A scorching fever hitting 39.5°C swept over me, accompanied by aching limbs, a throat that felt scorched by coarse sandpaper, a splitting headache, and persistent ringing in my ears.
In search of relief, I wrapped myself tightly in a blanket, hoping for a brief respite from the relentless pain through sleep.
Sleep felt like the only sanctuary amidst the illness.
Initially, my dreams were filled with unsettling nightmares—as if I was trudging through viscous mud, being pulled deeper by an unseen hand.
Suddenly, a chilling splash of icy water blossomed across my face.
Startled, I recoiled and tried to open my eyes, seeing a looming figure above me.
“Are you still sleeping?” a sharp, hoarse voice pierced close to my ear.
It was my mother-in-law.
Her expression was unyielding—stone-faced with lips pressed into a narrow, pale line. Her clenched fists revealed her unmistakable irritation.
Standing over me as if catching me in disgrace, she commanded, “Get up! Guests will arrive in an hour! Everything must shine! Clean, set the table! Don’t sit there wasting time like a lazybones!”
I wanted to respond but lacked the strength.
Gathering what little energy I had, I painfully rose and wiped the cold water from my face, trembling slightly from the chill sweeping my body.
“Mom… I have a fever of 39.5°C…”
“I can’t even hold my head up,” my voice faltered.
She merely waved me off.
“Oh, stop it! Everyone falls ill sometimes. I’ve felt awful too, but I still managed everything! Don’t embarrass yourself in front of guests!”
“Her words weren’t merely harsh; they were indifferent and freezing, as cold as the water poured on me.”
At that moment, something within me broke.
Then, resolutely, I did what made her desperately beg for forgiveness later—yet I felt indifferent.
Slowly, I rose from the bed. My legs shook, and the room seemed to spin.
Nevertheless, I walked past her without uttering a single word.
Reaching the bedside table, I grabbed my phone and dialed emergency services immediately, right before her eyes.
“Hello, ambulance? I’m very ill… fever close to 40°C, severe weakness, pain in throat and head… yes, this is the address.”
My mother-in-law burst into laughter hearing this:
“What are you doing? We have guests arriving in an hour!”
“Yes, you have guests. But I have an infection and a high fever. And this is my home,” I stated calmly and clearly for the first time, without the usual excuses.
While packing my bag, she muttered something about me being a “crazy daughter-in-law” as she hurried through the kitchen.
About twenty minutes later, the ambulance arrived and I was ready.
The doctor checked my temperature, examined my throat, and said, “We’re going to the hospital. This is serious.”
I grabbed my coat and before leaving, I looked back at my mother-in-law:
“If I return, neither you nor your guests will be allowed here. And you won’t enter without my consent. Never.”
She opened her mouth to reply but I closed the door firmly behind me.
Key Insight: This experience uncovered the harsh realities of navigating family expectations while confronting serious illness, highlighting the importance of asserting one’s health needs despite external pressures.
Ultimately, this ordeal showed me the necessity of prioritizing personal wellbeing over imposed obligations. Facing such a brutal challenge, I learned to stand firm on my rights and health without yielding to unfair demands.