Suddenly I became seriously ill because of unbearable throat pain

I was having a little throat pain for a week or two. I thought because seasonal change and cold I am having this pain and it will go away by itself. I remember that the pain was there since before Kali puja. During Kalipuja I went to Malda with my wife and son to spend the time with my parents.  

After spending about four days I came back alone at Durgapur. My wife decided to come back after her friend's wedding that is in 1st December 2021. Because of that she is super excited and doing shopping with the bride. She also bought a lehenga from flipkart and a gold necklace for herself for the wedding ceremony.  

Since I came back to Durgapur the pain started increasing gradually. To get rid of the pain I started drinking warm water, gurgle with hot salt water, eating Tulsi leaves with honey, and red tea with ginger. But nothing worked. Instead the pain increased. The pain became so unbearable that I had to go to a ENT specialist doctor in City center near my office.  

It was Sunday and the chamber was empty. I was one and only patient there. When I entered the doctor asked me whether I called him over phone a few minutes ago. I said, "Yes."  

The asked, "Tell me what happened to you." I said, "I am having little throat pain since a week. But suddenly from 2 days it increased so much that I can't sallow anything without having a sharp pain." 

He asked my name, age and address. After noting it into the prescription he stood up from his chair and came towards me. Then he asked my whether I have taken the vaccine. I replied, "Yes, two doses complete." Then he asked me to remove the mask from my face. After that he took a new chocolate stick like thing and unwrapped it and with that he put it on my tongue and told me to pull the tongue inside. I did so. Then he checked my nose. After that he went back to his chair.  

He told me that I have a problem in nose. I told yes I know one ENT doctor told me in Bangalore. And I need to go through a small surgery to fix it. Hearing this the doctor told me, "no! surgery is not required." 

Then he asked another question, "Do you have headache?" I said, "Yes! I have migraine and also depression, because of it I have been taking antidepressant tablets since I was in college."  

The doctor replied, "It's not migraine, you have sinus problem." 

Then the doctor wrote some medicines in the prescription he also mentioned one X ray and said I should get the X ray from a good hospital and I should come back after 10 days. After taking the prescription I went to a medicine shop there I purchased all the medicines. At the time of the payment I get the shop owner my credit card. Seeing the card he told me that whether I have any other debit card or whether I can do the online payment through Paytm or phonepay. But I told him, “No, I only have this card I want to play with this card only.” He told me if he accepts the payment with the card then the bank will deduct 2% charge. But seeing no option he took the payment with the card and I came back with the medicine.

After reaching home I checked the medicines with the prescription and found out that most of the medicines are different even one or two medicines components also were different. So I decided that I will go to that stop and I will take my money back. I went to the shop and told him that all the medicines are not matching with my prescription only one or two medicines were matched so I told him either you give the correct medicine that is in the prescription or give the money back I also turned on my mobile camera if he insist giving the money back then I can take action on him. I was planning a lot of things that time and I also was very angry like how can I the medicine shop owner can give me different company medicine without asking me or without taking my permission even one/two medicine’s I found that the component was also different.

The shop owner tried not to give the money back at first but after seeing the camera in my hand he was a little nervous. And give me the money back after deducting 2% because I paid him with the credit card.

I was having pain in my throat that was really irritating so I decided to come back home take rest and then I will go to a big medicine shop nearby to buy the medicine. In the evening I went to Apollo Pharmacy and there I got all the medicines that were in the prescription. I also bought one water vapor as per the recommendation from the shop. I came home with the medicine but the pain increased so much that I could not decide what to do. I was thinking maybe it is the corona. Because as per my knowledge it starts with a little throat pain and then slowly it goes down to the chest and people start having breathing problem and also oxygen saturation goes down. This thought came to my mind because the pain also was coming down from the throat to the chest. I was feeling it was spreading in my chest. So I didn’t want to delay anymore. I was little afraid that in case it is really corona and breathing problem starts then I will have no other option but to take admission in a hospital nearby.

In Durgapur there is no Medical College, though there is one sub deviational hospital and many private hospitals nearby. The Durgapur sub deviational hospital refers serious patients to Bankura or Barddhaman medical college. I came to know about this from my very recent experience with my grandfather. Also I am not in a position that I can afford a private hospital expanse.

So if suddenly I start having breathing problem as the pain spreading to my chest from the throat then I will have to take admission in Bankura or Bardhaman Medical Hospital by myself.

My family is in Malda and I am all alone here in Durgapur. So I decided if my health condition become very critical then it would be better if I go to my town where I have my family to look after me and also I can take admission in Malda Medical College & Hospital.

When I took the decision then the time was 6 in the evening. I checked for train tickets and found one ticket available from Durgapur to Malda town in AC 2 tire compartment. Without any delay I booked that ticket. The train will depart from Durgapur at about 8:30 PM and will reach Malda at 2 AM.

I packed all the medicines in the bag and went out for Durgapur station. It takes 120 rupees by Auto to the station and by bus only 20 rupees. Rapido bike taxi and OLA service is also available here in Durgapur. Once I went to Durgapur station by Rapido from city center, it costs me 69 rupees. And by OLA the minimum price you can expect in between 150 to 170 rupees and sometimes more.

I took Auto. I reached station at about 7:00 PM. There I ate veg paties and tea. I had to take the medicine that I am supposed to take after dinner but as I will board into the train and it will be very painful to swallow. That’s why I decided that after having little tiffin I will take all the medicines. I also took cake with me in case I feel hungry at night.

The train arrived at 8 PM and I board into it. Since after I board into the train I was feel like vomiting. I could not even sleep properly on my back because I was feeling lot of throat and chest pain in that sleeping position with every breath I took in. So I was sleeping on my chest and my both hands were folded in front. Every time I swallow my saliva I feel a sharp pain in throat and chest. So I stopped swallowing and start spiting in the small mug that came with the vapor machine that I purchased in the morning. A lot of cough and spit was coming out maybe because of the medicines I took. And the vomiting feeling was also there because of the medicine I believe.

Train reached Malda at 2AM and I reached home at 2:30 AM. My wife was awake. She made me warm rice with boiled potato and fed me because I didn’t want to eat (Yes, she feeds me sometimes). I could eat so little. I wanted so sleep separately because of the doubt that I may have corona. But she didn’t allow me to do so. She took care of me that night. I was also feeling very safe as I was with my family at my home. Slowly I fell asleep. In the morning I noticed that 80% pain is gone. I was feeling very well and fresh. I couldn’t imagine the pain I was in the whole night and the last two days. I understood if I might have taken the medicine in the afternoon then I might not to come home. I would recover by night myself after a good sleep in the afternoon.

The medicine really worked like magic. I followed all the instruction by the doctor and took the medicine on time also completed the course of the medicine. After three days I came back to Durgapur and joined office.