Aceta-Mean-Offend-Er
June 26 2006, 5:48 A.M.
Fingers of the morning light diffused through the thin curtains of my window and drew a line across my bed and into the opposing wall. As I stick my head out of the comforter I can hear the hardly audible sizzle of our breakfast being cooked in the kitchen. Turning my head, I felt kind of proud for myself as I gazed my bed side alarm clock. I realized I woke up without its frenzied ringing. It has been 3 weeks since class has started and it was the first time that that happened to me.
I was starting to get convinced that it will going to be a great day as I hear my favorite song coming from the living room seep into my door which was left open just a crack. I leaped out of the bed and with a few tosses and turn my eiderdown and pillows are back on their proper places. Feeling much better than my last two weeks, I was totally unaware of the dreadful events that are happening inside my body.
The start of the school year wasn’t good for me. Dark nimbus clouds which brought heavy rains and thunder storms covered the whole city for the past 14 days. And being a person who doesn’t always practice healthy living a fever and flu is what I expect whenever I get caught up in a bad weather. During these times, the medicine cabinet with its frosted glass cover etched with a bright red cross on the center is my best friend. Yep! I am guilty of self medication. It has been 2 weeks since I started taking Tylenol to alleviate and avert any further acquisition of fever. As far as I was concerned it’s done wonders for me---at least that’s what I think.
The dining table which is just right for the six of us is in its normal scenario since class has started. One of my sisters who is seated on the left side multitasks---she dries her hair off while eating her breakfast. Beside her is the other one. Being a very figure conscious girl she pats the ham and hotdog on her plate with tissue paper making sure to remove the excess fat that my mom who is busy chiseling the pan for something she has burned cooked. My little brother opposite her is almost done with his bowl of cereal. It was my dad who is always absent during our Monday morning breakfasts. He loves staying late at night during Sundays to watch his favorite TV show, the UFC.
I was about to pull my chair when I suddenly felt the urge to urinate. My voice echoed from the four corners of the bathroom as I was horrified by what I saw. A tinge of red fluid which seemed to be blood was starting to mix with my amber urine when my mom started banging the bathroom door. At first I didn’t know what to do, should I make a story or should I just tell the truth? I started feeling light headed and my hands seemed to be much colder than the doorknob that I was turning to let my mom in. Without any questions asked she dashed into the living room as soon as she saw the toilet bowl and punched in some numbers on the telephone. After some nodding and nail biting she hanged up. I can see the fear and worry in her small brown eyes as she looked at me for a few seconds. “Dress up!” were the only words she had managed to utter after that phone call.
That morning, after dropping my siblings to school, mom, dad and I went to our family internist. It has been a while since I visited Mr. Ocera’s clinic. Seeing all the other sick patients and hearing children sob made me feel very nervous. My throat started feeling dry as if it was parched by acetone. 10 minutes had already passed when a nurse called my name. It was my turn to see the doctor.
“Good Morning Robin, Come in!” Dr. Marco Ocera greeted as soon as he sees me on the door. I felt kind of relieved as I heard his very welcoming voice. After he greeted my mother who was just behind me, he pointed to the chair adjacent to his office table. Dr Ocera looked like the cliché physician someone could imagine. You can tell by the thinness of his hair that he is a man who is about to face andropause. He wears eyeglasses which have frames that almost obscure his eyebrows. A tie wrapped his neck which isn’t well positioned maybe because of his very tight schedule. Maroon polo was beneath his lab coat with pockets filled with pens of different colors, a second set of eyeglasses and a pair of forceps.
As soon as he said “What seems to be the problem”, my mom started talking like she was the one who needs some medical attention. I was just bobbing my head whenever the doctor looks at me as if I was on the same page with what they are talking.
As I listen to them inattentively, I was trying to recall of something that I did or ate that maybe caused what happened to me that morning. The fishball, qwek-qwek, isaw.. Hmmm. I was starting to day dream when my mom grabbed my hand and smiled at me as she points to the direction of the laboratory. A few moments later I stepped out of the facility having about 15 mL lesser blood in my system than before I entered.
We were asked to come back after 3 days for the results. As we drove home, I was still clueless of what may have happened to me that lead to that unforgettable mishap.
3 days... 72 hours… 4320 minutes… it felt like it would take forever. I was on pins and needles waiting for that piece of paper for 3 whole days. Anxious, fretful, restless as long as it’s an unpleasant feeling brought about by news which you are not sure if it’s going to be good or bad, it fits. Sleepless nights, unfinished meals, and hour and hours of thinking on the wee hours of the morning, I thought I’m going to develop another illness because of the suspense.
