Juniper
Two Fridays ago, I woke up with sore joints but didn’t think much of it as I didn’t feel unwell. I just thought I had slept in the wrong position. After all, I have to make room for my cat who occasionally shares my pillow. The day went by and my joints felt more and more sore until I had difficulty walking. I felt very tired by evening and slept for 2 hours before dinner. Then I had a fever, took 2 Panadols and thought it would be all right the next morning. I was due to go for my 2nd dose of Sinovac in 3 days.
That night was terrible as i woke up a few times to go to the washroom and each time I couldn’t get up of bed without hoisting myself up. It was agonising to walk a few steps to the washroom and back to bed. It took so much effort. The next morning was Saturday and I woke up with the fever still ongoing. Before breakfast, I headed towards the nearest hospital, TDMC and when the guard saw me hobbling out of the car, he brought me a wheelchair. Thank goodness for that as I was so shaky on my feet.
After registration, I was wheeled to one of the white tents where I could be isolated from everyone else. The GP and nurse came over and after I’d described my symptoms, the GP said a blood test was necessary to determine whether I had rheumatoid arthritis, dengue or viral fever, all of which would cause my joints to ache. She also recommended a Covid swab test. I decided to see the results of the blood test first as a Covid test would mean another few hundred in fees.
Meanwhile, the friendly nurse gave me an injection as a painkiller and lower my temperature. I would have to wait in the tent for an hour before they came back with the results. A Covid swab test there costs RM350 but it’s RM290 if the test is sent to Pantai Hospital. I waited anxiously for an hour praying it wasn’t rheumatoid arthritis as it’s an autoimmune disease.
Finally the GP walked into my tent with the results, thank goodness it wasn’t the dreaded rheumatoid arthritis or dengue. The results showed inflammation, the diagnosis being viral fever. I was prescribed paracetamol, steroids for 5 days and painkillers. The next day, there was no more fever and after I finished with the steroids, the joints ceased aching but not long after, I felt the ache again after the 2nd Covid vaccine. So I am back to the steroids which I actually don’t want to be on because it’s good and not good.
This is the first time I have ever had viral fever and it was worrying as I felt rather unwell, more so than the ordinary fever which never caused my joints to ache. The blood test was expensive, same price as a Covid test & all in all, it was almost RM500 for that hour visit to the hospital.
