The Hospital Experience That Opened My Eyes.

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One of the most unforgettable moments of my life happened back in secondary school. It’s something that stuck with me, not just because of how serious it was, but because of the lessons I learned from it.

At the time, I had malaria. It started off as just a mild headache and general body weakness, but I didn’t think much of it. Instead of going to the school clinic like I should have, I kept it to myself. Honestly, I’ve never been a fan of taking drugs, and that alone made me avoid the clinic. I kept trying to act like everything was fine, thinking I’d somehow just shake it off. But I was wrong.

As the days passed, the sickness got worse. I couldn’t eat well, I had chills, and my body kept getting weaker. It got to a point where I couldn’t even sit properly in class again. What made it worse was that we were preparing for exams, and I had a big maths paper scheduled for the following Monday. I didn’t want to miss it, but my body wasn’t cooperating with me at all.

Eventually, it got so bad that the school had to call my mum. She came to pick me up immediately and rushed me to our family hospital. That was actually the first time in my life that I was admitted to a hospital. I remember them checking my temperature, and it had risen to 40°C, which is way above normal. My mum was visibly worried. I could see it in her eyes, and that alone scared me more than the sickness itself.

The nurses didn’t waste time. They quickly took me to the bathroom and began pouring cold water on my body to help bring down the fever. It was such a strange experience, lying there weak and helpless, with water being poured on me. I was placed on drip for a few days and could barely move. Even my mum couldn’t get proper rest because she was by my side the entire time, taking care of me and praying I got better.

Eventually, I started recovering. After spending a few days in the hospital, I was discharged and allowed to go back to school. But things weren’t the same. Because I had missed my maths exam and a few other subjects, I had to take the papers separately. It was awkward sitting alone in a classroom, writing the same exam my classmates had already written. But I did it, and I think I did fairly well, too.

Till today, that whole experience remains fresh in my memory. That was the first time I ever felt like a sickness could actually take me out. I was totally out of character – no energy, no appetite, and just completely drained.

The biggest lesson I learned from that moment is never to joke with my health. I ignored the signs even though my body was trying to tell me something. Just because I didn’t like taking drugs, I put myself in serious danger. Now, I don’t hesitate to visit the clinic when I’m feeling unwell. That experience changed my perspective completely.

Thanks for reading.

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