The clock’s ticking, the nurse’s retractable pen, the vigorous noise coming from a man’s unconscious shuddering foot in front of me, I feel so wary waiting for my name to be called. It has been 30 minutes since we arrived at my doctor’s clinic. The metal arm rest of my seat started getting warm for it has been a while since I lay my hands on it whenever a nurse peeps out from the room where my doctor is.
The start of the school year wasn’t good for me. Dark nimbus clouds which brought heavy rains and thunder storms covered the whole city for the past 14 days. And being a person who doesn’t always practice healthy living a fever and flu is what I expect whenever I get caught up in a bad weather. During these times, the medicine cabinet with its frosted glass cover etched with a bright red cross on the center is my best friend. Yep! I am guilty of self medication. It has been 2 weeks since I started taking Tylenol to alleviate and avert any further acquisition of fever. As far as I was concerned it’s done wonders for me---at least that’s what I think.
The dining table which is just right for the six of us is in its normal scenario since class has started. One of my sisters who is seated on the left side multitasks---she dries her hair off while eating her breakfast. Beside her is the other one. Being a very figure conscious girl she pats the ham and hotdog on her plate with tissue paper making sure to remove the excess fat that my mom who is busy chiseling the pan for something she has burned cooked. My little brother opposite her is almost done with his bowl of cereal. It was my dad who is always absent during our Monday morning breakfasts. He loves staying late at night during Sundays to watch his favorite TV show, the UFC.
I was about to pull my chair when I suddenly felt the urge to urinate. My voice echoed from the four corners of the bathroom as I was horrified by what I saw. A tinge of red fluid which seemed to be blood was starting to mix with my amber urine when my mom started banging the bathroom door. At first I didn’t know what to do, should I make a story or should I just tell the truth? I started feeling light headed and my hands seemed to be much colder than the doorknob that I was turning to let my mom in. Without any questions asked she dashed into the living room as soon as she saw the toilet bowl and punched in some numbers on the telephone. After some nodding and nail biting she hanged up. I can see the fear and worry in her small brown eyes as she looked at me for a few seconds. “Dress up!” were the only words she had managed to utter after that phone call.
That morning, after dropping my siblings to school, mom, dad and I went to our family internist. It has been a while since I visited Mr. Ocera’s clinic. Seeing all the other sick patients and hearing children sob made me feel very nervous. My throat started feeling dry as if it was parched by acetone. 10 minutes had already passed when a nurse called my name. It was my turn to see the doctor.
“Good Morning Robin, Come in!” Dr. Marco Ocera greeted as soon as he sees me on the door. I felt kind of relieved as I heard his very welcoming voice. After he greeted my mother who was just behind me, he pointed to the chair adjacent to his office table. Dr Ocera looked like the cliché physician someone could imagine. You can tell by the thinness of his hair that he is a man who is about to face andropause. He wears eyeglasses which have frames that almost obscure his eyebrows. A tie wrapped his neck which isn’t well positioned maybe because of his very tight schedule. Maroon polo was beneath his lab coat with pockets filled with pens of different colors, a second set of eyeglasses and a pair of forceps.
As soon as he said “What seems to be the problem”, my mom started talking like she was the one who needs some medical attention. I was just bobbing my head whenever the doctor looks at me as if I was on the same page with what they are talking.
As I listen to them inattentively, I was trying to recall of something that I did or ate that maybe caused what happened to me that morning. The fishball, qwek-qwek, isaw.. Hmmm. I was starting to day dream when my mom grabbed my hand and smiled at me as she points to the direction of the laboratory. A few moments later I stepped out of the facility having about 15 mL lesser blood in my system than before I entered.
We were asked to come back after 3 days for the results. As we drove home, I was still clueless of what may have happened to me that lead to that unforgettable mishap.
3 days... 72 hours… 4320 minutes… it felt like it would take forever. I was on pins and needles waiting for that piece of paper for 3 whole days. Anxious, fretful, restless as long as it’s an unpleasant feeling brought about by news which you are not sure if it’s going to be good or bad, it fits. Sleepless nights, unfinished meals, and hour and hours of thinking on the wee hours of the morning, I thought I’m going to develop another illness because of the suspense.
