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October Fest this year was never about indulging artisan craft brewery! Lately, the normally stern, hot and dry and somewhat predictable October weather in the Eastern cities of South East Asia has been unhinged by chaotic weather patterns. More heat. Then more rain. More unruly periods of drought. And then more unruly flooding of torrential rain.
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All-in-all, more wet than dry, and unusually crazy change of weather without warning. Simply, a loss of predictable balance in the geophysical weather patterns. Moving from that anticipated change of seasons, or near the equator, a-not-so-abrupt shift of sun and wind, thunder and rain. At least more reliable weather contours that favour the agrarian crop cycle on our native terra!
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Thus we grimly recall the obviously well-ignored warnings about the dire consequences of climate change. We have, by omission and commission with our indifferent attitude cast aside the evidence of global warming — which has even now, come to rear its ugly side against our blind ignorance.
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Just imagine that many diseases which have before our dismal times not emerged upon our human world and frontiers until now. The most recent scourge on humanity on a global basis has been the humbling and the very-destructive epidemic known as the Covid-19 viral outbreak. Borders closed. Trade disrupted. Economic hardships. Dismal scenarios. Tragic consequences. And all happening because of an infinitesimally small and unseen viral bug!
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Yes, we have been busy fighting this disease for the past three years. Consider how the massive inoculations worldwide have brought predictable human survival despite the many variant virus strains that have emerged since early 2020. And the relentless waves of virus outbreaks since then, from Alpha to Beta to Delta and now, Omicron. And the viral permutations are fast becoming commonplace like the common flu bug.
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Thus, in the more affluent and well-deployed, government-led countries — the roll-out of vaccines in rapid deployment — has meant at least three shots of Covid-19 jabs for the majority of adults. And more recently, an additional booster shot for added immunity against the threat of new variants especially for older people aged sixty-plus!
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Yet, we all know that there is really no cure from the scourge of fear and crazy suspicion in an atmosphere so out-of-whack with a good dose of balance and harmony, and even goodwill and compassion for a suffering mankind.
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All events begin from commonplace happenings. The day was hot outside and yet the weather seemed tolerable enough. But undue exertion and exhaustion in the humid heat favours an almost unexpected transmission of disease.
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And feeling an all-round deeper fatigue lends fertile grounds to the unavoidable and the ever formidable attack of the latest Omicron viral variant strain on the overstrained, tired human vehicle. So, with hindsight, health-wise, something was going to give!
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Yet, we did not notice or even stop to consider this serious onslaught waiting on the borderlands of our weary fringes. Aside from my spouse and myself, another family member was also exhausted from too much overtime work and late hours!
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So the aggravation for a full-blown homebound viral attack seemed overdue or simply inevitable. Come to think of it, more so for me as my body system is immuno-compromised from chronic Diabetes Type 2. Strangely enough, I have always considered myself being normal despite this condition. And I could not have been more wrong when Omicron bumped me over!
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As fate and destiny has so often intervened, the four adults in our multi-generation family have each been fortunate to have three inoculations including a booster shot to prepare our body defences from a full-blown Covid-19 attack. And this is truly a blessing of a certain kind no doubt in the long chain of events since February 2020!
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The nature of the latest Omicron strain is less tragic in unleashing a fever cycle that seems more manageable. The outbreak symptoms are less frightful although your body feels deeply fatigued and weary — just like a heavy onslaught of a terrible influenza strain. The attack on our respiratory system is extremely harsh despite our best efforts. More so for me as my painful sufferings escalated.
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Just imagine feeling spontaneously chilly ice cold, and at the same time a feverish hotness deep to the marrow. Then, a surge of painful body aches and pains climaxing especially in the jawbone and gums. And the so-called flu bout explodes a few hours later with electrifying joint pains in the hips, and impact on the body motor!
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I remember feeling my wobbly legs crumble as soft knees droop under my body weight even as I tried to stand straight to walk even to the loo! And lately bouts of purging like an extreme form of stomach flu. Nothing flamboyant about such aggravating circumstances really.
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And the degree of the fever cycles of body temperature fluctuations is the stuff only justified by nightmares beyond recognition. I have never experienced such a chilling fever on such a level as to be bed-ridden for hours on end — precariously stretched between here and limbo.
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And what a torturing feeling it is to feel and to have your eyes feel like each eyeball has been repeatedly punched by a battering ram!
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At this point, the only pain relief comes from the ever reliable paracetamol tablets, refined and scientifically enhanced by certain other medicinal additives.
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Now as my hazy mind is trying to make sense of the past few days happenings, I am trying my utmost to jot down my cloudy thoughts — conspicuously within reasonable grounds, yet without the aid of my creative imagination. And this is really hard as I cannot think straight or focus well enough!
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My tactile sensory perception is somewhat diminished from the drowsy escalation of fever spells, coughing bouts, phlegmatic nasal discharges, and escalating body aches. And the frequent visits to the loo!
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For one, I seem to have lost my sense of smell. Whatever food consumed is driven by hunger pangs than eating pleasure. The subtle nuances of scent and aroma range are flat and can only detect hot and cold, and in dessert food taste sweetness but not flavour concentration. I truly hope that this is but a temporary loss of olfactory clarity and discernment. How sad if this situation persists as a lasting routine?
