used to believe in hard work, now I am not so sure. I used to have specific targets to meet personally, financially, now I am not so sure. I used to believe that keeping myself very fit will keep me healthy for years to come, now I am not so sure. I used to believe in black and white, now I am not so sure. Think again…

As a pharmacist, I learnt about tuberculosis, or TB, in a textbook, in guidelines, in review articles and in pharmacopeia. I learnt about the disease, the evidence, the drugs, the interactions and the side effects. I thought I knew them quite well, till I got TB myself. Oh think again! How wrong and naive was I? I knew very little and I have much to learn.

As a pharmacist, I was not prepared to be a patient. I did not want to be sick as I have not been sick for nine years. Being sick was not an option for me as I should be helping the sick. Think again…

As a patient, I went through investigations. A pleural tap was my first ever medical procedure, during which a needle was inserted to remove fluid from the space between lining of the lung and the wall of the chest. I had no issue with the medical resident doing the procedure for me as they need practice too. Unfortunately, he failed twice, the procedure was taken over by his supervisor, and my ribs got a few extra pokes. The experience must have been nerve-wracking for him as he knew me from before. I was seeing stars by the end of the procedure due either to pain or the amount of local anaesthetic used.

Those TB medications that I checked as a pharmacist before dispensing them to patients—those capsules and tablets are in front of me, in medicine cups. For my consumption. The side effects flashed by, the dosing verified. I am now the patient.

As a person, I am blessed that I was so well looked after. I received incredible care throughout, almost immediate investigations and reviews by my wonderful colleagues and friends. I have nothing but gratitude for everyone who helped me through this journey.

As a person, I learnt to walk again, to breathe and to slow down. Sometimes, the bravest thing to do is just putting one foot in front of another, or just catching my breath after a coughing fit. Slow down, breathe; appreciate it because we take breathing for granted until something literally takes your breath away.