AIR KELAPA MUDA vs ANTI VIRAL

I received SMS from hubby ... Amir is down with fever and chicken pox. He sounded so panic that forced me to leave all tasks that I was focusing on and headed back home. While driving I couldn't get the incident happened 10 years back  out of my mind..... when we lost Azmin due to severe chicken pox! Some might  think that this is (losing someone due to chicken pox) is ridiculous. But that's the fact.

Reaching home, I rushed to get Amir and true enough it was chicken pox.. that small rashes were everywhere on his body. But knowing Amir, he was as talkative as usual even though I could see that he was trying to fight the uneasiness, the itchiness feeling that he had on his body.

There was only a couple and their daughter waiting for their turn when i reached the clinic. So it wasn't a long wait. Before reaching the clinic, I received smses from friends advising to give Amir air kelapa muda. Ada yang suh pergi jumpa Bomoh!!. Really appreciate that piece of advice.. I realised that even the Malays who are now "Western" believe in drinking the air kelapa muda!!!

The Dr's advice was simple and sweet! " No air kelapa muda... bath as usual....drink barley as its cooling and let your son play and be active..." My eagerness questioned him ... why no air kelapa muda ..ppl said when you drink air kelapa muda, the virus will come out... He laughed at me and asked me back... "Do u mean the virus has its stock in our body". Its merely our beliefs... Medically it has not been proven as such.... and  once you have caught with chicken pox, there is always a possibility that you will catch it again- its totally depending on our immunity system. His prescription - anti viral, calamine lotion and progesic (for fever). "That's it ?" I asked... He smiled with a nod and ensured that within 7 days everything will be fine.

I remembered when Azmin caught chicken pox... he bathed ... he took anti viral... and I am almost certain that he had that air kelapa muda as well. It was a combination of our community beliefs and modern medication...
Amir's Doc did mention when you drink air kelapa muda , no doubt all the virus will come out... but if one's immunity system is not that strong, it can cause death.
 
Amir is getting better.. I guess when it happens to a child, his/her antibody can really fight compared to those who caught this kinda virus when they are at a later stage. Even I myself had chicken pox when I was 34. And the pain was very unbearable....

Whatever it is - be it modern medication or our granny's beliefs and practice, Be it air kelapa muda or anti viral,  HE has the full right on us..
To late Azmin - though everyone in the family never stopped missing you every single day and night... we know HE Loves U more. Rest in Peace!