Unbearably Bearable
It is 3:35 a.m. now. I have just come back from the ER where we took my mother there at 12 a.m. She had an aweful headache... which we knew was due to her Hypertension. It was 190/110 (normal 120/75) a measure I never saw her reach before, way to go mom! Turns out she stopped taking her anti-hypertensive medication just coz she found herself feeling better!!! OMG... Mama, the medicine is SUPPOSED to make you feel better, that means you're to continue taking it, especially when this is no Flu or stomach ache, this is hypertension!!
Plus... if her doctor does want her to quit it, then you decrease the dose gradually, or instead of taking it every day, you can skip a day in between... never decide out of nowhere to stop a medication when you have a chronic illness, BIG MISTAKE! It's like after leaning on a wall for so long, if the wall breaks, you'll immediately smash unto the floor with nothing to lean on... instead, we train you how to stand straight on your own, one step at a time.
The ER was another pain. With only curtains between every bed and the next one, you can hear everything. An Arab family came in (In our language, we use the word "Arab" about people who are from KSA, Kuwait, UAE. The word "Shawam" for people from Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and Jordan), I think they were Saudi from the black Abaya the mother wore, and the non-Shawam accent which I'd notice a mile away. Their little girl called "Raghd" got cholera!!! I felt so sorry for the little girl, her screams watered my eyes. I couldn't bear to see anyone cry even if an adult- a 2 year old was too much for me .
What happened was that she got cholera coz she drank "fresh" mango juice from a shop somewhere... OOPs, I bet they're new here! Seriously, I'm not scaring tourists away, but it's a big no no to drink or eat from just any shop you see in the streets of Cairo... I tried not to chuckle when I thought to myself, how I, as an Egyptian citizen can eat or drink from literally "any where"... be it the Fool in the cartwheel ( which I haven't tried by the way), or the koshary, or the popcorn, or the barbecued corn or just any thing, you can name it, and I bet you if I ate it side by side with a non-Egyptian, he'd get cholera, and I'd be just fine. This is scientifically true people! I studied it 2 years ago in my microbiology class but I can't remember the exact name of the research now. It has alot to do with immunity, exposure and adaptation. We, due to continuous exposure to a "less sterile" haha environment, our miraculous body gets adapted increasing our immunity so that it doesn't affect us at all to the ratio of 2:10 to other countries. Now I know why the professor when explaining this to us, was laughing his head off and sang : yeb2a enta akeed fi masr lol.
By the way, I used my self as an example in the previous paragraph representing most of us Egyptians. Sadly, I don't live the real Egyptian life, so my immunity isn't as high as my fellow citizens which is why I do go down after a few bites.
However, If one day I do get the privilage & opportunity to taste Fool from the guy in the street, Koshary from any restaurant, Hawawshy, Shawerma or kebda eskandarany from those nameless places then I assure myself that it'll be a once in a life time tasty (I hope) experience!! Honestly, how could you be an Egyptian and not eat those on a regular basis? My friends after discovering this about me- made it clear that it is an original patriotic crime !
Plus... if her doctor does want her to quit it, then you decrease the dose gradually, or instead of taking it every day, you can skip a day in between... never decide out of nowhere to stop a medication when you have a chronic illness, BIG MISTAKE! It's like after leaning on a wall for so long, if the wall breaks, you'll immediately smash unto the floor with nothing to lean on... instead, we train you how to stand straight on your own, one step at a time.
The ER was another pain. With only curtains between every bed and the next one, you can hear everything. An Arab family came in (In our language, we use the word "Arab" about people who are from KSA, Kuwait, UAE. The word "Shawam" for people from Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and Jordan), I think they were Saudi from the black Abaya the mother wore, and the non-Shawam accent which I'd notice a mile away. Their little girl called "Raghd" got cholera!!! I felt so sorry for the little girl, her screams watered my eyes. I couldn't bear to see anyone cry even if an adult- a 2 year old was too much for me .
What happened was that she got cholera coz she drank "fresh" mango juice from a shop somewhere... OOPs, I bet they're new here! Seriously, I'm not scaring tourists away, but it's a big no no to drink or eat from just any shop you see in the streets of Cairo... I tried not to chuckle when I thought to myself, how I, as an Egyptian citizen can eat or drink from literally "any where"... be it the Fool in the cartwheel ( which I haven't tried by the way), or the koshary, or the popcorn, or the barbecued corn or just any thing, you can name it, and I bet you if I ate it side by side with a non-Egyptian, he'd get cholera, and I'd be just fine. This is scientifically true people! I studied it 2 years ago in my microbiology class but I can't remember the exact name of the research now. It has alot to do with immunity, exposure and adaptation. We, due to continuous exposure to a "less sterile" haha environment, our miraculous body gets adapted increasing our immunity so that it doesn't affect us at all to the ratio of 2:10 to other countries. Now I know why the professor when explaining this to us, was laughing his head off and sang : yeb2a enta akeed fi masr lol.
By the way, I used my self as an example in the previous paragraph representing most of us Egyptians. Sadly, I don't live the real Egyptian life, so my immunity isn't as high as my fellow citizens which is why I do go down after a few bites.
However, If one day I do get the privilage & opportunity to taste Fool from the guy in the street, Koshary from any restaurant, Hawawshy, Shawerma or kebda eskandarany from those nameless places then I assure myself that it'll be a once in a life time tasty (I hope) experience!! Honestly, how could you be an Egyptian and not eat those on a regular basis? My friends after discovering this about me- made it clear that it is an original patriotic crime !
Jannah,
Very sorry to hear about your mom. Please explain to your mom that high blood pressure is a silent killer (baa'd El Shar aa'liha) but seriously if she doesn't take her pills, she is subjecting her organs to fail, kidney, liver etc...
Please follow up with her and make sure she takes it and let her try any kind of excercise even walking for 20 minutes a day.
Are you sure this girl got Cholera it is a very dangerous disease and very contageous....how would they let her around other patients?!
Awaiting your e-mail address :)
Posted by
Twosret |
5:59 AM
She listened to the advice and will start walking every day.
The girl who got cholera, they isolated her as soon as they diagnosed her.
Posted by
Jannah |
2:36 PM