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I woke up with a strange ache in my stomach and a pounding headache.
I thought it was just a cold — everyone seemed to catch something.
I had almost caught it from a coworker.
But this felt different.
My body was hot, my throat sore, and I had no appetite.
Every bone hurt.
My eye was red and swollen.
I touched my tongue and winced.
My roommate, a nurse heading to a meeting at the clinic, said, "You look terrible.
See a physician."
"I'm fine," I lied.
I had always been proud of my strong constitution.
But this sickness was creeping through me like an endless shadow.
At the shabby clinic downtown, a Swiss doctor began to examine me.
He pressed my stomach, listened to my breathing, and asked about every symptom.
"At first, I thought it was just the flu," I admitted.
He shook his head.
"This is no ordinary flu.
I need to inspect further." He ordered a blood test and an X-ray, and wrote a prescription to manage the pain.
The results showed a bacterium in my bloodstream causing a serious disease.
"If untreated, it could injure your organs," he said.
I needed the hospital immediately.
A friendly hostess guided me to a ward.
Dr. Chen, an infectious disease specialist, explained: "The bacterium is resistant to common medicine.
We'll use a stronger drug — antibiotics through IV." She showed me a capsule.
"Take this pill twice daily along with the IV treatment."
"What about side effects?" I asked, feeling unhappy.
"Some feel fine quickly.
Others experience skin reactions.
Are you allergic to anything?" I wasn't.
"We'll monitor your blood pressure.
If it drops too low, we'll adjust."
That first night was the hardest.
The IV delivered oxygen and managed carbon dioxide levels.
I felt like a victim of my own neglect.
A young nurse named Lisa checked on me, adjusting my bandage — the wound from the IV had started to bleed slightly.
"The nursing team is here around the clock," she said.
An extraordinary specialist from Greece joined my case.
"You traveled recently?" he asked.
"I hiked in a jungle in Southeast Asia." He nodded.
"There's a poisonous plant there — a natural poison, very primitive and hard to detect.
It introduces a virus that weakens immunity, letting the bacterium take hold." What a chain of events!
On day three, I developed a terrible cough.
Another X-ray showed the infection had spread slightly to one lung.
"We need to operate," Dr. Chen said.
"A minor operation to drain fluid." I felt hopeless.
But Lisa reassured me: "You're young and fit.
You can handle this."
The operation went smoothly.
Recovery was steady.
My appetite returned — I even ate the overcooked pea soup I'd normally hate.
My stomachache disappeared, the cough faded, and I felt healthy again.
Dr. Chen declared the bacterium count down significantly and my immune system fighting the virus — a worthy recovery.
A dentist even checked my tooth — stress had caused root sensitivity.
"Nothing serious.
We don't want a tooth issue complicating things."
I met inspiring patients.
An old man with a temporary disability — once disabled for six months — refused to quit.
He used to play softball every weekend.
"Life is too precious to give up on," he said.
A young girl, a native of a small island bitten by a poisonous spider, never lost her smile despite being ill for weeks.
On my last day, Dr. Chen did a final examine and cleared me.
"Finish every pill.
Come back in two weeks." She recommended a traditional herb supplement from Greece — not a cure alone, but extra fuel for recovery.
"Stay healthy," Lisa wrote on a card.
Walking out, the weather forecast had predicted rain, but the sky was clear.
I made a promise to ourselves — no more unhealthy habits.
I would never let myself ignore warning signs again.
My blood work at follow-up was perfect — bacterium gone, virus fading.
"You're a healthy young person now," Dr. Chen said.
I called my mother: "I'm fine, really.
No need to worry about another funeral."
Six months later, I returned to the jungle — this time prepared.
Long sleeves, thick stockings, a first-aid kit with bandages, every poisonous plant memorized.
My constitution was stronger.
I exercised daily and got regular checkups.
I visited Lisa at the hospital.
"You look amazing," she said.
I recorded my experience in a small voice recorder — barely 50 mm long — every detail, every fear, every hope.
The doctors and nurses work tirelessly to save lives.
Most people don't notice outside these walls.
Life is fragile.
Health is precious.
Sometimes it takes losing something to get rid of what threatens you.
I was determined to make my second chance worthy.