I should have just joined my dark cherub and not take the job that day but I decided not to go with her. So instead I almost got infected with an almost deadly disease. Almost. I'm exaggerating because the final diagnosis was actually that of a Cryptococcal type of meningitis but I couldn't take the fear that there was a possibility of a meningococcal meningitis. There was no rash which was diagnostic for Meningococcemia but just to be safe, I, together with everyone in that hospital took Ciprofloxacin(Ciprobay) 500 mg once as prophylaxis. Afterall no lumbar puncture was ever done.

Panic. You how it is. People scurrying and wearing masks all of the sudden. Fear and anger gripped the entire hospital staff. And just like that everybody forgot about the patient.

Except me.

You see I could not stay away from her eyes. There was pure madness. I understood what was happening to her. How slowly her higher brain functions were being ravaged by that elusive organism. Meningitis. That's how I know what it means. She was just 68 and she just came from quiapo church when all the symptoms started. I must have seen her when I went to a medical mission few weeks ago. She must have been happy then. I picture her praying inside the church. Praying to that man in the picture.

Seizures. More seizures. I gave her a dose of Diazepam 1 ampule. Her level of consciousness was deteriorating fast. Advised for intubation. And just when I thought, how could the God she worshiped be so cruel, she finally expired.

And the world I knew suddenly turned upside down.