So this is going to be one of the less cheerful posts –
probably the least cheerful since arriving in Mumbai as I have discovered one
of the low lights of life in India (n summer). Being ill…
Being ill sucks wherever you are but as it turns out it
sucks a lot more in 35 degrees than it does in European flu season. Before I
give you the low down on what it has been like I do want to say that despite it
not being fun, we are obviously very spoilt with being able to receive
excellent medical here which so many people do not have access to. My workplace
even has a doctor on site that you can just go to when you do not feel well.
Here is being ill – London vs Mumbai
1)
Starting to feel ill
a. London:
Go to Boots and stock up on non-prescription items like Ibuprofen and Lemsip.
You probably can’t face the idea of trying to get a doctor’s appointment so
let’s just hope it gets better
b. Mumbai:
You can go to the doctor (without appointment) and they are likely going to see
you very quickly and happily prescribe you all sorts of medicine, however not
Ibuprofen as there seems to be a general conception that it’s not good for you
in India. So Paracetamol it is. In the end it doesn’t make much difference
whether you have a prescription from the doctor as pharmacies pretty much hand
you out anything with a bit of asking. Indiadam already managed to get some
antibiotics for me once without prescription or looking ill in any form
2)
Get some rest
a. London:
You go to bed, get under the duvet and sleep. Sleep a lot or at least lying in
bed or on the couch to recover and gather some strength again is really your
best bet. Plus it’s quite nice lying in bed in winter when it’s cold and dark
outside. Being ill could be worse
b. Mumbai:
Yes it could be. It could be 35 degrees and even walking outside for 10minutes
leaves you looking like you have gone for a swim. Cooling down the whole flat
takes quite a while and with our helicopter-sound-AC it is the trade off
between sweating and severe headache. Mumbai has taught me one thing: there is
no such thing as “sweating out a fever” – it only gets worse
3)
Get some fresh air
a. After
staying in your flat all day, something that used to really help me was go out
and at least to the shops or around the block for 10mins, breathe in some fresh
air
b. Fresh
air… Mumbai… Not happening. Apart from the fact that it’s too hot anyway. So we
are back to the tradeoff of hot “clean” air with open windows or “cold,
articificial, LOUD” air from the AC.
4)
Food & Drinks
a. London:
Lots of tea (nice to warm you up), chicken soup (warming and healthy) and fruit
(vitamins)
b. Mumbai:
One tea (it’s so hot it doesn’t even steam, last thing you want to drink),
water (about 5l to compensate for the sweat loss), chicken soup (just feel
weird eating soup when all you want to do is jump in an ice bath), FRUIT – very
nice, lots of choice!
5)
Not getting better
a. London:
Although you don’t want to, you end up having to go to the doctor. Your local
GP has an appointment in 5 weeks time so you decide to go to the walk up clinic
where you wait for 2h. In that time you manage to pick up the one virus you
didn’t have yet, see the doctor who advises you against taking antibiotics and
suggest that ibuprofen and lots of fluids will sort you out
b. Mumbai:
Back to the doctor with no wait time who will offer another dosage of
antibiotics as well as a long list of other stuff (on a piece of paper, pretty
sure I could write that at home)
6)
Picking up medicine
a. London:
In Boots, handed over my prescription: Please wait for 15mins (what for
exactly?!), your prescription put on a massive pile. 15mins later, get your
prescription in a nice bag, sealed, pills counted, pay your 7 pounds. Out you
go
b. Mumbai:
Any pharmacy with your piece of paper and a long list of medicine. No waiting
time, get as many pills you want and best thing: Keep the original prescription
(no signature, stamp or anything). You might have the same thing in a few
months so just re-use it. Or your neighbor might be ill…
Over a week after first getting
ill, I’m still coughing a bit but luckily feel much better. And as said before,
we are incredible fortunate to have access to the very good medical care in
India that most people don’t.
However, I really did not enjoy
being ill in Mumbai summer one single bit so will do everything I can to avoid
it going forward. Considering I am a bit of a wimp with the heat and AC
combination though, it probably won’t take long until I write the next
grumpy/ill post.
Until then, Hals & Beinbruch
(look that ones up)
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