⌛ Dengue in Dumaguete

DI`ers , I unfortunately recieved news that my GF brother and sister may have Dengue fever ( they say super high fever ) had to go to hospital . I heard it`s bad news . Any info or treatment would be appreciated . I believe there are no vaccines . Makes me worry about living there . I know it`s a tough topic , sorry. :( Kevin

 

I caught Dengue a couple of years ago, I was sick as hell but It eventually went away. From what I've learned a normal healthy person will recover, its a bigger problem for kids and elderly folks.
The strange thing about Dengue is the body pain it causes, boy did it hurt, I felt like a 99 year old.

 

My husband's brother-in-law is recovering from Dengue. He was in seriously bad shape very quickly. His blood platelet count was down to 20,000. We have 250,000 blood platelets in our bodies and his went down to 20,000 in a matter of days. His family hadn't prepared a blood donor because they didn't realize it would become so serious, but fortunately they found some just in time. He had four blood transfusions.

Dengue is a disease that you can get from being bitten by a female mosquito. Symptoms vary depending on age. Not sure though if it's worse for younger or older. Dengue is deadly because of the haemorrhagic fever it brings on - very high fever and sometimes accompanied by enlargement of the liver and circulatory failure. The fever can last up to 7 days. With severe cases like my husband's brother-in-law, the temperature will suddenly plunge and there will be circulatory failure. If it becomes worse, the patient can go into a critical state of shock and lose his life within 12-24 hours. There is no specific treatment for Dengue, but circulating fluid movement is absolutely necessary and must be monitored at all times. From what I know, there is still a vaccine in the development process - there's been some difficulty due to there actually being 4 types of dengue and only vaccines have for 2 types have been developed, though protection against only 2 types may increase the risk of more serious disease.

This is why in Dumaguete people are constantly burning their trash or "ga daob" because it drives mosquitoes away. It's actually purifying the air of mosquitoes despite it's stench. I think also a huge help against dengue is taking the right vitamins and making sure that you're body is healthy enough to fight against disease.

 

caymimi , this is one of my few worries when in the Philippines ,catching Dengue ,esp with the children.I haven't experienced Dengue fever,but my husband (my bf at that time )back in 1991 got this Dengue fever and was admitted in Silliman MC for two weeks.Good he recovered ,but he looked so terrible and ill,and if after two weeks he didn't do better, the plan was his brother has to come and take him home.

The diagnosis was he had typhoid fever by team of doctors.When he flew back to england and went straight to see the especialist of tropical diseases in London and have further medical analyses , there was known he had Dengue fever and not the typhoid.But i can't see why SUMC didn't pick it up when there was already prevalence of dengue cases in the area and province as a whole.

 

I don't have great faith in SUMC either. I actually wrote an article about the failure of SUMC's team to save my ex-boyfriend's life back in 2001. He was in a vehicle accident and just because he was walking and talking (although not very well) they thought he was fine and made him wait for two hours before even bothering to do an X-Ray (which they had to do twice because they said they didn't do the first one correctly). When he suddenly went into shock it was then that they realized he was bleeding internally. He died within minutes. We were together for 4 1/2 years, and he was my best friend for 2 years after we broke up. The hospital director wanted to file a case against me because of my article, but he couldn't because I was a student then and I had a right to my opinion, and The Weekly Sillimanian was quick to defend me.

But no, I don't have faith in them at all. I used to have good friends there, d*mn good nurses and doctors, but they are all in the US now. I heard that SUMC's quality of medical care has gone down drastically because of the high demand for Silliman University's College of Nursing graduates in the US. Even a couple of doctors from SUMC moved to New York to become nurses (from being doctors!). SUCN is incredibly well known for turning out the best nurses worldwide. Something we Dumagueteneos are extremely proud of, but unfortunately that means all of the good nurses are being tempted to go abroad and SUMC is left with less than the best. My sister-in-law's daughter was admitted to SUMC last year and her dextrose needle wasn't even inserted properly. That's enough to make me shiver. My sister-in-law had to insert it herself (being an SUCN grad in the 90s).

I wish there could be some sort of trade-off, like it would be nice to have a couple of good foreign doctors at SUMC.

 

Caymimi ,I am sorry for the sad tragic experience with your x . If that happened in the US or here ,they must be sued against professional negligence facing damages that will cost money and even their professional careers. In the Philippines , we hardly hear of any doctors and nurses in the spotlight questioned of any professional misconduct,negligence and what have you .And of any complaints ,dunno where it ends . You never heard of any doctor cast out of doctors' register ,neither of any nurse in the Philippines .I would not expect Filipino doctors and nurses are much better than the western counterparts and never make any mistakes .Perhaps court cases ended up with amicable settlements behind closed doors.Also in courts justice can be bought/flawed , court cases can take a century or more,there is bribery and corruption , i feel anyone taking legal action against a big moster in the philippines could hardly find justice...unless they buy their way to win.