The clock’s ticking, the nurse’s retractable pen, the vigorous noise coming from a man’s unconscious shuddering foot in front of me, I feel so wary waiting for my name to be called. It has been 30 minutes since we arrived at my doctor’s clinic. The metal arm rest of my seat started getting warm for it has been a while since I lay my hands on it whenever a nurse peeps out from the room where my doctor is.
It took 20 minutes for Dr. Ocera to explain to us what has happened to me. The blood containing urine which is termed as “hematuria” in the medical world is a complication of the type of hemolytic anemia I got. Drug-induced hemolytic anemia to be specific, it is a type of anemia in which a drug binds to the red blood cell’s membrane. This phenomenon causes the production of antibodies against the drug. As the antidrug antibody attacks the drug, the red blood cells are destroyed as well either by the antibody itself or by the spleen.
Acetaminophen is the culprit which caused my hemolytic anemia. More commonly known as Paracetamol, it is a type of analgesic and antipyretic. Analgesics are pain relievers. It could treat almost any kind of pain; from something as mild as a headache to something as severe as pain due to arthritis. It is also sometimes used to treat reactions due to vaccination. Antipyretics on the other hand are fever reducers.
Despite of its long time availability, dating back to the 1950s there hasn’t been any clear explanation of its mechanism of action. Reticence of cyclooxygenase (COX) particularly COX-2 is considered its main mechanism of action. What are COXs? COXs are enzymes which breakdown certain molecules that are converted to several pro-inflammatory compounds. Paracetamol works by reducing the COX enzyme therefore impeding it from turning into pro-inflammatory chemicals. A lowered Prostaglandin level in the central nervous system then follows. This causes the thermoregulatory center of the hypothalamus to be lesser.
Aside from that, Paracetamol also adjusts the endogenous cannabinoid system. Its reduced form, the AM404 impedes the absorption of endogenous cannabinoid anandamide by brain cells. Anandamide absorption leads to the activation of the pain receptors of the body.
Acetaminophen is an “over-the-counter” drug which means that it could be purchased without any prescription from a doctor. However, it may be prescribed to treat other kinds of diseases. It is available in different forms. It comes as tablets, capsules, liquid suspensions and suppositories. Being the leading cause of acute liver failure in some countries, it is important that we should practice following directions that come with the package religiously. This is because some products contain more acetaminophen than others.
One can take a maximum of 4 grams of acetaminophen daily. Studies have shown that even a slight increased intake of the drug may result to liver damage in as early as two weeks.
For more information about the Acetaminophen, you may check unto these following sites:Acetaminophen is the culprit which caused my hemolytic anemia. More commonly known as Paracetamol, it is a type of analgesic and antipyretic. Analgesics are pain relievers. It could treat almost any kind of pain; from something as mild as a headache to something as severe as pain due to arthritis. It is also sometimes used to treat reactions due to vaccination. Antipyretics on the other hand are fever reducers.
Despite of its long time availability, dating back to the 1950s there hasn’t been any clear explanation of its mechanism of action. Reticence of cyclooxygenase (COX) particularly COX-2 is considered its main mechanism of action. What are COXs? COXs are enzymes which breakdown certain molecules that are converted to several pro-inflammatory compounds. Paracetamol works by reducing the COX enzyme therefore impeding it from turning into pro-inflammatory chemicals. A lowered Prostaglandin level in the central nervous system then follows. This causes the thermoregulatory center of the hypothalamus to be lesser.
Aside from that, Paracetamol also adjusts the endogenous cannabinoid system. Its reduced form, the AM404 impedes the absorption of endogenous cannabinoid anandamide by brain cells. Anandamide absorption leads to the activation of the pain receptors of the body.
Acetaminophen is an “over-the-counter” drug which means that it could be purchased without any prescription from a doctor. However, it may be prescribed to treat other kinds of diseases. It is available in different forms. It comes as tablets, capsules, liquid suspensions and suppositories. Being the leading cause of acute liver failure in some countries, it is important that we should practice following directions that come with the package religiously. This is because some products contain more acetaminophen than others.
One can take a maximum of 4 grams of acetaminophen daily. Studies have shown that even a slight increased intake of the drug may result to liver damage in as early as two weeks.
drugs.com
medicinenet.com
wikipedia.org
I have picked up a couple of lessons because of this experience. Too much of everything is bad. Do not self medicate—a doctor’s opinion is always helpful. Practice a healthy lifestyle. But probably the most important is that you can never really tell if your day is going to be a good one :). We should always be ready for the consequences of our actions. ‘Cause you’ll never know how wills its creepy fingers work.
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