Due to the fever and chills that my mom suffered a day before, I suspected that she may have got malaria. The number of mosquitoes in our vicinity, or rather, in our house had increased in the past few days. Sleeping was never peaceful at nights with mosquitoes buzzing over our heads and stinging behind our ears, on our foreheads and under our chins.
Now, malaria is very deadly if not treated early. But, its diagnosis is very difficult. The blood test done usually does not detect the parasite causing malaria. If the parasite is Plasmodium falciparum then it is more dangerous than Plasmodium vivax. But, still blood test has to be done. So, I planned to get a malarial parasite blood test along with a complete blood count test done on the morning of 22nd February and show the report to our family physician in the evening.
Mrs. Kumar, a very close family friend had called us the previous day. When she came to know that my mom was not able to get up and do any house work, she advised that we should come and stay with them for a few days. She called us again in the morning and asked us to come to her place. She said that we could get the blood tests done at the hospital located opposite her residence. We agreed.
When we reached the hospital at around 1 p.m., Mrs. Kumar was waiting for us. We got the blood tests done and went to her house.
In the evening, I took the blood test reports and first went to my heart surgeon with whom I had an appointment. I showed him my mother’s blood test reports also. No malarial parasite was detected. But, the WBC count was a bit high at 13600. He said that there was nothing to worry and that my mom had some minor infections. That’s all.
After leaving from my heart surgeon’s clinic, I went to our family physician’s dispensary. He saw the reports and continued the same medicines that were given by his assistant. But, asked me to bring my mom the next day so that he could check her and prescribe accordingly.
When I returned from the dispensary, I came to know that my mom had high fever – something around 105 F - in the evening. But, as my mom felt better than the previous day, i.e. Septic Sunday, though a little weak, I planned to return home by Wednesday. But, Sepsis had other plans.
Now, malaria is very deadly if not treated early. But, its diagnosis is very difficult. The blood test done usually does not detect the parasite causing malaria. If the parasite is Plasmodium falciparum then it is more dangerous than Plasmodium vivax. But, still blood test has to be done. So, I planned to get a malarial parasite blood test along with a complete blood count test done on the morning of 22nd February and show the report to our family physician in the evening.
Mrs. Kumar, a very close family friend had called us the previous day. When she came to know that my mom was not able to get up and do any house work, she advised that we should come and stay with them for a few days. She called us again in the morning and asked us to come to her place. She said that we could get the blood tests done at the hospital located opposite her residence. We agreed.
When we reached the hospital at around 1 p.m., Mrs. Kumar was waiting for us. We got the blood tests done and went to her house.
In the evening, I took the blood test reports and first went to my heart surgeon with whom I had an appointment. I showed him my mother’s blood test reports also. No malarial parasite was detected. But, the WBC count was a bit high at 13600. He said that there was nothing to worry and that my mom had some minor infections. That’s all.
After leaving from my heart surgeon’s clinic, I went to our family physician’s dispensary. He saw the reports and continued the same medicines that were given by his assistant. But, asked me to bring my mom the next day so that he could check her and prescribe accordingly.
When I returned from the dispensary, I came to know that my mom had high fever – something around 105 F - in the evening. But, as my mom felt better than the previous day, i.e. Septic Sunday, though a little weak, I planned to return home by Wednesday. But, Sepsis had other plans.
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