Dengue also known as Breakbone Fever has been called the most important mosquito-transmitted viral disease in terms of morbidity and mortality. The mosquito mainly breeds in fresh water stored in uncovered container. It lives in dwelling and bites during the day. Dengue fever is a benign acute febrile syndrome occurring in tropical regions. In a small proportion of cases, the virus causes increased vascular permeability that leads to a bleeding diathesis or disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) known as dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) (Source: Internet).

In simple terms, it occurs through a bite of a mosquito which has bit another person carrying the dengue virus, this mosquito act as a carrier.

There are three types of Dengue fever
a) Classical Dengue
b) Dengue haemorrhagic fever
c) Dengue shock syndrome

Classical dengue presents with fever, headache, backache with severe myalgia so it is also called BREAK BONE FEVER.

Dengue hemorrhagic fever is the start of complication and as the name suggests there is internal bleeding leading to fall in blood pressure and shock, platelet count is reduced and ultimately lead to shock causing Dengue shock syndrome. ( Indiastudychannel.com)

Symptoms of Dengue Virus

• Sudden onset of fever (lasting three to seven days) intense headache (especially behind the eyes)
• Muscle and joint pain (ankles, knees and elbows)
• Abdominal pain
• Unpleasant metallic taste in mouth, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain
• Flushed skin on face and neck, fine skin rash as fever subsides
• Rash on arms and legs, severe itching, peeling of skin and hair loss
• Minor bleeding (nose or gums) and heavy menstrual periods
• Extreme fatigue

Prevention

• Use mosquito repellant religiously especially in the evening hours
• Be aware of those mosquitoes hovering by even during the daytime
• Since it breeds in fresh water, keep collected water covered in containers
• Do not drink uncovered water lying around the house
• Mosquito coils should also be used during the day since Dengue carrier bites during the day also

People have also created a Facebook page called: Dengue Fever Survivors is on Facebook

Healing Hands Clinic

For those who are in Karachi and would like a reference of a good family doctor, do check out Healing Hands Clinic. It is owned by a couple: Dr. Humayun Baig and Dr. Fozia H. Baig. Both the husband and wife got their experience from UK and decided to come back to Pakistan along with their children to in the sincerest of intention to serve Pakistan. Their fee is not like the others who it seems are more true to making money than their profession as life saving individuals. Their clinic is located at Street 24, Tauheed Commercial Area. Phase 5, DHA, Karachi.

Part -- 1

]]> http://www.doodhpattiblogs.com/counting-blood-platelets-to-death-%e2%80%93-surviving-the-dengue-virus-part-2/feed/ 1 http://www.doodhpattiblogs.com/counting-blood-platelets-to-death-%e2%80%93-surviving-the-dengue-virus-part1/ http://www.doodhpattiblogs.com/counting-blood-platelets-to-death-%e2%80%93-surviving-the-dengue-virus-part1/#comments Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:06:58 +0000 immy http://www.doodhpattiblogs.com/?p=1966 I woke up with a headache I had never felt in my life. It felt like my head was the World Cup FIFA ground and all the players were stampeding on it. I had a fever of about 101 degrees. Oh my head! I took Tylenol. I must have just come down with the flu or something – a seasonal thing.

Two days and about 10 Tylenols/Panadols later, my head still hurt and fever had risen up to 103. A doctor cousin started me on Cefspan antibiotic course. That is how it works in Pakistan when you have a family doctor. You call them and they advise you over the phone. That is exactly what I did. And on most occasions, it works out fine for very regular viral or infections. This time round little did I know that it was not just an ordinary viral infection.

I reacted to the antibiotic or God knows what happened. My muscles tightened up, my throat was parched. I could not breathe. My head spun and the nausea was much more than any pregnancy can give. My doctor cousin said that I had to continue with the antibiotic no matter what. And if I felt nauseous then I should take another pill for that. Agh! More medication. Then the vomiting began. I called my cousin and deduced myself that I am stopping the antibiotic because I might have reacted to it and I still felt dizzier. He gave me yet another more intense tablet to control my dizziness. He agreed to stop the antibiotic. The good thing was that the fever broke.

By now I had a metallic taste in my mouth. My appetite was nonexistent. I was still throwing up; I was dizzy and felt extremely weak. Every time I stood up, darkness overtook me and I sat back down. I was breathless and was hoping somebody would just give me one of those oxygen masks so I could just breathe better.

