I thought she was going to die this day as I felt so worried for my little sister who is the last born of the house. She was around 10 years old and was in Primary three (3) when she was hurriedly brought from the school that something was wrong with her. Her school was just a stone's throw from my mom's shop and because of this, when it was break time, she comes around with her only friend which they would eat lunch and return to class after the bell has been rung.
On that day, I was with my mom as I travelled from another state to visit my parents. Everything was going normal on that day when suddenly, a teacher carried my sister like a newborn baby and brought her to mom's shop. She was having high body temperature and sweat all over her body. I saw some little spots on her and we were informed that she had chickenpox
"What is chickenpox?" I was curious to find out. Then, I do not have a browsing phone to check what it was. I only saw her covered with many spots from her head down to her toes. It spreads through her body. What could go wrong? She never felt anything before leaving for school in the morning and to see something happened hours later brought worries to my face.
My sister was uncomfortable as she started scratching all over her body. The more scratches, the brighter the spots and this brought pain. She was screaming and writhing in pain while growling on the floor. I was emotional and didn't know when tears dropped from my face. In my mind, I felt it should happen to me because she was very young and being older, I could have endured the pain more than her.
My mom became more worried than I was. I could feel her pain as a mother. She paced around the shop, staring at her daughter while she was on a call. Through her conversation, I knew she was seeking a solution while the person on the other end was giving some descriptions as she wrote them down.
Technology and ignorance weren't of no use then, especially to people around that area; they were uneducated. They only believed in self-medication and herbs. We never went to a hospital before, all thanks to our mother who was knowledgeable in gathering different concoctions and herbs together and before you know it, we are cured. Her father was an herbalist and high priest before he died, and being a daughter of such a priest, she knew things like this.
After the call, she stepped out immediately while she told me to keep watching my sister as she needed to get something. After about thirty minutes, she returned with some leaves and herbal drugs. She quickly mixed them and rubbed my sister from the head down to her toes. I kept looking at her while she was doing this. Well, I was learning something and at the same time worried for my sister who was still crying so hard and scratching every part of her body. She doesn't mind the pain that comes after every scratch but just attends to every area scratching her at that moment.
There were lots of people who came around to pacify and assured us that all will be well since my mother had done the first part. Then, a woman stepped forward and instructed my mom on some things to do which were; my sister should not sleep on the bed but on the floor and the floor must not be swept by a broom but a cloth as it could affect her the more. According to the woman, chickenpox must not see a broom. We made sure we complied with those instructions to prevent any occurrences.
I was overly worried and thought my sister would die. At that point, every negative thought kept coming and assuming observing her burial. Immediately, I resist death and consciously prayed to God to keep her safe and healthy.
My sister was naked with her only pant, at this time, mom had rubbed her body with red oil and made her lie on the bench as there was no mat in the shop. She felt relieved after that treatment and I was at peace too seeing her sleeping soundly. After some hours, she woke up feeling pain and crying. I felt she should be sleeping more because she needed it.
When we got home in the evening, we made sure not to sweep the floor as instructed. After eating dinner, she was laid on the floor with nothing to cover her, only her pant with some red oil rubbed on her again. Dad was informed and he left his workplace very early. He worked in another state not far from ours and so, he had been called when the incident happened and he said he would be coming early that day.
He arrived at 7 pm that night, met my sister and felt anxious too. He asked several questions of how it happened and mom was so tired to give him all details. I only continued from where she stopped.
For more than a week, I was the one going to shop while mom stood with her at home as they didn't want more people to know what was happening. While in the shop, it was only her friend who kept coming to ask how she was doing which I was glad someone was concerned for her. No teacher ever showed up since that day which made me sad but I couldn't blame them because according to some professionals, this disease spreads quickly. They were only careful which I understood but this small girl would always show up after closing hour at school.
After three weeks, my sister's health was improving. The spots were leaving gradually and she felt no pain. When I ask her how she was doing, she would say "I am okay". That relieved me so much and I wasn't worried as before.
The spot disappeared completely after some days but it left traces in her body. Today, no one would know she had chickenpox and the disease didn't spread too. Ever since then, she didn't experience such and she will be clocking twenty years in August this year.
Thanks for your time on my blog.
This is my entry to the Creative Nonfiction in The Ink Well: Prompt #20
