ACHTUNG ACHTUNG!
sometime next week we shall descend upon the land of bratwursts, beer and BMWs (and heidi-you're-in-or-you're-out-klum)!!!! muahahahhaa ooh i'm psyched! especially since my sister can go! we always have a lot of fun and do stupid things together! :D
went to the clinic this morning with the doctor. haha i really think she's so nice :) actually almost all the doctors and nurses in the department are great! haha so today in the clinic we saw quite a few cases. i was telling jasho yesterday (when she mysteriously appeared at the office) that i don't want to be a paediatrician. but i changed my mind for a brief hour today cos the kids were so sweet and adorable!! if i met kids like that everyday, i would definitely enjoy it a lot. but i changed my mind again cos then we saw a couple of patients who were not doing very well. it just makes me feel very very very sad whenever i see kids who are really sick. then you see how much the parents love them and it breaks my heart cos it's really so unfair that anyone has to suffer like that :( :( sigh. so i'd rather not handle kids in the hospital.
hmmm and i think a hospital attachment is a really good thing cos it reminds you how lucky you are. i mean i'm sure everyone complains about how they're not rich enough, not pretty enough, not smart enough, not cool enough, not skinny enough, not tall enough etc but really really, i think health is the most important thing. oh and having a family that loves you for being the arse that you are. everytime i see these sick kids, i'm always very very thankful that my sisters and i are healthy. we might be a bit odd in character but we're happy and healthy so that's good. oh and please: try not to marry/ have kids with your first cousin! seriously hasn't anyone studied about inbreeding?? haha i know it sounds a bit odd and random but my doctor was telling me about a couple of cases of children with really serious genetic diseases because of 'inbreeding'. actually i always thought it was illegal to marry your first cousin but my parents say it's not. oh well. have kids at your own risk!
and to educate all our fine intelligent readers, here's a disease i was just reading about. there was a boy in the clinic who had it... and being my curious self (!) i googled it!
Kawasaki Disease is an illness that involves the skin, mouth, and lymph nodes, and typically affects children who are under the age of 5. The cause of Kawasaki Disease is unknown, but if the symptoms are recognized early, kids with the disease can fully recover within a few days. If it goes untreated, it can lead to serious complications that can involve the heart.
Kawasaki disease occurs in 19 out of every 100,000 kids in the United States. It is most common among children of Japanese and Korean descent, but the illness can affect all ethnic groups.
This illness can't be prevented, but you can help your child by learning the telltale symptoms and signs, which typically include a
fever that lasts for at least 5 days, red eyes, a body rash and severely-chapped lips and mouth. If your child shows these symptoms it's a good idea to call the doctor.
The symptoms of Kawasaki Disease typically appear in phases.
The first phase, which can last for up to 2 weeks, usually involves a persistent fever that is higher than 104 degrees Fahrenheit (39 degrees Celsius), and lasts for at least 5 days.
The other symptoms that typically develop include:
-severe redness in the eyes
-a rash on the child's stomach, chest, and genitals
-red, dry, cracked lips
-swollen tongue with a white coating and big red bumps
-sore, irritated throat
-swollen palms of the hands and soles of the feet with a purple-red color
-swollen lymph nodes
During the second phase of the illness, which usually begins within two weeks of when the fever first begins, the skin on the child's hands and feet may begin to peel in large pieces. The child may also experience joint pain,
diarrhea,
vomiting, or abdominal pain.
Doctors can manage the symptoms of Kawasaki disease if they catch it early. The symptoms typically disappear within just two days of when treatment begins. Usually, if Kawasaki disease is treated within 10 days of when the first symptoms begin, no heart problems develop.
But if the illness goes untreated (time period can vary, but likely for 10-14 days and sooner in young infants), it can lead to more serious complications that involve the child's
heart. Kawasaki disease can lead to vasculitis, which is an inflammation of the blood vessels. This can be particularly dangerous because it can affect the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart.
In addition to the coronary arteries, the heart muscle, lining, valves, or the outer membrane that surrounds the heart can become inflamed. Arrhythmias (changes in the normal pattern of the heartbeat) or abnormal functioning of some heart valves can also occur.
There is no one test to detect Kawasaki disease, so a doctor typically diagnoses it by evaluating the child's symptoms and ruling out other conditions.
Typically, a child who is diagnosed with this illness will have a fever lasting 5 or more days and at least 4 of the following symptoms:
-redness in both eyes
-changes around the lips, tongue, or mouth
-changes in the fingers and toes, such as swelling, discoloration, or peeling
-a rash in the trunk or genital area
-a large swollen lymph node in the neck
-red, swollen palms of hands and soles of feet
If Kawasaki disease is suspected, a doctor may order tests to monitor the child's heart function, which can include an
echocardiogram, and other tests of heart function. A doctor may also take blood and urine samples to rule out other conditions, such as
scarlet fever, measles,
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Stevens-Johnson syndrome,
juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and an allergic drug reaction.
Treatment should begin as soon as possible, ideally within 10 days of when the fever first begins. Usually, a child is treated with intravenous doses of gamma globulin (purified antibodies), an ingredient of blood that helps the child's body fight off infection. The child may also be given a high-dose of aspirin to reduce the risk of heart problems.
http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/heart/kawasaki.html