My grandmother's death was bit suspicious that was way back in 1984 when she was at the point to be ready for discharge at SUMC, but sadly that day cut her off ,died that day out of strange circumstances.But the bantay said to us that a nurse gave her dose of medications ,and soon after she was vomiting and never recovered,the end of her. My grandfather never questioned it,even my aunts ,my mother ,although suspicion was in the air,they never bothered to query about the circumstances.That's the sad thing.

I am not putting SUMC on the margins it could have largely improved ,but because of odd experiences which influenced our judgements ,that if ever our family members go to hospital we go for the Holy Child or Cebu instead.

 

Same here. We either go to Cebu or St. Luke's in Manila or our own doctors in the U.S.

This is the article I wrote back then:

A Last Farewell
By Carla Mae C. Corsino

Losing a friend is something that is never easy. Losing someone more than a friend is indescribable.

My very best friend, Aldrianus Miguel “Buddy” S. Avila, lost his life on October 26, less than two weeks after his birthday on October 14. Some of you may recall reading about him in my teasing article in last semester’s Lampoon Issue. At age 25, he was a member of the Silliman Alumni, History graduate, member of the Fox Society, former PRO for the History Society and pioneer of the Science Building’s Green Bench Boys.

Buddy befriended me when I was 15, fresh off the boat from the U.S. I didn’t know how to speak Bisaya then, but it hadn’t mattered to us. He had just turned 18. We fell in love instantly and were inseparable for 4 years and 3 months. Being a city girl, I was typically narrow-minded, seeing things only in black and white. Buddy opened my eyes to a world of dazzling beauty and rich blessings found in simple things. We found happiness in every plant, animal and sunset. Our relationship was based on a foundation of God, the solid beliefs of a strong and true love.

Though our relationship ended, Buddy was an ever-present blessing in my life. He touched the lives of countless others who turned to him for guidance and a ready ear and shoulder. Through problems and trials, he always bore a ready smile and eased heavy hearts with his infectious laugh. To all who knew him, his willingness to help could never be forgotten. No matter what he was doing, he would drop everything to rush to someone’s aid. Buddy never failed to help me out in all my troubles and problems, although we had broken up and I had other boyfriends. In the seven years we grew together he had become more than a friend and ex-boyfriend; he became the brother I never had, a confidant who never judged harshly.

This important factor of my life was also an honest son and only child. Not matter how we partied and painted the town red, he never spent the whole night out, always returning home to where he and his mother lived. He always said to me, “I’m going to work hard. I’m going to do this because I want to take care of my mother. I’m all she has.”

Then one day he was gone. At 7am he was off to work at Dumaguete Industries and Manufacturing Corporation (DIMC) where he was a warehouse supervisor. While checking the cargo of a truck, he was run into by another ten-wheeler truck, which was backing up. The driver, who had made a double-check before entering the vehicle, had unknowingly backed into Buddy twice, trapping him inbetween the two large trucks. Buddy was rushed to SUMC around 8am. He endured an interview and was made to sign his own admittance papers, though all the while complaining to the doctor that he could barely breathe, his chest hurt, and his pallor was unsightly, as related by his co-workers that had brought him there.

He was told only that his chest hurt because of bruises. The first X-ray taken was declared a mistake; he was wheeled in again and given another X-ray. At which point it was discovered that his case had been misjudged, causing a serious waste of time. Buddy’s lungs and chest were crushed, he was hemorrhaging internally and the blood was forced to flow to his kidney, causing it to burst. By the time he was given a CT Scan, he was brain-dead, because the oxygen could no longer reach his brain.

From the time that Buddy arrived at SUMC at 8am, he had had roughly 3 hours and 30 minutes to be saved. At 11:30am, his heart gave out, banishing Christmas plans we had made, and all the goals accumulated over 25 years.

What should we, as fellow Sillimanians, expect from those who have sworn to assist us in our medical needs? Should not a vehicular accident of any type be deemed a priority? I believe the first thing that should be done of any such occurrence is to immediately give oxygen to the wounded person; ask questions later. Upset citizens have related similar experiences with injured loved ones. It is a shame that we must also fear the amount of medical attention we are entitled to.

Buddy’s death was a blow to all family and friends worldwide, and to his mother, a retired St. Paul’s teacher. His memory will remain with us forever, a true and beautiful spirit who opened the hearts of many. An angel.

We love you, Buds. May you rest in peace.

Copyright.© 2002 by SU Press

That was the article that the hospital director wanted to sue me over. I heard he was searching for the X-ray technician to refute my allegations, but the X-ray techinician had resigned the day of Buddy's death and moved back to Mindanao.

 

Same here. We either go to Cebu or St. Luke's in Manila or our own doctors in the U.S.

This is the article I wrote back then:

A Last Farewell
By Carla Mae C. Corsino

Losing a friend is something that is never easy. Losing someone more than a friend is indescribable.

My very best friend, Aldrianus Miguel “Buddy” S. Avila, lost his life on October 26, less than two weeks after his birthday on October 14. Some of you may recall reading about him in my teasing article in last semester’s Lampoon Issue. At age 25, he was a member of the Silliman Alumni, History graduate, member of the Fox Society, former PRO for the History Society and pioneer of the Science Building’s Green Bench Boys.

