative after going there and this was even before I saw the doctor. There were no distinctions whatsoever for patients who were coming in with fever and flu symptoms. There was zero social distancing and many people didn’t have their masks on.
In all the things that went wrong in the past few days, I can only express my gratitude to the Almighty, who certainly made sure I wasn’t broken beyond repair. Whenever I look back at my blackouts, a shiver runs down my spine thinking about the things that could have happened but didn’t. I just need a good dentist to fix my broken tooth. M was there all through, taking care of me like a God-send angel. I can never repay all the things she did for me. A few other friends helped too in various ways, but M‘s proximity to me enabled her to do things that others couldn’t. Last but not the least, I must mention my housemaid. She went above and beyond her duty to make sure my recovery is quick. She had never seen me this sick in the past 6 years that she’s been working for me and that had her totally freaked out.
The last time I had fallen severely ill was when I had an Anaphylactic Shock. However, I feel this time was it was more critical. Last time I had received prompt medical attention, which didn’t happen this time.
Seasons of Life! 
Goodness, that’s a close call. Blacking out is never good. Get well soon.
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Thank you so much. I do need all the wishes right now. 🙂
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My gosh – that sounds awful. Glad you’re OK and everything worked out in the end. Sorry that getting to that point was so difficult.
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Thank you, Todd. I am just grateful that everything worked out right at the end.
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Very painful to know. I hope everything is OK now. I wish for your speedy recovery. The friend in need is a friend indeed.
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Thank you for reading this Ramasamy Sir. I am doing much better now and recovering fast.
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In addition to all the medical symptoms, that must have been very frightening emotionally. I am glad you are doing better and hope all is well soon.
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I am doing much better, Ralie. Thank you for your wishes.
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O baba i literally kept feeling that you might end it all with a bad dream night.
But it sounded worse. I send you strength Neel for I imagine it will be very hard for you to even eat properly and sufficiently. Take rest. Breathe deep. I sense worst is behind now.
Nara x
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Thanks so much, Narayan. I am feeling much much better. The worst is gone indeed. Once I feel better, need to get my teeth fixed and am all good then.
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Yes. also please do. I hope you got it all under control now.
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This is such terrifying! Feeling really sorry for your suffering Neel.
Thankfully as you mentioned you are past the worst, and hope you revive soon enough to be able to be like before. At this times we really feel so helpless and thankfully you had such good friends at hand.
In hindsight, it’s really bad how covid has been hitting is such unexpected ways too. Am sure most of us are living with some or other maladies but are scared to go to the hospital still, in fear of such experiences.
Take care, take rest and get well soon. I wait to read about your further adventures and travels again 🙂
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This was absolutely an unfortunate fallout of Covid. But thankfully I am all good now, the tonsil thing being arrested. The tooth is the only concern now, which I plan to get started this weekend. I am thankful nothing bad really happened, which could have.
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Glad you’re feeling better.
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Thank you. 🙂
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This is ironic and could have been completely avoided. While I was reading this, I thought the best part is that things didn’t go too bad. Blackouts and sustaining injury because of fainting can be fatal. I’m glad you are feeling better now. Do find a good GP, it helps. My good wishes for your speedy recovery.
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I did find a good GP in another hospital. All the fiasco led to one good thing at least. The good thing is both these renowned hospitals are just 2 Km away from my home. Not going to one ever again, and everyone I spoke to had similar tales to tell.
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I’m glad you found a good GP. Having a sensible and accessible GP can save lots of trouble, time and money. Take care, Neel. 🙂
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So glad that it worked out, kind of. But what a horrible experience before that. Covid seems to have completely screwed up emergency medical services. I keep wondering what would happen. I hope that tooth is not going to be a chronic issue.
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Covid is the reason that led to my simple tonsillitis becoming critical and my misfortune that I visited that physician. The tooth can be fixed, seen a dentist during the weekend. Keeping my fingers crossed that this one won’t turn out to be like the one I visited before. Thank you for reading and leaving this note.
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Thank God the worst is over Neel. My my it sounds real bad and anything could have happened!!
I too have had very bad experience with the dentist I visited in Pune recently 😌
We are living in difficult and strange times Neel. Stay safe. Stay healthy 🤗
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Thank you Ashok for your good wishes and also for reading this post. I guess dentists are always dicey, it’s difficult to know who’s good. Plus one that works for someone, may not work for me. Even good reviews in Practo have led to bad experiences. Let’s see how the one I am going to now does the job.
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All the best Neel. Shall keep you in my prayers 😊🙏
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Thank you so much. 🙂
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You are most welcome Neel 😊
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As I read this, I hope you have recovered fully by now
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Yes, I have recovered. Thank you for asking. 🙂
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Although it could have been worse as you mentioned, I am still glad to note you recovered. Sad about the unnecessary damage to your tooth which could have been easily avoided. Take care!
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Thanks once again for reading this post. Appreciate it given the busy schedule you usually have in office and at home.
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