Chapter
1
I was sweating profusely under the blazing sun. The suns piercing
rays shone provocatively across the rows of standing humans and I
had trouble trying to prevent droplets of sweat from infiltrating
into my eyes. To be truthful, I wasnt feeling well and had
initially thought of falling out. But, everybody else was falling
out and ironically, ALL these fallen personnel came from my unit.
Thank God, the Regimental Sergeant Major yelled out his final
command, beseeching us to stand at ease before uttering another
command to end my torment. Peering through my blurred vision, I
could see him putting a fist in the air SAFs way of gathering
people.
My first step forward was wobbly and my ear was very much blocked.
I thought I could almost hear the movement of my blood cells
flowing rapidly through my head.
I swallowed hard as I felt a wholesome weakness engulfing my body,
especially this incessant dull aching around the left flank region
of my body. I tried to ignore it, but in fact, it was gaining on
me.
Ok gentleman
I couldnt even wait for him to finish; a shade of darkness clouded
over my eyes and I blacked out completely as my body gave in to the
searing sun and plain fatigue. I was lying like a defeated soldier,
lying at the mercy of circumstances, with my consciousness slipping
away every minute.
Then, I felt a shift in altitude; someone carried me on his
shoulder and I could hear much commotion rumbling like a faraway
crowd. I can sense the vibes from people around my vicinity, whom I
suspect to be medics, talking frantically to me, but I couldnt
make out any sense from their blabbering.
Wake up!!!!
I felt someone invading my solar plexus with his hands, attempting
to execute pain to teleport me back to reality from the abyss of
unconsciousness. My eyelid jerked a little before I narrowly forced
opened them.
Stopp
. Painnn
I murmured meekly.
In this very next moment, I vaguely glanced my surrounding A
doctor was trying to hoist open my heavy eye; I felt a syringe
stabbed into my right arm; a needle pricked one finger of my left
hand; somebody was unbuttoning my shirt; another fellow trying to
take my temperature.
His pulse is forty two
Praise the lord; I could hear what he was saying, although not
exactly loving this medical ordeal.
Dont close your eyes
whats your name? Can you hear me?
I was bombarded with questions as if I was struck with amnesia. I
pointed to my left flank and signaled to them that there was some
dull aching there, however, for some unknown reason, the doctor
seemed more interested in checking out my temperature. By now, I
was semi-conscious, although extremely debilitated from my
concussion.
Corporal Lin, next time, when you not feeling well
must sound
out. Dont push yourself too hard.
The voice came from Tengah Airbases RSM. He fatherly touched my
forehead and I could see his meticulous concern over someone almost
a stranger to him. In the midst of this dizzy chaos, I felt touched
emotionally.
After what seemed like eternity (I have severe distortion of time
and space within that disoriented frame of mind), I was pushed into
a nearby ambulance. The ride was short before I was unloaded and
brought into SAFTI Medical center.
Initially, my case was mistaken as heat injury; icepacks were all
over my vital points. Yes, I was stripped naked
almost. Together
with the blasting air-con, I was literally freezing.
I think we over-cooled him
What?
Standard procedure
again?
So much for THINKING soldiers
zzz
At this point of time, I was very much back to Earth, despite the
persisting aching.
I think there is an unnatural enlargement here
said the Medical
Officer as he circled his finger around my left flank region. As
soon as he finished his statement, the Medical Officer began to
perform palpate their discovery, as if trying to confirm his
findings.
I think this is a kidney enlargement.
WHAT?
(To be continued...)