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The prelude to my personal encounter with the “Tryst With Omicron” started without any fanfare on a Thursday (October 27th, 2022) with sense of deep weariness that felt like a very bad flu encroaching my physical body with feelings of heavy fatigue and impending influenza on my event horizon. But the daily agenda for the day predestined a heavy workout of activities et cetera on my To Do List.
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Feeling the probable onset of a heavy flu, I just went about my day without thinking twice — to make the most of Thursday as the hours passed quickly. By late evening, I had to go to bed early about 10:45pm. Exhausted and feeling a painful headache, I took two Panadol Extra tablets, and drifted into deep slumber, completely knocked out.
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Friday morning found me awakening a good hour later than usual. I was starting to feel body aches and back pains. I still thought it was because of too much running around the previous days. As the fever and chills started to get worst, I rested in-between chores and fetching my grandson Axel to and fro preschool.
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By evening time, an itchy bout of persistent coughing began to rear its ugly posture. So, lozenges helped a bit for a while. At bedtime, a dose of strong cough mixture brought drowsy sleep and rest for my weary body.
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Saturday morning brought a feeling of unease. Perhaps, my condition was much worse than I first imagined. Both, my wife and I decided that we should get the Covid-19 Self-Test ART Kit to check our immediate health status. (Note: ART = Antigen Rapid Test, for Covid-19)
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Each individual swab test for ART showed 2 lines for C and T — which is Positive for Covid-19. My daughter-in-law also tested positive. And so the necessity for self-isolation and the compulsory Stay Home ordeal began. Fortunately, my son was mobile as his status was negative on the ART swab test.
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Each passing day brought new discoveries especially for my wife and I with varying degrees of aches and pains, dizzy-drowsy spells, coughing bouts, appetite loss, fever-chills, loss of flavour and smell. And then a sporadic repeat broadcast of the whole gamut of pain and suffering!
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We took medication to help relieve the pain symptoms while our bodies fought the virus attack internally to aid and facilitate our painstakingly slow recovery process. Saturday became Sunday and then Monday gave us some comfort as the fever subsided, but the stomach cramps, purging episodes and flatulence lingered overtime!
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Today is Tuesday, 02 November, and in the Catholic tradition, this is the day we pray for the dearly departed souls. Happy to know that we are on-the-mend walking on terra. And not on the tunnel towards the light! My wife scored negative upon swabbing on the Self-Test ART Kit today. Wonderful news truly. That means she’s rid of the Covid-19 virus. But the flu-like feeling will take a while to dissipate.
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I will have to continue the Self-Test ART because my swab results are still positive. Due to my health condition, I still feel suddenly dizzy and got a few hours of siesta to sleep away the Omicron blues. I now expect to achieve full recovery by Saturday, or the worst case scenario, by Sunday next. Only time, and ART can confirm this in due course.
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On Sunday (November 6th), my Self-Test ART swab confirmed my Covid-19 status as negative — completely clear of the Omicron scourge! What a swirling journey through the “Tryst With Omicron” it has been for our family, including my four-plus year old grandson Axel — who is now purged of the virus as well. Thank God!
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I wish to record my gratitude to my family for the loving support, the health authorities for the vaccines, family, close friends, and relatives for morale support during these difficult times. Thank you very much everyone.
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Yet, the road ahead to full recovery post-Omicron will take at least 7-10 days for that post-flu feeling — with the typical feelings of body dehydration — of dry, white phlegmy cough, a very raw, dry throat, dry lips, and a sudden dizzy-drowsy sleepy fatigue that descends on the body. And the loss of the sharp olfactory senses that help discern the flavour profile of the foods we like, indulge and enjoy on a daily basis.
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Flavours now taste flat with more distinction of especially salty, bitter and sour. Oily foods have become somewhat taboo and initiate a feeling of nausea. Sweet desserts have become sweet without aroma or taste differentiation.
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Bitter foods like the bitter gourd vegetable dish have become markedly strong in its astringent properties. And the lovely appetites and eating pleasures of pre-Covid raptures have been totally messed-up now for my taste buds.
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My favourite espresso coffee cuppa is now a hellish bitter brew without the range and depth of the coffee aroma and caffeine fix that I enjoy. Coffee is right now a flat bitter brew of foul dishwater. Luckily, my fondness for sour fruit, and preserved dehydrated fruit, and all things acidic sour has been found intact!
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Fortunately, my preference for drinking hot Chinese Pu-Er tea still delivers a passionate oomph. I certainly hope that the taste and flavour profile of the foods I enjoy eating will quickly return to the normal olfactory and excellent flavours and range that I relish and remember in my recent past.
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Other than these subtle shifts and adjustments needed post-Omicron, I am happy to be back on my feet, and steadily encompassing my daily routines — like reading stuff I like, writing verses and essays, watching movies and videos, thinking about my life journey, keeping in touch with olde friends, and being kind to all I meet. And most of all, enjoying and spending quality time with my family, and of course, my grandson Axel. Salute!
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On a side note, I must try that 15-year olde single malt Scotch whiskey — patiently waiting on the high liquor shelf — for my delightful swirl. Cheers!
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<ENDS>
Leon Enriquez
Story #569: “TRYST WITH OMICRON”
Monday, 07 November 2022
Singapore