Deeparaya at the ER

Happy Deepavali and Selamat Hari Raya! To those who are not celebrating, hope you are having a good break and a safe holiday.

We had planned Hari Raya day today similar to last year’s: Get the clan over to our house in the morning, then at about lunch time Ant J, Nenek and our family will drive down to Semenyih to visit my husband’s relatives.

Nenek and Ant J were the first to arrive and the first thing Ant J said to us was, “Oooh my stomach is doing the summersaults today.” Well, something to that effect anyway.

Freaky, isn’t it? First Adik had it, then Abang was hospitalised and now Ant J seems to have caught the bug too. Want to hear something even more freaky? Guess who had to go to the ER again, for the 3^rd time in 8 days, this time for herself?

I woke up on Hari Raya eve with a slight pain in my stomach. Ok, no big deal, let’s just see if I can – shall we say – sit this one out. No can do, the pain just kept getting worse and worse. I took some of Adik’s medication (it did say for children AND adults) but that didn’t stay down for very long.

Finally we decided it was time to go to the doctor. As it was the Monday after Deepavali and the eve of Hari Raya, our regular clinic was closed. So off we went to our now regular ER with me lying down doubled over in the back seat.

After explaining what was wrong, I got a bed at the ER and eventually the doctor gave me a jab and half hour later checked to see if I was ok to go home. She gave me the green light, assorted medication and advice on what to eat and, more importantly, what not to eat. Off we went, I was feeling somewhat better after the jab but not that much more.

Semenyih didn’t look promising.

(On a brighter note, the hospital had a unique 'kolam' (the floor decoration made of coloured rice that usually shows up around Deepavali) at its entrance. The 'kolam' was surrounded by a wooden fence on which hung lots of ketupat decoration and behind it was a kampung house, signifying the Deeparaya celebration. Very cool!)

Luckily my parents are in town for the Hari Raya break and we packed the boys, my auntie and the maid off to their house. After a day of medication, rest, some super-bland porridge and yummy vegetable soup, I actually felt well enough to join them all for dinner.

Hari Raya morning I felt much better, although still with some twangs of pain but nothing serious. We had everyone over at our house and even made it to Semenyih. The problem with having stomach flu during Hari Raya is that practically everything served is exactly the type of food to avoid – oily, spicy or sweet.

I managed to refrain myself but Ant J had trouble resisting the rendang so I think she’s paying for that now, poor dear. And if that’s not bad enough, this evening my uncle from the kampung called to wish everyone Selamat Hari Raya and as a by-the-way thing mentioned that HE was having the runs too!

I mean, WOW, what kind of virus are we dealing with here?