It had been my intention to wait a while before writing this.
But later I realized it didn't quite matter when it was I wrote this experience of Miss Brown's down.
Especially since (having not done a barrage of tests) we don't know for sure what it was that really happened to her.
The suspicion thus far (as seen through the reports) seems to be that of a urinary tract infection- a UTI- which apparently happens quite commonly amongst elderly persons and which can be effectively managed.
Miss Brown is currently taking two types of medication to control and manage it.
There have been no incidents- thankfully- since her discharge from the hospital two weeks ago.
Nothing, however, can erase the memories of the phone call we received from the nursing home on the evening of Valentine's Day.
There I was, having a much-needed hair cut, when the message came in, telling me that she was groggy, was running a fever, had low oxygen levels, had thrown up, and would be sent to the hospital.
It took probably about 45 minutes before they called again and said she was on her way to Sengkang General Hospital.
That evening we spent a total of 6 hours there.
From 8pm to 2am before results of the blood tests came in, before the doctor saw her, Miss Brown remained under observation in the A&E.
I suppose it was a good thing that we hadn't headed to the hospital straightaway.
It had been our intention to.
But then our phone batteries were way down, we had no chargers and the portable battery was back at the office.
So back to the office we dashed, changed, charged the phones, grabbed a couple of documents, and Gojeked our way down.
Only one person was allowed into the A&E.
So her family member entered.
One of the scariest things about a situation like this is that you don't know what's happening, you don't know what will happen, and you don't know why.
That's how I felt, sitting hunched on an (uncomfortable) bench outside the A&E.
At first I hung about near the entrance, but after being asked by a staff who I was waiting for, and being instructed by a security not to cross into a certain area, I decided the area was not conducive and went to the benches instead.
Relatives and family members of other patients were sitting quietly around.
Most of them were on their phones.
So was I.
Except that I had conserve battery, I was getting tired, and I was getting hungry.
So I went hunting for a vending machine.
There wasn't one.
From the front of the hospital- the A&E- all the way to the back of the hospital, all through the open walkway- not a single one.
I honestly found it hard to believe- after all I'd seen others holding some white plastic bags and even a middle-aged couple having a Magnum ice cream- but at that hour everyone was there for a (not so nice) reason and I didn't want to bother them with such a trivial, irrelevant question.
(I mean, no one wants to be asked a question like "Where did you buy the ice cream from?" when- ice cream or not- you're actually worrying about your family member who is inside)
Back to the bench I went and hunkered down.
It lasted for all of twenty minutes before I realized I was getting more hungry, more tired, more restless, and more angry.
Not very good when you're outside the A&E.
So I left.
Went for a (very long) dazed walk around the circumference of the hospital (I took the wrong way) until I discovered the Sengkang Police Station, a row of colorful fairy lights hanging outside the Community Club, a Starbucks... and Compass One.
A can of coffee and a packet of milk from the (still crowded) 7-11 later, I was back at the benches outside the A&E.
Miss Brown had had her blood tests done by then.
It was an infection.
That- the attending doctor was certain.
What wasn't certain, however, was what sort of infection it was, and from where it stemmed from.
We didn't find out the cause of it that night.
Neither did we find out the next day. (I think)
It was probably about two days later- a day after her admission to the ward- that we were told it might have been a urinary tract infection.
By then she had spent an entire 24 hours in the A&E waiting for a bed.
She had also had a CT scan done and (I think) another test or two.
Her family made a special appeal to the hospital who granted one member special visiting access- so for an hour plus over the course of the week that she was admitted, her child sat with her in the ward, interacting with her, making sure she ate her lunch, and generally attempting to keep her spirits up.
Others (ahem) made do with video calls and lots of waiting at the open-air benches downstairs.
I've not been to that many hospitals in the country, but I have to say that Sengkang General Hospital has to be one of the most spacious, and airy ones I've ever seen. Other than IMH, I don't think I know of any other hospital which has so much air flowing through their grounds. This hospital has a lot of greenery too.
I actually spent some time taking pictures of the greens.
I also spent time wandering about the hospital looking at the food retail.
Food is very, very important when you're at a hospital.
Doesn't matter why you're there, or how jumpy you are.
Doesn't matter also whether you've eaten before going there.
Hospitals make you hungry.
And the food retail there can be of real comfort to you.
Here at Sengkang General Hospital there was a Polar Puffs and Cakes (Polar), a Kaffe and Toast, a Mr. Bean, a food court, and a Cheers convenience store over at the Community Hospital side- a mere fifty meters away from the A&E.
I hadn't walked that direction the first night I'd been here.
Hence the purpose of me writing this post.
Because when you're at a hospital- especially as a visitor, or if you're accompanying a patient- trust me, you will need a good cup of coffee, you will want a cup of warm/cold soya bean milk, or a bowl of soy bean curd.
The patient you're accompanying, or you yourself, might want a pancake with fillings of red bean, peanut butter, tuna or cheese inside. You might want to feel the comfort of a warm, solid curry puff in your hand, a nice, cold chocolate eclair bursting with fresh cream on your tongue, or a cute little cake that you want to bring home.
Maybe you have an hour to spare before you accompany a discharged patient home and could do with a quick meal.
That's where an appetizing mee siam and laksa come in.
That's where chicken rice and chap cai png at the food court come in.
And perhaps a bowl of chendol.
You're probably wondering why it is I haven't written much about Miss Brown and her stay at SKGH.
Honestly, there isn't much detail to be included about her stay there- other than the fact that she had still a fever for two days after her admission, she was treated with antibiotics, she was given medication to soften her stools, and the medication worked.
There will be other appointments elsewhere in relation to managing this UTI, of course, but those posts- if I do write them- shall be left for another time.