MAR 9, 15 .. BACK TO ST. TERESA’S HOSPITAL ..

My first ever experience with St. Teresa’s Hospital here in Kowloon was in May of 2008.  It was an outstanding experience. This past December 2014 and into January of 2015 I was again a patient at St. Teresa’s with a severe skin condition that required medical treatment. This too was a very positive experience.

The Hong Kong Metro Area has been experiencing the worst ‘flu epidemic’ in over ten years. 93% of an almost record number of deaths from this ‘flu’ has been confined to the above AGE 65 population. I am now age 78. In fact I have inundated Patti with many clippings from the local newspapers about this serious situation.

And where on earth Captain have you been this past l week or so? 

A week ago .. Monday March 2nd .. a ‘head cold’ begin a visit with me. By this past Wednesday March 4th it had progressed to being a ‘head cold from hell’ and was to the point that I had to actually get up in the middle of a meeting and excuse myself and head for my apartment. I lay low all the rest of the day Wednesday and continued to lay very low Thursday and Friday.

Lay Low: Rest (as in sleep) .. Stay inside .. Force fluids .. Rest (stay in bed while writing post cards etc) .. Eat well .. in short .. just cool it!

I kept telling Patti in my updates that .. “I am holding my own. Things are not getting any worse. My condition is bothersome but it is stable.” Sinus’s draining like crazy .. coughing .. you all know what the ‘head cold from hell’ is about.

This past Saturday morning I arose and things had taken a very bothersome and ugly turn downward. Up until Saturday morning all of the drainage from my sinus’s and what I was coughing up was CLEAR. Saturday morning what I began to cough up was thick and brownish greenish yellow.

“Oh My This is NOT GOOD!” .. I thought to myself.

I called Patti to get Patti’s input ..

Patti said .. “Cap PLEASE SEE A DOCTOR A.S.A.P.!”  

Even Precocious agreed with Patti .. “Yes Dad! See a Doctor NOW!”

I chatted with My Man Simon (Seemon like a Frenchman) .. who STRONGLY SUPPORTED PATTI! 

“Cap you cannot afford to let this thing get ahead of you!” .. “Go NOW Cap!” ..

Simon (Seemon) had ‘Zilla on the phone and ‘Zilla too agreed ..

Simon .. A whole lot of people you will never know were rooting for you and I the two of us together .. With God supervising and with Me pulling and You squeezing we got you through a very small Knot-Hole to get you past your recent crisis!

 The World Needs You Simon! You have great things ahead of you in this life!

Well all of this advice certainly sounded good and it made a lot of sense.  So this past Saturday I prepared myself (I went back to my studio apartment and washed up and put on clean clothing) to make the trek to St. Teresa’s Hospital and I actually begin the trip. By time I was ready to board the Hong Kong MTR I realized that it was dangerous to continue because of how weak and disoriented I was feeling. I returned to my apartment and lay down staying in the rest of the day Saturday. This was indeed the correct decision.

One does not want to ‘pass out’ on the Hong Kong MTR or on a bus or even worse while walking on the street! That would be far too much!

Yesterday (Sunday the 8th of March) dawned and I felt absolutely wonderful. I felt so great that I texted Patti saying:

Too much going on to text or talk now. Feeling so good I may now go to the hospital after my meeting this morning. Or I may not go but go monday or tuesday.

It was not an IF I go scenario. I was going for sure. Yesterday or today or tomorrow.

So off I went to St. Teresa’s Hospital.

First across Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor on one of my beloved Star Ferries I went.

And then Up Front and in the Cat-Bird seat for sure I boarded my 1A bus to St. Teresa’s hospital.

Since I was passing through Mong Kok (said as a one sylable word missing the ‘g’ as in .. Monkok ..) I picked up some things I needed (Kirkland Almonds and Snickers mini-bars and some Ensure) in Mong Kok and said Hi to Ruby who also supported my going to St. Teresa’s Hospital.

I was really feeling very good .. Or so I thought!  

I was feeling so good that (1) I got off the bus at the wrong stop (I went one stop past the correct stop) and then to further confound matters I proceeded to (2) walk the wrong direction away from the Hospital!

I mean I was doing so good that I (3) had blood all over the back of my right hand and on my jacket from .. I saw where the blood came from but I had no idea .. I had no clue .. when and how I had damaged my right hand!  We are rocking aren’t we Captain! 

Keep in mind I have been coming to St. Teresa’s for some time now! This was certainly not my first ever visit!

Finally .. I did not really need the exercise involved in 30 minutes of useless walking !! .. Hello St. Teresa’s Hospital! Do you mind IF I sit down and rest a moment or two or even three?

In we will go.

EXCEPT YESTERDAY .. UNLIKE SOME OTHER VISITS shown above ..

THERE WAS NO LINE AT ALL!

Within 9 minutes I was checked in and my vitals (temperature .. blood pressure ..) were taken. At the 30 minute mark I had completed my visit with a staff Doctor and all I had to do was to check out.

At the 47 minute mark I was out of the hospital with four prescriptions and my bill of HKG $ 618 (US $ 79.74) paid. You tell me that our medical and hospital system is NOT broken.

I have a very early Upper Respiratory Track Infection .. my lungs are clear.

I am taking ..

Augmentin 1G (or 1,000 mg) morning and evening with food for 7 days.

Bronal Syrup 10ml 3x day for 7 days.

Mucinex 600mg 2x day for 7 days.

XYZAL TAB 5mg 1x day.  CHAD have fun with figuring out XYZAL TAB.

I may ask my Pharmist Dennis for an additional three days to make it a 10 day process.

Starbucks is still friendly and doing business at St. Teresa’s!

I AM TELLING YOU ALL .. I LOVE MY KOWLOON ST. TERESA’S HOSPITAL!

With Joy .. Cap ..

“Ah-h-h-h Captain” .. “Yes?” .. “We all can tell that you are indeed feeling better!” ..

“Ah-h-h-h Captain .. In case you can’t hear him .. Your Dinkey Bird is indeed Singing in Your Amfalula Tree!” ..  

• ← MAR 2, 15 .. A.A.A.D.D. .. YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME !!
• MAR 10, 15 .. SOME BIG NEWS HERE .. PATTI AND SIMON .. →