Just when I thought that my trial was over, a rash broke out. I had an itchy skin all over. The inside of my vessels seemed dispersed as if the blood had broken up in bubbles inside of my skin. I later found out the technical term for that was maculo papular rash.

I realized how stupid it was not to have a physician to refer to so I called around a few friends to find a clinic. Meanwhile, I called another doctor cousin to get the name of a generalized blood test that will depict iron level, White Blood Cell count etc. etc. Something was definitely going on and it was more than just a common cold. I got the blood test done.

About now I had the result and I had found a physician. I went to her. In the waiting room the swarm of people and no air was a killer. I paced about waiting for my turn sipping my bottle of water thinking at least if I were to collapse here, I would be in safe hands! When my turn came, she saw my results. She looked at the paper, paused a bit and then looked anxiously at me. “You have had the dengue and your platelet counts prove that,” she said. I have what?? I thought. Wasn’t that the epidemic I had heard about and how it was fatal and people had died because of it? Then the doctor inquired more about my symptoms and all were evident – the rash on my skin etc. She explained the blood report to me where the platelet count range was between 150 – 400. Mine were 78. She warned that if they were to fall below 50, then the only solution is blood transfusion. Blood transfusion! I wondered how safe that was. What if some other complication happened? Then she went on to tell me to rest and take as much fluids as I could. I was to take another blood test after 36 hours. She said the treatment is now on need basis.

At home, I lay there feeling lifeless. I thought about life. I thought about the life of my children. I thought about my existence and above everything I thought about religion. I thought about the fact that I am a Muslim and if this is the end, then my belief says there is to be accountability. I thought, but wait I am not ready to die just yet, God. I have missed so many opportunities to do good. We as Muslims believe in the concept when a person dies, the only way he/she can continue with their deeds is if they have passed on beneficial knowledge, if they have good children who do good deeds,  if the person has taught someone. I have yet to prepare my children to carry out this work on my behalf. I need more time, God. I thought, I have to say sorry to God for all the time I knew I was doing wrong yet I was heedless to His existence and the end. I thought, if only I had more strength to get up and pray to Him. I never felt God so near but yet so far from me. Suddenly, I felt weighed down with all the belongings I have in my house. We have so much in our house when others out there don’t have even a piece of cloth to wear. What a waste of these things and we leave all our possessions behind. I felt the urge to just give away everything.

I closed my eyes and darkness overtook me. Wouldn’t the grave be so dark and I so alone. It was almost as if I could feel my platelets diminish in chunks! I realized I am not ready to face my Creator. I needed more time. If only I had been more aware…

2 days later, my blood report showed my platelets had gone up and I was on my way to recovery. The doctor warned and said that I will continue to feel the fatigue for days to come so I should “take it easy.”  I had gotten another chance to come back to the world again. Now is the test of how I will take my experience of near death and live my life! How will I make the changes in my life? How would YOU make those changes reading this experience?

Part – 2

Once again it is the mango fiesta season. We see streets filled with crates and piles of sweet luscious mangoes.
About the Fruit

Mango is a delicious and aromatic tropical fruit. Mango originated in Southeast Asia where it has been grown for over 4,000 years. Mango trees require hot, dry periods to set and produce a good crop. Over the years mango groves have spread to many parts of the tropical and sub-tropical world. Today there are over 1,000 different varieties of mangos throughout the world.

Health Benefits of Mango:

Not only is it delicious in taste, it is also beneficial as a fruit.

1. Mangoes contain phenols which are powerful antioxidant and contain anticancer abilities. Just one mango contains 1-3 times your recommended daily intake of Vitamin C and beta-carotene which fights  cancer. The antioxidants contained in a mango help fight Heart Diseases, Diabetes and Cancel – the three biggest killers in the western world.
2. Mango is high in iron (Pregnant women and people with anemia are advised to eat this fruit regularly).
3. Mango is effective in relieving clogged pores of the skin.
4. It is also valuable to combat acidity and poor digestion.
5. Mango is low in carbohydrates.
6. Mango is a rich source of vitamin A(beta-carotene), E and Selenium which help to protect against heart disease and other ailments.
7. Mangoes, both ripe and unripe are very good sources of vitamin C.
8. Eating mangoes in the season may provide a store of vitamin A in the liver, sufficient to last for the rest of the year and highly beneficial for the prevention of vitamin A deficient disorders like night blindness.

