From Lost to Found

I seriously don’t remember when it was the last time I visited any government office as I am unlike those who awake in the nick of time to the need for some official document. However, after a long time, I had no other choice but to visit NADRA & my bank for my duplicate CNIC and Debit Card. Visiting NADRA for my CNIC was much easier as it didn’t require a specific branch; I could have visited any of my choices. So, I decided to visit the Mega Center near my home. I never had imagined that NADRA would take just about no time for the entire process saving me not only from the red tape but also the inactive, fatigued and uncooperative officials whose memory is now replaced with the one made on this visit. I now had to visit my bank which was difficult for me to manage. So, I thought I should call on the helpline number and this was exactly the point where my roller coaster ride began.

First, I dialed the number; waited for almost around 2 minutes to talk to their representative but never got lucky to get connected. The very next day, I decided to visit a nearby branch, not my parent branch. A guy there listened to me and asked me to call on helpline number again. He said that due to excessive complaints, it becomes difficult to get connected to the representative. Next day, I tried in the early morning and luckily my called was picked. I told the guy I wanted a duplicate debit card. He asked me my DOB, my CNIC number and my mother’s name to make sure that it was me talking to him. He informed me that the Debit Card had been already dispatched and then gave me (TCS Consignment no: 30330847950) if I was interested to call on their helpline to know the current status of my Debit Card. I then called TCS helpline on 111-123-456. They said that upon the delivery of the card to the given address it was found that the office had been shifted due to which the card was returned to the Head Office. I again called on my bank helpline number telling them what I had been informed by TCS helpline. This time I was suggested to call my parent branch which I did without further ado in the hope of finding my card there. I thought if my card hadn’t been returned to my parent branch, I would at least request them to inform me upon its getting back from the Head Office, as in such cases when the delivery is returned due to some issue, it goes to the Head office, stays there for about 3-4 days and then returned to the parent branch.

Now, I was done with helpline numbers. This time, I knew I would be entertained in much less time. Luckily, my call was picked and after I told the guy from A to Z, he said what I had been waiting for kind of all my life. He said, “Sir, your Debit Card is here, you can collect it at any time you want”. I asked him if I could collect it the same day in between 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM. When he replied that I could do that. I decided to collect it utilizing my lunch break. Reaching there, I at the reception asked the guy that I was there to receive my duplicate Debit Card. He asked me to go to one of the counters, pointing his finger. The guy at the counter seemed already caught up. Just then, I realized it was not his counter, he was filling in. He asked me my account number with my Original CNIC. I gave him the colored copy as I had already lost the original. The guy pulled his face long, but as I had already been made to wait, he didn’t have enough courage to not entertain me with the colored copy. Secondly, I guess it was my own Debit Card and I myself was there to collect it was a valid enough reason or else he wouldn’t have approved. I waited at the counter for almost 10 minutes. Suddenly, I remembered that I had a piece of paper in my chest pocked having the DHA office address that I wanted to be in the bank record as my new mailing address. I went to the receptionist who asked to come to him after having my biometrics verified from another counter he pointed at.

I went to this person who asked me to sit with a hand gesture as he was busy talking on his cell phone. After a minute or so, when he rang off, I asked him for the biometrics. He took it and then again I went back to the same counter. The person asked me apologetically to wait a little more and then burnt me up asking to get a printout of the biometrics. I again came back to the counter where I had given my biometrics. I asked for the printout, but this time the guy wasn’t on the phone but busy with a lady talking who I guess was someone from the staff. I requested him for the printout; he stood up because I couldn’t see any printer anywhere near. He walked to the back room, came out after about 2 minutes. I then took this printout to the receptionist who asked me to go to the first counter for verification. I went there again, got it verified and handed it over to the receptionist. After this, I went back to the first counter, stood there. In the meantime, the guy asked me to put my signature on the same printout and then finally handed over to me an envelope which I was sure had my Duplicate Debit Card. I was so sick and tired of this red tape that I didn’t bother to ask this guy if the envelope had my Duplicate Debit Card. As I started walking to the exit, the receptionist came to me saying it would take three working days for the up-gradation of the new address I had requested for. I was already pretty late; I just nodded and walked out of the bank.

Prolonged Cough Could be 'Bronchitis'

 

Usually, a cold or flu runs for about a couple of weeks but if it persists, it may be bronchitis. This happens when your bronchial tubes whose job is to take air to your lungs, are infected and swollen. You can catch bronchitis due to some other reasons as well. Bronchitis actually is of two types.

Acute Bronchitis: This is the commonest and has its symptoms lasting for a few weeks. However, this type doesn’t cause serious problems as such.

Chronic Bronchitis: This is the one you should be serious about as it shows signs to be gone but strikes back over and over. This also causes a condition known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Bronchitis is most often caused by the same virus that causes a cold or the flu. At times, bacteria also is the cause for this condition.

