If there's one thing that I've learnt from being sick for more than a week, it's this: treasure the things and people you have around you, especially your health and family. Over the course of the last week and a half, I've been suffering from stomach flu, fever, flu, and diarrhea. I have been lying in bed for a whole week because of my sicknesses and honestly it's been depressing. The sun rises and I'm in bed, the sun sets and I'm still in bed. Day after day passed like that and I was only able to lie in bed thinking about life. I began thinking about very morbid things like death and how short life is and how there are so many things that don't matter in the long run. It became so depressing that one afternoon I just broke down crying, called my boyfriend and told him I didn't want to be sick any longer.

Being in bed alone for so many days gave me ample time to reflect upon myself and the last few months. I realized that I haven't been sick for so long that I've started taking my own health for granted. (This fact was probably the reason why all the sicknesses came at once too, because my immune system became so lousy.) Truthfully speaking I don't remember falling sick when I was in JC2, or at least, I did not get a fever of any degree. I guess I took advantage of my health after forgetting the feeling of being sick, and I did not care what I ate, whether I drank enough water (if you know me well enough, you will also know that I do not drink a lot of water, which is clearly bad), or if I had enough exercise. I took my health for granted, thinking it would always be there, and instead focused on other things like material desires and money and indulging to make myself happy. Now, after suffering with sickness for so long, I feel stupid for caring so much about my own materialistic needs. Without health, what's the point in anything else? You can't enjoy anything if you don't have your health. After I recover completely, I promise never to forsake my own health in any way ever again. Lying in bed all day for so many days is a horrendous experience.

Most of the days I spent sick in bed I spent alone, the rest of my family busy with work or school or bringing my brother to school, etc. Basically I was left to tend to myself for the most part because my parents didn't have the time. Even then, I know they were trying their best to check on my welfare, especially my mum. Whenever she had time she would come into my room to check with me for my temperature, and ask if my stomach still hurt and if I was taking my medicine. One night my stomach felt so bad I kept complaining in bed, and my mum just went out to get me a cup of milo and some medicine to soothe my stomach. She didn't tell me I was complaining too much; she just took care of me however she could. And that alone really touched me. I don't know if I would have that much patience to take care of anyone; then again, I don't have a daughter. Being alone for such a long time also made me appreciate whenever any of my family members were nearby, be it talking to me or simply being in the same room doing their own things. There were many instances in the middle of the night where I wanted to wake my mum up and ask her to stay in my room with me, but I ended up not doing so even though I wanted company so badly. I guess I felt too embarrassed to have to ask for company when I'm already so old. But with such morbid thoughts running through my mind, having some form of life nearby was a comfort.

I think God might have allowed me to fall sick to force myself to have a break to think about what I've been doing the last few months. I have been concerning myself with very worldly things that I now understand are not that great. I'm now less concerned with monetary value and I don't know, I think I've matured in terms of appreciating the people and things God has blessed me with. I can't imagine how different my life would be if I did not have all these wonderful people to guide and support me, and I thank God for putting me in this position, for making me realize what I already have.

On a side note, thanks to all who gave me well wishes and prayed for me while I was sick, your encouragement and prayers really helped. :)