The Attack Of The Swines II

Two days ago, the Swines hit closer to home.

I had gotten the permission to leave school earlier than everyone else, since I had been working the same hours like every full-time teacher which, in my opinion, is ok once in a while, but the reality is  I am not paid the same amount like them, and I would very much prefer to be home wth my son. But I digress…

Anyway, I was at the pool, just finished my laps and was about to start on my book, when the lifeguards started to tell everyone to get out of the pool. I thought maybe someone swam into a lump of poop or something. I didn’t bother much about it, since I was already out of the pool, but then one of the lifeguards (the not so good looking one) walked up to everyone who was seated on the deck chairs and began talking to them.

When he came to me, he explained that everyone has to leave the pool and the clubhouse ‘cos they have to carry out a total and thorough cleaning up of the pool and the entire clubhouse  ‘COS one resident in my development is a CONFIRMED Swiney.

Oh…. Shoot…

He also mentioned that I would have to give my contact number and apartment number to the staff at the front so that they can give me a “refund” swim ticket the next time I go to the pool.

And on my way to the Park Lane Hotel for the “Thank You Teachers Dinner” (organised by the PTA), a new notice had been put up inside the lift. The confirmed H1N1 patient is someone from Block 16 (we stay in Blk 5), which is a distance away, but still….

Nowadays, I will unconsciously hold my breath and count to ten when anyone near me sneezes or coughs. And my current worst fear is to kanna the H1N1… either me, D or TJ. Especially after talking to another colleague…

She mentioned that one of her pupils has some relatives who had to be quaratined recently for a week ‘cos of H1N1. This is a family of four, mum and dad and two young kids aged 1 and a half and four years old. I’ve always thought that if young kids like them are quarantined, at least one of the parents would be with them throughout the entire time. Apparently it isn’t so. According to my colleague, everyone was separated, and the kids didn’t have get to see their parents and neither did the parents get to see them during that whole week.

I would have fought, screamed and even begged to be with TJ if something like that happened to us. I can’t imagine the trauma my son would have and the pain that as a mum, I can’t even be there for my child. To the young kid, everyone is a stranger with faces covered by masks and who wears weird outfits. And there isn’t one familiar face to run to for a hug or cuddle.

When I told D about it, he brought up a good question. “Who had the H1N1?”

In my irrational state, I realised I didn’t clarify that with my colleague. We were just moaning over the fact that the parents couldn’t be with the children and that we just jumped into the shoes of the parents who should and couldn’t be with their children and started slamming the rigid arrangement of the CHP.

D’s question started to make me think about the various possibilities.

What if either parent has H1N1?

Then the not-affected parent can and should be with the kids while waiting for the tests to show they aren’t infected. Afterall, it’s already scary for the kids to be in a whole new environment and it is even more crucial for them to feel safe with their mum or dad.

What if it is one or both of the kids who has H1N1?

Then the parents should still be given the rights to stay with the kid whenver possible… it is already scary and traumatising to be ill. The kid will be whining for the parents and if none of them is around, I don’t think it will help with the recovery. Anyway, parents can still put on masks and wear those protective garments like the medical personnels.

What if both parents have H1N1 and the kids don’t show the symptoms yet?

Seriously, I dunno … I wouldn’t want to infect my kids, but I will be totally worried about their welfare, especially if they need to be quarantined.

For now, I am praying hard for good health for all three of us. And if the worst does happen to my family, I hope that CHP has improved on their quarantine procedure which is medically sound yet understanding of family needs.