When you are affected, your body which is by default programmed to switch to the defensive mode fights it away but in the result of it, your bronchial tubes swell and make more mucus. This makes the openings narrow for air to flow, making it harder for you to breathe.

If the situation you are in is similar, you have a bigger chance of catching bronchitis. Following are also the reasons making you highly susceptible to it.

§      Having a weaker immune system.

§      Smoking both active and passive.

§     Working in an environment that bothers your lungs, for example chemical fumes or dust.

§     Living or travelling with poor air quality or lots of pollution.

Symptoms are cough that may bring up mucus which is clear, white, yellow or green, chest congestion with a feeling of full or clogged, shortness of breath, and wheezing (whistling sound while breathing).
Among these symptoms, the most persistent is cough which could be a sign of something else if it continues to bother.

You should consult your doctor with further ado if:

§       Your cough brings up blood or mucus which thickens or darkens.

§      Your sleep is gone at night. Your cough lasts for more than 3 weeks with chest pain.

§      Your cough has a barking sound making it hard to speak.

§      Your weight goes down.

The symptoms of bronchitis may appear to be almost similar such as asthma, pneumonia, allergies, the common flu, cold, sinusitis, and even gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and lung cancer. A smoker with acute bronchitis will find it rather difficult to recover from it as merely one puff on a cigarette may cause temporary damage to cilia (tiny hair like structure in the airways to brush out irritants and excess mucus). Bottom line: It’s time to quit.

Bronchitis, if caught in early diagnosis along with the treatment, can prevent it from progressing and causing severe complications. There are different forms of treatments:

Chest Physical Therapy(CPT)

You can also call it “Chest Clapping” or “Percussion,” usually carried out by a respiratory therapist.
The therapist will ask the patient to first sit down with their head upside down as the gravity helps the mucus to come off. The therapist pounds on the chest and the back repeatedly to loosen mucus and produces coughing. Studies reveal about this technique to be helpful to improve the lungs’ ability to get rid of sputum which not only improves functions of the lungs but also the quality of life.

Medication

Usually antibiotics are used to treat such infections. They may be administered intravenously or by mouth, normally for 14 days. Another option is inhale antibiotics, but this can cause adverse effects as this hasn’t been researched enough.

Mucus-thinners or expectorants (medicine to promote secretions of sputum through the air passages) and can help loosen mucus and support coughing.

A bronchodilator relaxes the muscles around the airways. The medicine is breathed in through an inhaler and nebulizer. Delivering the bronchodilator directly to the airways enables it to work quickly.

If one part of the airway is affected, it is removed surgically as there is bleeding in the airway which needs to be stopped. In worst cases, a lung transplant is required to replace the deceased lungs with a healthy set.

Prevention

As now you know the symptoms, it is essential that you seek early treatment before it is worse. Vaccination can prevent whooping cough and other childhood diseases which can turn into bronchitis. Don’t be exposed to the fumes, gasses, smoke and cigarette as they are threat to your respiratory health.

5:2 – A Diet to consider

The intermittent fasting diet popularly known as 5:2 diet is about eating for 5 days of the week and eating one-fourth of a regular in-take on the other 2 two non-consecutive days. Your reduced-calorie days could be Monday and Thursday or Wednesday and Saturday. You could feel more satisfied with the idea of reduced calorie in-take than being restricted to have nothing at all throughout the entire day.

Now the question is what to eat in the remaining 2 days? For example, you may need a light breakfast to get yourself moving while others may feel hungrier after the breakfast. For them, it is advisable to delay their first meal as long as they can. Maintaining your hydration with water and herbal teas will prevent you from headaches and tiredness. Make sure of nutritious options, including fruit, veg, wholegrains and lean protein such as chicken, fish, turkey and dairy foods. Some practice to ease into fasting by first starting to extend the time between their evening meal and the first meal the next day - minimum of 12 hours. This calorie restriction is claimed to be associated with improving in brain function, reducing the risk of stroke, heart attack and cancer, and improving cholesterol levels. 

If you are pregnant and breast-feeding woman as well as diabetic on medication, do REMEMBER to seek medical advice. Don’t be on this diet for two consecutive days. In the first few days, you are likely to feel a little slower and weaker due to hunger. Don’t worry; you will be surprised at how fast this feeling fades if you try to keep yourself busy with some work. If you are not habitual of remaining hungry, a small snack or biscuits will prevent you from fainting. However, if your dizziness continues, do consult your doctor about whether you should carry on. Remember, not everyone is able to tolerate this diet plan.

The bottom line is this diet is effective to help you lose weight and improve your metabolic health, and to many, far easier than the conventional dieting.