Perils of Dengue

A young boy lies on a small bed in a hospital room in Bengaluru. He is too weak to walk, and an intravenous drip is attached to his hand. He is unable to eat, has a high fever, and feels very nauseous. It is the summer of 2024, and that sick boy is me. 

About three weeks ago, as my family traveled to visit my grandparents in Bangalore, I was infected with Dengue, a viral infection which spreads from mosquitoes to humans. Having this infection was a horrible experience, and I found myself suffering from vomiting, nausea, and high fever. Once I was confirmed to have Dengue, I was taken to the hospital, where I was put on drip feed from a tube in my hand to ensure my platelet count did not drop to dangerous levels.

I did not like being sick in the hospital. It was a very tiring experience and I lost over ten pounds. However, I learned quite a bit from this experience. First of all, I learned the dangers of mosquitoes. Previously, I used to underestimate mosquitoes. Even in subtropical India, which is practically a mosquito’s nest, I didn't have a mosquito bat, an electric bat that people use to kill mosquitoes. In fact, I slept without even using mosquito repellent. This led to me getting 30-40 bites, including the one that gave me dengue. From now on, I always wear mosquito repellant before sleeping. I also have learned how to use a mosquito bat and carry it around constantly.

Secondly, when I was in the hospital, I learned how to distract myself during moments of pain. I faced quite a bit of pain when I was sick, from the doctors putting in the drip to flushing blood clots. When I needed to use the restroom, the doctor removed the drip. This led to the formation of blood clots, and, sometimes, the drip would not flow again. As a result, the doctor would have to flush out the clot with an air flush, which was very painful. They also had to take many blood samples, like the ones which confirmed that I have Dengue and the sample I had taken to check my platelet count every day. I learned how to function during pain, and that, if you just ignore it and look away, the pain will be over soon.

Lastly, I learned of the never-ending support I have from other people. While I was sick, my dad stayed with me for an entire week, sleeping even less than I did. He had to wake up every hour when I used the restroom to call the nurse, and he never even complained once. The nurses and the doctor were always available, even in the middle of the night. 

Although Dengue fever is usually associated with humid climates in places far away from the United States like Asia, U.S. cases are on the rise.  According to the Center for Disease Control, the best way to protect yourself from dengue fever is to avoid mosquito bites by using mosquito repellant frequently and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants to reduce the overall bite area. 

Dengue fever is not a joke.  I was released from the hospital after four days and spent a week in bed. I have learned how dangerous mosquitoes are, how to distract myself from pain, and am so grateful for the love and support I received.