This article is not to make all of you sitting outside of Pakistan feel miserable that they cannot eat mango of Pakistan. The good news is that the United States is the largest importer of mangoes in the world fetching almost 45 per cent of the total mango imports.  Pakistan is considered as the second largest export of mangoes and exports to UAE, Saudi Arabia, UK, Bahrain, Singapore and some other countries.(Source: Dawn News)

So for everyone out there who is getting the real taste of mango – how can you make creative mango recipes in everyday meals? Here is a list of ideas that you can make the best of the mango season while it lasts! Of course for these recipes, canned mango pulp can always be substituted.

Mango Lassi

Mango Chutney

Mango ice cream

Mango Mousse

Mango Pudding

More than just a cliché, midlife crises is experienced between the ages of 40-60. Psychologist Carl Jung was the first to identify it and calls it a normal part of the maturing process. Most people will experience some form of emotional transition during that time of life. Traditionally seen as a male domain, (I can just hear the women say: thank God, men are humans also. They “feel” also!) it can happen to women also.

“We call it a midlife crisis, but actually it can happen at any age, to any gender,” says Anne Devlin, a Sydney-based clinical psychologist. It could be triggered by divorce, a serious illness, redundancy, an empty nest, the loss of a parent. Or it can just occur out of the blue. The important question is: why does it occur? What are the deep-rooted factors that cause many of us, between the ages of 35 and 55, to go through what can be a long, frightening and isolating transformation?

Young at heart, young in the limbs, in our 20s we are usually on top of the world. “I want to be a scientist, I want to go places, I want to make it happen for me.” These are all positive, energetic and go-getter phrases. Then what happens.

We are faced with the reality of life. Things don’t come easy. Things may not even come in the packaging we want them to come in. Things may not always work out as we had planned it. The car that was going at 100 miles per hour slows down to the normal speed limit of 70 miles per hour as the norms of life take place with marriage, job, children and basically stuff. Some people manage to maintain their lifestyles as it was prior to all of the above commitments. Others just compromise or tell themselves, “When I retire.” The highways is ongoing.

Comes midlife! This is the breaking point. You sit back one day in your office chair, pull your back and say to yourself “Is this how it will ALL end? Is this IT?”  Here comes the desire to prove  yourself that what I was able to do at 25, I STILL am able to do at 40. It is time to prove to yourself who you really are so you set out usually on a series of adventure that do more harm than help.

It reminds me if The Groundhog’s Day when Phil and Gus are talking and Phil says:  It’s the same thing your whole life: “Clean up your room. Stand up straight. Pick up your feet. Take it like a man. Be nice to your sister. Don’t mix beer and wine, ever.” Oh yeah: “Don’t drive on the railroad track.” And Gus replies: Well, Phil, that’s one I happen to agree with. Life has suddenly become The Truman Show- everyday over and over again, and you say to yourself, “This is not how I wanted it. ” Nothing has really changed but your emotions have shifted.

A new concept is that everyone actually SHOULD  have a mid-life crises to make the changes needed before it is too late.

Hollywood incorporated the theme of a midlife crises in its fourth installment, Shrek Forever After. The lovable green ogre goes through a mid-life crisis, as he feels trapped under the weight of fatherhood and the same old routines. You can watch Shrek 4, It’s A Wonderful Life,” to see if you’re having one!

People have identified a mid-life crisis with the following:

