bananaTALK

Yea yea… another plea. Excuse. OK, I’ll confess.

I was ill. Bad flu. Or not. Well, I THOUGHT it was a flu. 3 days later I found out that it was rubella virus. Not dangerous, if you’re not in pregnancy. But the sore throat seemed ready to kill me slowly.

So what kind of thing I was dealing with? Rubella. I told you. The sore throat? Here, when you got infected by those tiny creatures, your body will fight. Some of the army will post on your tonsil. And when they are fighting, your tonsil will get swollen, red, hurt, and you might have difficulty swallowing. There, got it?

Sometimes rubella is known as German measles, but the word "German" has nothing to do with the country. The name likely comes from the Latin term "germanus" meaning "similar." Indeed, rubella and measles (rubeola) share some characteristics, but they’re caused by different viruses.

Rubella and measles are both contagious viral infections best known by the distinctive red rash. However, rubella is neither as infectious nor usually as severe as measles, which is why rubella is also called three-day measles.

There is one important notice: If a pregnant woman contracts rubella, especially during her first trimester, the virus can cause death or serious birth defects in the developing fetus.

Gladly, no pregnant woman I met during this illness. In fact, I’m the only one who got sick here. "They exist around us, the attack depends on your immunity level," a doctor said to me. My baby? Thanks to the antibody in breastmilk, he’s perfectly fine and healthy.

The symptoms you might endure include:

• Mild fever
• Headache
• Stuffy or runny nose
• Inflamed, red eyes
• Enlarged, tender lymph nodes at the base of the skull, the back of the neck and behind the ears
• A fine, pink rash that begins on the face and quickly spreads to the trunk and then the arms and legs, before disappearing in the same sequence
• Aching joints, especially in young women

Get the full info in MayoClinic about overview, signs and symptoms, when to seek medical advice, and self-care. I took the self care, and a bit of online consulting with a friend -who happens to be a very kind doctor- and a senior pediatrician. Thanks, docs!

The rubella itself didn’t hurt me much. The fact that I can hardly eat but I have a baby who’s still exclusively breastfed is. The next thing -after the terrible headache and burning throat- you’ll just have to endure is the cry.

He didn’t care if you’re sick. He wanted your breastmilk, and you playing with him, holding him while he does the jumping. Here’s a tip when breastfeeding mommy goes sick: have other people to take care of your children while you taking a rest, drink aplenty, and try to eat. Whatever, just keep your breastmilk ready on demand.

I’m all fully recovered now. And the task is already waving before me. Aye, captain. I’ll get the task ready this week. Prepare your blog for Merdeka open submission 3, people.