But when I really think about it, it WAS a life-threatening condition. The doctor even said it himself.
I always thought I'm not allergic to anything. Apparently I do have an allergy, and it's severe.
OK. What happened, you ask?
Well. It's the 2nd day of Ramadhan, and I was preparing dinner for my family. My little sister wanted to bake cupcakes, so I helped her with it. We were supposed to make toppings using icing, but she bought the wrong cream. She bought the whipped cream instead. I was like, great! Easier to do! Just squeeze out the cream as the topping.
And so we waited for the azan to break fast. After I had eaten my rice, I started to put on the whipped cream on the cupcakes. I ate one cupcake. After that I started to wash the dishes when the reaction started to kick in. I felt my right eye being itchy and I thought it had gone red. I washed my face but it didn't feel any better. I went upstairs to look at my eye and saw that it was swollen, as if an insect had stung it. I started texting my friend, Alya, and that was when I started to sneeze and cough uncontrollably. My nose started to block and I was coughing out bloody mucus. At that time, I thought I needed to get panadol.
As I went to the toilet to clear my nose, I asked my brother (he's a pharmacist), "What's going on?" while gesturing to myself. He said, "This looks like an allergic reaction. You're having difficulty breathing right?". I nodded. "What do I have to do?". "Go to the clinic".
I quickly prepared myself to go to the clinic and searched for my card for the panel clinic. As we went out to the federal highway, I asked my brother where are we going. "To PPUM". "PPUM? Into A&E you mean? Do I have to pay?". He said, "A bit". "Duh, then it's better to go to my hospital since I am a staff". On the way there both my eyes have started to swell and rashes started to appear on my arms and body.
I was welcomed by the A&E staff whom asked for my IC and took me to one of the beds. She asked me to sit down for a while. I sat and waited for about 5 - 10 minutes. Not knowing what to do and in need of tissues. Then only one of the nurses realized me and said out loud, "Hey, this patient is having an allergic reaction". Within seconds about 4 to 5 nurses came surrounding me, one putting a needle through my nerve and pumping in medication to stop the reaction, another putting me on the nebulizer and another one giving me tissues and a case for me to vomit out my mucus. It was crazy. I was like in a state of blurriness where I didn't know what was going on. They even injected medication on my butt! And just about 10 minutes of that, they all left me alone. My brother came in just looking at me. I asked, "Do I look better now?". He said, "There's no need to ask me that".
The doctor came, asking me what was I allergic to. I said I didn't know. I couldn't figure out anything different that I ate during break fasting. He looked worried and constantly looked at my heart rate and oxygen level. I asked if I could go back home. He said my condition was quite serious so I needed to be under observation for one night. He said it would be hard if we don't know what was the triggering food. I just moped because I didn't want to stay at the hospital.
I was sent to the ward on a wheelchair. As if I couldn't walk. It was a double-bed room but no one occupied the other bed. I had an LCD all to myself. It was pretty cool. I slept alone for the night.
The next day the nurses woke me up early in the morning to inject more medication. I was extremely groggy and just let the nurse do as she pleased. A few hours later my boyfriend Faiz came to visit me. He was the only one who visited me actually.
After he left, I anticipated the doctor's arrival. I just wanted to leave the hospital. When he came, I asked the doctor is it possible to be allergic to the whipped cream. He said it is possible, so I needed to watch out on my food next time. I asked him how serious was my condition. He said it was actually a life-threatening condition as my oxygen level was very low and it was good that I went to the hospital immediately. I became quiet hearing that. He asked whether I want to stay there and I requsted to go home.
The nurses prepared the bill and the discharging process for me. As I waited, I thought about my allergy to apple pies. Everytime I eat McD's apple pie, I realized that I would have difficulty to breath. But it was just mild, as several minutes after that I would breath like normal. Maybe there is an ingredient in both the apple pie and whipped cream that was the trigger?
I still don't know what caused it. I googled on whipped cream allergy but still didn't really understand it. According to what I have read, if I'm allergic to whipped cream, I should be allergic to dairy products. But then again, I've been eating all the dairy products all this time and I was fine! And I even had a Starbucks' drink with whipped cream just a few days ago. It's driving me crazy not knowing the trigger food!
Anyway. The most important thing right now is I'm okay. My brain has been haunted with 'What IFs' since yesterday. I am so thankful to Allah for letting me get through the ordeal safely. He could have just taken away my life like that. And I don't think I have done enough to deserve a place in His heaven. I guess it's His reminder to me that I will die eventually, and at least now He is giving me the chance to cherish life in His blessed path. I really hope I will, insyaAllah. Amiin.
Thank you Faiz Mokhtar for being there for me. And a big thanks to my brother for knowing what to do. If it wasn't for your immediate action, I may not be here right now.
Scary isn't it? That's life for you. You 'll never know when it's going to end.
