Living with TB 1: The Morning it Happened

I honestly have no clue when it started and how long I was having it.

All I know was I had cough on and off for about 6 months.

Thought it was due to all the late nights and extreme lack of sleep, plus the weather change in Hong Kong.

In October last year, I decided to focus a little more on my health and came back to Malaysia for a break.

I spent most of my time in Kuala Lumpur.

Once a month, I would go to Penang for meetings, seeing my family and checking on my 2 dogs that I moved up to Penang some time in June-July; for my aunt to help look after due to my frequent overseas trips.

I will always remember what happened that early morning in January...

Woke up at around 3am felt like throwing up, I threw up alright. Blood!

Fresh blood!

Freaked out, I looked at myself in the mirror.

I looked fine, no pain, no injuries, yet in front of me in the sink was blood, a lot of blood!

Second bout came and I tried to stop it from coming out by shutting my mouth. It came out through my nose, I opened my mouth to catch a breath, it continued to come out from both my nose and mouth!

All this while, I was looking at myself in the mirror with the blood oozing out from my nose and mouth.

All I could think of at that time was, "God, I don't want to die, I can't die, I need to take care of my family!"

I said to myself I need to go hospital.

I walked out from the bathroom, packed some clothes, brought a roll of paper towel and a huge plastic bag with me.

Called my cousin.

Good, she answered within 3 rings.

Asked her to come immediately and send me to hospital.

Then rushed back to bathroom for another blood oozing session from nose and mouth.

After that, I cleaned the bathroom (to the best of my capability) and went downstairs waiting for cousin Joo Lee.

To be continued...