My bad cough started in mid-January, around the time when everyone started preparing for Chinese New Year. I even bought much Chinese New Year goodies for my family and myself. But I did not touch any of these AT ALL!!! The cough and sore throat came together. I thought it would be the usual cough and sore throat. After the seeing the doctor, it should be much better. However, things just turn for the worse. I started losing my voice and my cough started to worsen. I was still not that worried as I have experienced that before. I went to see the doctor again but he still did not give me any antibiotics. I took about 2 days of MC to rest my voice in the hope that I will recover faster with more rest. But the cough just could not let me go. I started coughing super badly almost everyday prior to Chinese New Year, so bad that I could only sleep at 1-2 am and I had to wake up at 6 am to go to work. I also had to sleep on the mattress in my study room in order not to disturb my sis with my coughing. The throat feels so itchy and dry that I had to cough to get rid of the feeling.
The cough really took a toll on my body. On Chinese New Year eve, my body told me that it could not take it anymore. I was cooking my supper as I could not sleep due to the bad cough and I was feeling hungry too. I carried the bowl of instant noodles to the living room, hoping to watch TV as I eat my supper. But once I placed the bowl on the coffee table, I could feel my energy draining out of body. My whole body just felt weak and I had no strength even to stand. I quickly sat on the floor to rest, thinking that it would be fine after I rest for awhile. Of course things did not get better. I kinda freaked out and was wondering what was happening to me. I started to get breathless. I just had to get to my mom. I NEED HELP. I tried standing up and holding on to the cabinets and walls for support, I 'crawled' to my mom's room. When I was about to reach there, my body just collapsed onto the floor. I just called out to my mom in cantonese. "Ma, I cannot move! I have no strength!" My whole family woke up at that moment when they heard me. My mom of course freaked out. "What happened? Why don't you have strength?" My dad quickly carried me and got me to sit against the wall. I was already tearing. I TOTALLY FREAKED OUT. "My fingers and arms are numb. My face is numb!" My mom started massaging my fingers and said, "Don't scare me ok? Why are your fingers numb? What happened? Why like that?" Luckily, my sister was calm and she quickly went to get a cup of warm water for me. "Everything's fine, don't think of so many things. You must keep telling yourself that everything's ok." Slowly, I took deep breaths and tried to calm myself down. After about 15 minutes (I think), the numbness started to go away. My mom thought I was too hungry (I didn't eat much for reunion dinner) which caused me to collapse. My mother helped me to the kitchen. I sat in the kitchen and I slowly drank the cup of warm water. I could feel the kitchen spinning around me for about a minute. I closed my eyes and things got better. I finished half of the bowl of noodles after that. My sister told me to sleep in the bedroom and she slept in the study room. After I got ready to go to bed, then they went to bed.
The first day of Chinese New Year didn't seem to be filled with joy at all. Morning was still fine until afternoon came. I was at my uncle's house and watching the TV when I suddenly felt weak again. Worried that whatever that happened the previous day would happen again, I just quickly close my eyes to rest. I think I dozed off (I was really tired!) and I woke up after about 20-30 minutes. I went ahead to play games with my aunts and cousins but it was just to pass time. My body was feeling tired throughout the day and I didn't feel like playing at all. I was still coughing throughout the day.
On the second day of Chinese New Year, my husband brought me to TTSH for a health check-up. Everything's normal which is good news. At about 9 plus at night, my mom made Ginger soup with pork slices for me. Ginger seems to be good at soothing the itchy throat and I certainly felt better after drinking it. I also seem to cough less and my voice seem to get better. However, I get easily tired and work was also piling up. I even thought of taking no pay medical leave though I know it's silly. It was only a cough. I didn't even feel like going out during the weekends and I had no mood to do anything.
One Wednesday, I started to have a slight throat discomfort again. It seems that I need to go through another round of this illness again. I started coughing again after 2 days. Phlegm build up and soon, my throat became really dry and itchy. And I started losing sleep again due to the bad cough. In no time, I lost my voice again. I had to take 2 days MC AGAIN. I was really getting depressed during this period of time, not knowing when I will recover. I am always lethargic and not able to do work for long period of time. Losing my voice the second time made me so upset. People who knew me well would know that my voice is one of the most important things in my life. Before I went to see doctor another time, I sat in my room and cried. I was really trying so hard to recover, not eating anything that was spicy and fried. I drank manuka honey. I slept early every night. I tried soup based food. BUT I JUST COULD NOT GET WELL. There was once in the office at work station that I suddenly felt energy draining out from my body again. For a moment, I could not even hold the pen. I put my head on the table and rested for awhile. Luckily, I felt better. I even looked around to see if there were any colleagues nearby in case I needed their help.
I also felt bad disturbing my family members with my coughing. My cough can really be loud and it can go on incessantly. They couldn't sleep quite well because of it and I was upset. They did complain a bit but there was nothing I could do. My hubby told me that I cannot sleep on the mattress in the study room as the mattress is too thin. My body feels cold and it will cause my cough to worsen. I can't sleep in my bedroom as I share room with my sis. And sleeping in the living room can also disturb my parents. At that moment, I just thought, "There's no place in the house that I can sleep." DEPRESSING.
Some of my colleagues suggested to me to see a TCM physician. I decided to give it a try since the western doctor could not do anything but to tell me to rest my voice. I went to the physician at Bishan area. The physician was pretty knowledgeable and she was able to tell me the causes of the loss of my voice and the itchy throat. She says there was too much wind in my body, especially in my throat. The wind causes the throat to be dry and itchy. There was also phlegm which causes the passageway to be blocked which causes me to lose voice and breathless as well. She gave me medicine to get rid of the phlegm to get rid of the wind.
The medicine was really pretty effective!! After taking the medicine two times, I started running to the toilet. And during the period which I took the medicine, my body was letting out wind ALL THE TIME. And I had to run to the toilet more often. I guess the medicine helped me to clear all the toxins. My cough got better, at least, I was able to sleep at night. She advised me to see her again even if the coughing is reduced. I went to see her again last week and I also did feedback to her that I felt better. At least, I don't get breathless easily. She changed the medicine for me and hopefully, I don't have to see her again after that consultation.
Right now, I can feel my voice slowly coming back. And I could sing!!! HURRAY! Just that I still can't reach the high notes. My throat doesn't get itchy so easily unless I'm in an air-conditioned room. I continued taking the medication and drinking manuka honey. I'm so glad that this cough is FINALLY COMING TO AN END. AND MY VOICE IS FINALLY COMING BACK. This 1.5 month really seems like an eternity to me. Now, I realise how good and important it is to be healthy. I could kinda understand how people who are sick with serious illnesses feel. My cough is nothing compared to them. But 1.5 months to me is really painful. Those who had to go through months of therapy and treatment must be worst. Really, you need to be really positive when your body is not well to move on with life. It's really not easy.
