Sickness

This entry was about something trivial: recently I developed a fever, for the first time since Year four.

I knew it was a common cold: I had a bit alcohol last Friday with friends and I did not wear a jacket walking in the streets. I realized that I was the only one who only wore polo shirt only in Yuen Long. Backing home, I knew that the temperature was only 20 degree Celsius. The alcohol desensitized me.

I started to developed fever when on Monday, which was associated with runny nose and lethargy. I knew it had to be a common cold. I tried to rest more so I could get well as soon as possible. I did not want to stop in Paediatrics. This is a module that a small pause could be lethal.

At the same time, I could not stop thinking about the suspected TB patient in the ward. The AFS was negative, but what? Did it mean something? I did a Respiratory exam on him. There were hot signs! Should I ask him more about her recent weight loss - was it because of TB infection? Should I ask him more about the illnesses of his father and his sister? Was it TB? These thinkings cannot leave my mind.

(Later it seemed to me that my worrying was not necessary: the patient has discharged home a few days later. Retrospectively, it showed that the empirical antibiotics worked for his pneumonia and there was no contact tracing for me.)

The psychological burden has been lifted up. And I got much better when I took long-hour sleeps and had a football game.