Dr Jimm Medical & Travel Blog: A Panic Xmas Eve 🎄

It was Christmas eve when I was attending a morning class in the female ward. I saw the Medical Officer was asking for help, so I kepo and went inside the procedure to have a look.

They were doing lumbar puncture, a provedure that drain the spinal fluid from the patient to send for lab. The most common reason to do this procedure is to diagnose meningitis. Well, it was my first time seeing how this procedure is done, alright I decided to stay and observe/ assist .

It was the Medical Officer first time to perform this procedureprocedure , it was bit clumsy. The patient is a chinese elderly aunty, thin with long pony tail. Initially she was lying side on the bedbed because had weakness to sit upright. However when she heard that this was the MO first time, she was panic and miracle happenedhappened, she was able to sit upright perfectly. I guess lot people worry lumbar puncture will cause paralysis , but dont worry , the senior doctors here were well trained!

Both the MO together with a senior MO were there . One experienced in Anesthesiology posting while another one from Emergency Departmrnt background. Although it took them some times to get into the spine, but we managed to get 8 bottles of cerebrospinal fluid! Yeah! Mission accomplished!

Yeah! While I was in the joy for being able ti assist in my first lumbar puncture procedure, the result was causing me a panic attack.

"Everyone! The fluid result turn out to be Neisseria Meningitis! Everyone must take prophylaxis antibiotic ya! You student, also need to take. So misfortune, first experience then get this."

I was very blurred about what was happening, the doctor prescribed me Ciprofloxacin 500mg single stat dose.

"You will be fine after taking this medicine." The MO reassure me.

Out of curious, I google this bacterial meningitis.

"Neisseria meningitis is a very severe disease, the mortality rate is very high and it can cause outbreak. Close contact must take prophylaxis antibiotic to prevent secondary bacterial meningitis."

I was brain freeze for few second. Reading the next line.

"Close contact is defined as a person who is together with the patient for >8hours, within 3 feet distance or exposure to the respiratory droplet such as kissing, mouth-to-resuscitation, handle nasogastric tube. The disease does not spread by casual and brief contact. Healthcare workers rarely get infected. Incubation period is 2-10days, can become ill in 3-4days."

Oh yeah, I should be disease free. Without further concern, I continued the class and then board on the bus from Johor heading back to KL. It was a 3-4hours journey.

But wait! I am going to my friend house to overnight and heading to church the next day for Xmas celebration . Will I carry the germ and spread to them? This disease can kill people. Gosh!

Anxiety strikesstrikes , googling about all the guidelines available, spamming pediatrician, infectious disease specialist and general practicant.

While lecturer and GP asked me to do activity as usual, Infectious disease specialst asked me to avoid crowd.

Hmm, then drama comes when I reached KL. Wore a N95 mask when meeting my friend, then Chi fitness bath from head to touch, wash my spec and phone throughoutly and then wonder whether I need to book a hotel to quarantine myself... ==

Anxiety leads to stomachache and emotional breakdown. Luckily a friend of mine share his panic attack experience to me.

"IF you wont get the infection, why ppl around you will get? To make a person infect, you need a huge bacterial count and exposure time. Which I dont think my body will have after being so "sterile". Furthermore, the antibiotic I took will kill 90-95% of the bacteria. It should not be any problem."

Well, although it was kinda mental torture, but it really made me a lesson to take precautious method in the future approach.

Tire to bother so much, God will decide whether will cause any infection. What I am sure is the chance is very very tiny. Sleep je la... (In the dream also see the infection. Dammn..)

Merry Xmas to everyone. The next day, allergic rhinitis, respiratory droplets!!! (Panic 99! I think better wear mask a.. Haiz)