Tulingan Allergy

June 29, Friday, 8am. I was having my breakfast with the other members of the team in a carinderia near Amoranto. The team always have our breakfast at this particular carinderia because it is much nearer than the other stores. My usual fare are fried rice and hotdogs or corned beef. But now, I decided to try the newly cooked ginataang tulingan. The dish was very enticing. Mainit pa at parang masarap kainin sa makulimlim na umaga. But, it seems ako lang ang naigaya dahil akong mag-isa lang sa team ang kumain ng tulingan.

After breakfast, the team biked our way to Rizal Sport Stadium in Vito Cruz to have our weight training. While biking, I feel really hot. I was palpitating. Ang pakiramdam ko para akong sasabog sa tindi ng kabog ng dibdib ko at sobrang init na pakiramdam. Doon ko din napansin, pulang-pula na pala ang mga braso at hita ko. The first thing in my mind was I was poisoned! Natakot na ako talaga dahil lumalala na ang pakiramdam ko. Malapit na kami noon sa Rizal. I decided to call my wife, but she was not answering her cel. So, I called our land line. Mama answered the phone and I told her what happened. May sakit pa pala ang asawa ko ( ilang araw na kasi ako di nakakauwi kaya hindi ko alam ang lagay nya) kaya’t hindi nya masagot and phone. Mama said na baka nalason nga ako dahil baka bilasa na ang isda na nakain ko o kaya ay hindi marunong magluto ng tulingan ang nagprepare ng ulam. She was really nervous at sinabing ipasusundo nya ako at padadala sa ospital. Mama immediately informed my wife of what happened. She texted me to take a tablet of either loratadine, desloratadine, cetirizine, or kung wala na talagang mabili kahit benadyl na lang na diphenhyramine. Knowing my medical history at sa mga symptoms na sinabi ko kay mama, she suspected allergy at hindi food poisoning. I believed her since she has a background in nutrition and food science. She also asked me to eat something really sweet. Ipapasundo na nila ako para madala sa hospital. I declined, and told her not to worry. Nakapagbike pa nga hehehe. Told her, kaya pa at uwi na lang ako after taking the medicine.

As the team arrived in Rizal, I asked one of the 2 members of the coaching staff for permission to buy some medicine. He asked me why, and I told him what happened. He accompanied me to the SMAP’s head nurse. After examining me and asking what happened, and if I’m going to drive, the nurse gave me some tablets of loratadine allerta. She asked me to take a tablet. Syempre bago uminom, txt muna kay misis. She replied its ok loratadine nga eh. Mas maigi na kasi ang nagtatanong para na kasi siyang walking mercury drug store. She remembers pati mga generic name at brand name ng mga gamot pati manufacturer. hehehe. For emergency use daw, tama naman. Malaking silbi nga lalo na pag madami talagang allergy tulad namin ni Buk ( este Victor na pala).

After taking the medicine, I decided to go home. Alam ko na dapat sa ospital ako pumunta. Pero mas safe at secure ang pakiramdam ko pag nasa bahay ako at kasama ko ang pamilya ko. Tiwala at panatag ako sa misis ko na sa mga ganitong bagay ay alam nya kung ano ang pinakamagandang gawin at kung saan ospital o doktor ako dapat dalin. Kaya’t nagpaalam na ako sa in-charge na coaching staff na uuwi na ako at doon na lamang ako mangagaling papuntang hospital. Pinayagan naman ako agad. Napuna na pala akong ng ibang mga kasama earlier pero they thought I was just red and even joked around na ang tisoy ko, not knowing I’m into a very dangerous situation.

As I was biking home, bumubuti-buti na ang pakiramdam ko. At pagdating sa bahay, I am okay. Para na lang akong nagdahilan. Wala na ang palpitations, and even the redness of my skin. Pero sumakit naman ng todo ang ulo ko. My wife gave me mefenamic acid and asked me to relieved myself in the bath room. I told her, masakit ang ulo ko hindi ang tyan ko. hehehe. Para daw malabas na ang kinain ko nung umaga. Matindi talaga si madam kikay, as if on cue, I suddenly feel I need to go to the bathroom, so I did at nagtulog na ako maghapon.

Moral lesson of the story:

Dahil sa pagtitipid sa 4k na allowance, I opted in eating in carinderias everytime I was in the quarters. Malaki talaga ang diprensya compared to my eating lifestyle at home. Compromised hindi lang ang nutrition mas yung food safety. Hindi naman siguro kaartehan o dahil nagseselan lang, dahil talagang kumakain ako sa mga carinderia dati pa, kumakain ako ng sukageti ni manang, hehehe. Pero matapos ng nangyari sa akin magiging maingat na ako talaga. Kahit medyo magastos babalik na lang ako sa oats at cereals tuwing umaga. Mahirap kasi kumain na alam mo me gutom ka na room mate. Syempre, kahit limited lang ang mga baon namin, hindi naman pwede na hindi mag-alok, kaya’t ang baon na pang-ilang araw ay nauubos na agad. Kaya mahirap magbudget. hehehe. At syempre ang pinakamalaking aral na natutunan ko, hindi na ako kakain ulit ng tulingan. At maglalagay na ako ulit ng gamot sa allergy sa wallet ko.