O2

Normally, people would be concerned, but I had a great time in the office clinic today. I got to try on a new "gadget".

They (powers that be) turn off the aircon every Saturday in the office. The sudden change in temperature and the dank, stale air felt very heavy. I started feeling pain in my chest, but no feeling at all on my left arm.

It must have been the eggs I ate for lunch. Or the strong Benguet coffee I had for breakfast. Whichever it was, I started to feel very woozy.

The nurse took my blood pressure through my wrist. The BP app's velcro couldn't fit my arms. But she still managed to get an accurate reading. 150/90. Shoot!

I took a pill and rested a bit. Then she hooked me up to the Oxygen tank, put a mask on my face and told me to sit still.

Cool!

I thought, hey, don't they have one of these in some hip L.A. club?


The oxygen smelled clean and fresh, with a tint of sweetness. It was my first time to try one of these medical gadgets. Again, cool!

The hissing sound of my breath was oddly familiar. I was instinctively expecting the gurgling sound of my exhale, looking for bubbles around my mask. It was similar to SCUBA diving, except that I was surrounded by white walls instead of coral ones.

After 20 mins of being hooked up to the tank, my head started to clear and I was feeling better. My arms were back and my blood pressures normal. That was fast!

Now that I think about it, was it really the oxygen, or was it the forced relaxed breathing that cured me? Hmmm...