Drugs For Nasal Infection

~ the sculpture figure of jagannath is an artwork found on the wall of the jagdish temple, it is an intricate carving usually upholds on the pillars of the temples in north india, lord jagannath is also known as narayana or vishnu ~

Day 37

27.3.2024
Wednesday

Udaipur, Rajashtan

The Jagdish temple next door plays kirtan songs through its loud hailer. When I check the time, it's already 5.30 am. I am waiting in the room for the door of the temple to open. Yesterday when I check the opening hour of the temple with the security guard, he tells me during winter, the door of the temple will open at 5.30 am and when it comes to summer which is very soon, they are opening earlier at 5.00 am. I feel I have no extra problem to solve because by 4.30 am, I am already out from bed.

Yesterday morning at the same time, I went down to the hostel door. I intended to go to the temple. When I wanted to open the door, I noticed the hostel's door was locked with a padlock. No one was attending to the reception counter. So, l could not go out. Later, I told the hostel attendant I have to go out at dawn tomorrow and the following days till next monday, I was given a mobile number. It was the hostel attendant's mobile number. He said to me, if I found no one at the reception counter at any time when I needed to go out from the hostel, I may call his number.

Jagdish temple is twenty steps away from the hostel I stay. I take off my slippers, then I climb the steps of the temple. From the main entrance, the steps are no high but a little steep. By the time I reach the temple, I see a small crowd of people, all indians are already in the compound of the sanctum praying to lord Jagannath. In hinduism, lord Jagannath is also known as Narayana, or another name of Vishnu. Jagdish temple is a large hindu temple in the middle of Udaipur, just outside the royal palace. It is a 373 year old temple built in 1651.

I pay obeisance to lord Jagannath then I sit on the floor outside the sanctum. Sitting in front of me are a group of around ten elderly indian women. All of them wear saree and they are singing devotional bhakti songs. There is no hand-pump organ in play. They are singing with the clanging of small hand cymbals. I am attracted to the rhythm. I have wanted to join them signing but I do not understand the sanskrit language they are singing. I notice on the floor, there are two extra pairs of hand cymbals leaving unattended by anyone. So, I walk to the front and I get one pair. I clang the cymbals as they continue to sing their bhakti.

They sing for half and hour. By 6.15 am, they stop singing. In the middle of Udaipur, the sunrise is 6.15 am at this mid spring. When the sky gets brighter, everyone disperses from the compound of the sanctum. They leave the temple. I assume they will come again tomorrow to the temple when the dawn is virtuous a sattva before the sun rises from the horizon.

I go down from the compound of the sanctum and I sit on a chair to meditate. I pray to lord Jagannath for my health. My health is not good because I am down with several illnesses. I pray for healing of the recent infection over the nasal cavity. I notice some pus coming out from the septal cartilage through the right nostril. When I breathe, I get a whiff of the foul-smelling odour of pus. So, I get a piece of tissue paper to swab the pus in the nostril. The swab turns red-brown on the tinge of pus coming out from the nose. My nose is swollen and it's painful when I touch them. The nasal polyps, or the balls in my nasal are swollen. I have a swollen polyps that block the passage of the breathing airway. I have a severe nose block causing a difficulty to breathe when I sleep.

Yesterday afternoon, I went to the nearby pharmacy to get medicine for the infection in the nose that has been haunting me for two weeks. I told the pharmacist, "I have a nasal infection and pus comes out from my nostril. It's painful. I also can't breathe properly because the nasal passage is blocked."

"I intend to get some antibiotics from you. I am looking for amoxicillin. Will you prescribe this antibiotics for me? And this prescription is lasting for how many days? Five days?" I asked the pharmacist who was sitting at the counter.

The pharmacist asked me, "How long have you been facing this nasal problem?"

I told him, "It's two weeks already. It is less painful in the beginning but lately, it turns worse. I am worry for it."

Then, he went to the shelf. Very quickly he withdrew a small box of antibiotics from the shelf. He said to me, "You shall take amoxicillin for five days. After five days, you should get well."

"Do you want some medicine for the painful nose and swelling nasal polyps? I have anti-inflammation drugs for your pain. When you take these tablets, you should feel better," he asked me.

I nodded to him. I told him absolutely I needed anti-inflammation drugs. I also asked for anti-histamine medicine for nose block from him.

Altogether, I got three types of medicine. I felt emotionally, I eased down when I can quickly get the drugs from the pharmacist without the paper prescription issuing by a doctor.

I feel much better this morning after only two oral intake of these drugs by me. But I fear the infection in the nose is a malign symptom of cancer. I need to get a thorough medical check-up with an ENT surgeon when I have returned home next month.