Buddy befriended me when I was 15, fresh off the boat from the U.S. I didn’t know how to speak Bisaya then, but it hadn’t mattered to us. He had just turned 18. We fell in love instantly and were inseparable for 4 years and 3 months. Being a city girl, I was typically narrow-minded, seeing things only in black and white. Buddy opened my eyes to a world of dazzling beauty and rich blessings found in simple things. We found happiness in every plant, animal and sunset. Our relationship was based on a foundation of God, the solid beliefs of a strong and true love.

Though our relationship ended, Buddy was an ever-present blessing in my life. He touched the lives of countless others who turned to him for guidance and a ready ear and shoulder. Through problems and trials, he always bore a ready smile and eased heavy hearts with his infectious laugh. To all who knew him, his willingness to help could never be forgotten. No matter what he was doing, he would drop everything to rush to someone’s aid. Buddy never failed to help me out in all my troubles and problems, although we had broken up and I had other boyfriends. In the seven years we grew together he had become more than a friend and ex-boyfriend; he became the brother I never had, a confidant who never judged harshly.

This important factor of my life was also an honest son and only child. Not matter how we partied and painted the town red, he never spent the whole night out, always returning home to where he and his mother lived. He always said to me, “I’m going to work hard. I’m going to do this because I want to take care of my mother. I’m all she has.”

Then one day he was gone. At 7am he was off to work at Dumaguete Industries and Manufacturing Corporation (DIMC) where he was a warehouse supervisor. While checking the cargo of a truck, he was run into by another ten-wheeler truck, which was backing up. The driver, who had made a double-check before entering the vehicle, had unknowingly backed into Buddy twice, trapping him inbetween the two large trucks. Buddy was rushed to SUMC around 8am. He endured an interview and was made to sign his own admittance papers, though all the while complaining to the doctor that he could barely breathe, his chest hurt, and his pallor was unsightly, as related by his co-workers that had brought him there.

He was told only that his chest hurt because of bruises. The first X-ray taken was declared a mistake; he was wheeled in again and given another X-ray. At which point it was discovered that his case had been misjudged, causing a serious waste of time. Buddy’s lungs and chest were crushed, he was hemorrhaging internally and the blood was forced to flow to his kidney, causing it to burst. By the time he was given a CT Scan, he was brain-dead, because the oxygen could no longer reach his brain.

From the time that Buddy arrived at SUMC at 8am, he had had roughly 3 hours and 30 minutes to be saved. At 11:30am, his heart gave out, banishing Christmas plans we had made, and all the goals accumulated over 25 years.

What should we, as fellow Sillimanians, expect from those who have sworn to assist us in our medical needs? Should not a vehicular accident of any type be deemed a priority? I believe the first thing that should be done of any such occurrence is to immediately give oxygen to the wounded person; ask questions later. Upset citizens have related similar experiences with injured loved ones. It is a shame that we must also fear the amount of medical attention we are entitled to.

Buddy’s death was a blow to all family and friends worldwide, and to his mother, a retired St. Paul’s teacher. His memory will remain with us forever, a true and beautiful spirit who opened the hearts of many. An angel.

We love you, Buds. May you rest in peace.

Copyright.© 2002 by SU Press

That was the article that the hospital director wanted to sue me over. I heard he was searching for the X-ray technician to refute my allegations, but the X-ray techinician had resigned the day of Buddy's death and moved back to Mindanao.

 

caymimi, I'm so sorry for what you and family have been through. But eveidently you bounced back like a rubber ball. As the saying goes,; Life must go on, etc etc.. By the way, how were you related to the late Atty. Ben Corsino?

 

Swany, Thanks. Uncle Ben was my father's older half-brother.

Pickled_Newt I'm so sorry about what happened with your grandmother. Something similar happened to mine, but it was over time. She flew from Dipolog to Virginia to spend Christmas vacation with us two years in a row back in the late 90s. During both times she had a stroke and was treated at the hospital in the US. Unfortunately, during her second Christmas vacation with us, her favorite grandson died in Dapitan on Christmas Eve (my cousin died in a motorcycle accident at the age of 19). She had a massive stroke and was brought immediately to the hospital. She stayed with us after being released and every day and night she was wailing and shouting with grief. She flew home early after doctors told her it was ok, but advised her to continue her medication. She was again treated at Dipolog Medical Center with the WRONG treatment for months on end. We did not know this until a couple years later when she started acting funny and had memory loss. Tests showed she did not have Alzheimer's. Doctors at DMC could not explain why her brain was disfunctioning so rapidly (her memory and regular body movements were rapidly weakening in the space of months - she was around 68 at the time). She died not long after - she was bedridden and could not remember who any of us were; she refused to eat and the skin on her back was rotting. It was an awful and tragic way to die. It makes me sick and angry to think about the injustice of laying your life or the life of your loved one in the hands of people who are inept and can not admit their mistakes. Why don't these inept doctors and hospitals just refer a better doctor and hospital instead of trying to treat someone knowing that they are not in the best possible situation to treat their patient?