The Story of The Nodes

On 2nd July, Mamarazzi woke up with this nasty lump on her neck. She thought nothing of it. Maybe just heatiness due to too much durian or what.


Then on 4th of July it became worse. More lumps appeared. Mamarazzi started to feel weird. And thought of going to the doctor the next day.

Somehow an angel must have been watching us as Auntie Florence text Mamarazzi for a chit chat and the matter of the lump came up.

She immediately said she'll come over in the morning to bring Mamarazzi to the doctor. Papa was not around.


The next day we went to the clinic. The 1st clinic immediately refer Mamarazzi to specialist. This really shocked her.

Thus we went for a 2nd opinion. The 2nd clinic use a ultra sound scanner and scanned Mamarazzi's neck. Found that four Lymph Nodes were enlarged/swollen.

According to the Doctor, the Lymph Nodes are swollen because some bacteria/virus is attacking Mamarazzi's body and the Lymph Nodes acts as quarantine center. The Lymph Nodes are trying to fight the bacteria/virus.

The doctor asked Mamarazzi whether she would like to be refer to the hospital or that she would like to try antibiotic first.

Mamarazzi opt to try antibiotic first.


The first day taking the antibiotic, Mamarazzi's neck felt a burning sensation. Maybe the antibiotic was trying to fight the bacteria/virus.

But then after 3 days of antibiotic, more swollen Lymph Nodes appeared. Looks like Mission Failed.


Haiz...what to do...have to go to the Hospital. We went to Private Hospital in view that the lumps seems to be growing very rapidly.

Lucky, once again Auntie Florence and Uncle Patrick came and helped. They brought Mamarazzi to the Hospital. Uncle Patrick babysit me and I managed to con him into buying KitKat Chocolate for me.

Meanwhile, Mamarazzi and Auntie Florence went and see the Cartoon Specialist.

Why "Cartoon Specialist"? That one you have to ask Auntie Little Bird. Mamarazzi unwittingly chosen a Doctor whose name is similar to a Cartoon character...unfortunately the antics of the doctor was also very "cartoon".


The Cartoon Specialist ordered a whole series of tests.

Omigosh! These are the scan of Mamarazzi multiple swollen lymph nodes. The largest being 2.2cm x 1.16cm. No wonder so painful.

The report on the Chest X-Ray and the Ultra Sound of the neck.

Also did a test on TB, in which Mamarazzi became a Guinea Pig to a Trainee nurse. Haiyo! The expert Indonesian nurse was teaching the Malaysian Trainee nurse. Mamarazzi buta-buta kena jab twice by the Trainee.

In the end, the Cartoon Specialist prescribed a week of antibiotic and painkiller to Mamarazzi. If by the end of the week the swelling yet to go down, Mamarazzi will have to have more test done and maybe biopsy or surgery.

After taking the antibiotic for two days, there was no improvement. Also Mamarazzi started to have swollen gums and toothache.


Once again, Auntie Florence came to help. We went to the dentist and he checked. Said Mamarazzi have gums problem.

Mamarazzi told him about the Lymph Nodes and the Cartoon Specialist medication.

The dentist saw the medication and told Mamarazzi that she need to take Metro which is for bacteria that can survived without air.

After taking the antibiotic for 3 days, Mamarazzi can feel the swelling had reduced a bit.


By then it was time to go back to the Cartoon Specialist for a follow up. Mamarazzi thought there would be good news since the swelling had gone down slightly.

Mana tau when we went into the Cartoon Specialist's room he press press the lumps and straight say no improvement. Didn't even do any scan. Straight asked Mamarazzi to do biopsy and enquire about Mamarazzi's health insurance status.

He seems happy when he heard Mamarazzi have health insurance and wanted to pass documents to Mamarazzi for signing.

He said he have to cut out one of the swollen Lymph Nodes for the biopsy and it's a minor surgery. Mamarazzi asked the cost and he told Mamarazzi a figure.

Mamarazzi remembered reading Eugene's blog hospital charging different amount for cash payment and medical card payment. She was determined to test the Cartoon Specialist. She asked him whether there is any difference. He told Mamarazzi there is no difference. Everything control by the Medical Board.

By his answer, Mamarazzi had lost confidence in him. Because Mamarazzi know that there is difference. Not only because of Eugene blog but because of her friends who are in insurance line told her the same thing.

There are also certain other issue which made Mamarazzi lost confidence in him but not appropriate to reveal here.

She thus told the Specialist that she need to think first. Moreover Papa was coming home the next day. Need to discuss with Papa


After discussion with Papa, we decide most probably the bacteria is from the gums. The next day which was a Saturday, Mamarazzi woke up slightly flu-ish. Maybe jangkit the flu from me.

Papa bring us the Dentist once again for an emergency appointment. The Dentist checked and saw the gums have much improved. Advised that Lymph Nodes will need some time to get back to normal. But if in a week or two if it's still very swollen then should go seek Specialist. He prescribed another round of antibiotic.



Mamarazzi took the antibiotic. But when she arrived home the flu was quite bad. Thus she took a Clarinese for flu.

No long after that she started to have terrible headache. By night time whole face was red and some rashes on the hand.

Thought maybe the antibiotic clash with Clarinese. She drank a lot of water to clear the toxin.

By Sunday, body started to have rashes. Sunday tarak Doctor. Mamarazzi had time and thus she googled her symptom. Seems like similar to rubella as Mamarazzi had most of the symptoms except from fever and red eyes.

Extracted from www.mayoclinic.com

The signs and symptoms of rubella are often so mild that they're difficult to notice, especially in children. If signs and symptoms do occur, they generally appear between two and three weeks after exposure to the virus. They typically last about two to three days and may include:

• Mild fever of 102 F (38.9 C) or lower
• 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

Mamarazzi was vaccinated for Rubella before. It seems that though vaccinated, there is always a 5% chance of failure where the body didn't develop antibodies for it.

Thus, Monday we went to clinic. The Doctor said could be allergic reaction to the medication and advise us to go to hospital. But he did gave some medicine to reduce the rashes and itchiness.

By Tuesday the rashes had increased and we went to Sg Buloh Hospital.



Aisey...thought the hospital very "Cheh Kai" but was real surprised that it's very modern and efficient. In fact more efficient that the Private Hospital that we went to.

Mamarazzi asked the Specialist there whether it could be Rubella. But the Doctors did not directly answer Mamarazzi. They said it could be anything. But most probably it's due to the various kinds of medicine that Mamarazzi have been taking.

They did not give anymore medication to Mamarazzi as they said any bacteria/virus that needs to be kill are already dead from all the antibiotics that she have been taking. The rashes are just the end result. They give Mamarazzi calamine lotion and anti itching medicine. Mamarazzi was to go back in a week time for biopsy if the lump still there.



That week, Papa had to fly again. We stayed home and self quarantine just in case it's Rubella. Ya..that's why Mamarazzi have been having "Bookathon" for the past two weeks.

Anyway, we went back to the hospital for follow up last week. Most of the swollen Lymph Nodes are back to normal. Left only the initial one still slightly swollen.

The Specialist said since we were there, might as well do the biopsy for our peace of mind. This one is simpler than what the private Hospital had intended to do. Here, they just insert needle into the lymph nodes and took some tissue sample.

Saw the two punctured marks? Nope...not bitten by the Vampire. Those were the place where the Doctor jab jab Mamarazzi to take sample. Can see the lumps visibly smeller size, right?

Well...all seems to be well now. Till the next follow up in September...yipee!