Common Symptoms of a Midlife Crisis

• Unexplained bouts of depression when doing tasks that used to make you happy. Feeling lost or trapped.
• Change of habits. Activities which used to bring pleasure now are boring. Unable to complete or concentrate on tasks which used to be easy.
• Wanting to run away from everything. Lack of communication with a spouse or partner.
• A desire to get into physical shape. Extra focus on appearance/ Dressing Younger
• Desire for a new, passionate and intimate relationship
• Irritability or unexpected anger
• Change in allergies.
• Exploring new musical tastes.
• Sudden new desires:  to learn how to play an instrument, drawing, poetry, writing
• Shifting sleep patterns (Typically to less)
• A desire to surround yourself with different settings
• Hanging out with a different generation as their energy and ideas stimulate you.
• Restarting things, which you dropped 20 years earlier.
• Upset at where society is going. Experience a desire to change the world for the better.
• Feeling trapped or tied down by fiscal responsibilities or emotionally tied to family or current set of friends.
• A desire to teach others or become a healer.
• Desiring a simple life. Losing interest in everyone and everything.
• Excessively looking back to one’s childhood.
• Playing again just to play!
• Keep re-asking yourself: “Where am I going with my life?”
• Getting fixated on new “wonder” solutions to problems.
• Recently experiencing something extremely stressful. Stress can trigger a Midlife transformation. Some examples include: Changing Jobs, Divorce, Relationship failures, Death of someone close, Chemical/Toxic exposure upon the body or experiencing a major illness.
• Doing things that get you into trouble when it surprises everyone as being out of character.
• Someone unexpectedly exclaims: “You are going through a midlife crisis!”
• Changing or investigating new religions, churches or new age philosophy.

(As per Casey, a counselor and generally).

For Every negative – Look for the Positive

So does it end here?  The person going through this mid-life crises is called crazy and they will continue in this state of mind for the next x number of years? Absolutely not. Experiencing a midlife crises is not about

Several newly published books lend weight to the idea that while a midlife crisis is undoubtedly a personal trauma, it can also be a rebirth. A speed bump in life actually wakes you up. So should midlife crises. Use it to your advantage by:

• Recognizing its symptoms and analyzing your own behavior in its light. This is an opportunity shift to a better life. When the soul, mind and body are in a state of disarray, it is a perfect time to reflect and find harmony within the self and not find answers outside of yourself as you have been trying to do all this time. Our lives are now based on chasing after goals and money and fame. Now with these changes, it is good to redefine your expectations of life. It is a good opportunity to try to something that makes others happy rather than going back to the self desires.
• Share your feelings. Communications help relieve the bottling up. By sharing you can ease out the frustrations and generally feel better.
• Your spouse/partner  has been on a journey with you for a long time. They have shared the good and the bad. Rediscover your spouse as a friend and partner. Do things together.
• Set new goals for life that are achievable, exciting and realistic.
• Travel
• Do good to others selflessly
• Socialize with your family and friends. Remember you are not alone..

This change may feel very traumatic at first and you may thing it may not even work. But be consistent. Don’t allow yourself to draw back into the cyclone of negative thoughts as it will lead you further in it and further away from all that once was the source of your life and happiness. You have worked way too hard with those around you to discard it at a time when it is getting closer to the time to reap the harvest.

1. Move extra: Make it a daily challenge to find ways to move your body. Climb stairs if given a choice between that and escalators or elevators. Play with your kids; throw balls with friends, trim the lawn. Anything that moves your limbs is not only a fitness tool, it’s a stress buster. Think ‘move’ in small increments of time. It doesn’t have to be an hour in the gym. But that’s great when you’re up to it. Meanwhile, move more.
2. Cut Fat: Avoid such as fried foods, burgers and other fatty meals. Dairy products such as cheese, cottage cheese, milk and cream should be eaten in low fat versions. Nuts and sandwich meats, mayonnaise, margarine, butter and sauces should be eaten in limited amounts. Most are available in lower fat versions such as substitute butter, fat free cheeses and mayonnaise.
3. Give up Smoking: Smoking is harmful to your health.
4. Reduce Stress: Easier said than done, stress busters come in many forms. Some techniques recommended by experts are to think positive thoughts. Spend 30 minutes a day doing something you like. (i.e; walk on the beach or in a park; read a good book; visit a friend; play with your baby; listen to soothing music; watch a funny movie. Get a massage, a facial or a haircut. Meditate. Count to ten before losing your temper or getting aggravated. Avoid difficult people when possible.
5. Protect Yourself from Pollution: If you can’t live in a smog-free environment, at least avoid smoke-filled rooms, high traffic areas, breathing in highway fumes and exercising near busy thoroughfares. Exercise indoors in air conditioning when air quality is good. It’s a good pollution and dirt from the street deterrent.
6. Floss Your Teeth: Recent studies make a direct connection between longevity and teeth flossing. Nobody knows exactly why. Perhaps it’s because people who floss tend to be more health conscious than people who don’t? Thought for the day: Floss and be your body’s boss.
7. Keep a optimistic Mental point of view: There’s a definitive connection between living well and healthfully and having a cheerful outlook on life.

Courtesy by: http://www.chowrangi.com