Health Is Wealth

We all have heard this proverb ‘Health is Wealth’ but today I’ll tell you my real-life story of how I realized that health is important and is the biggest wealth!!

I am very fond of food but used to be very careless about washing my hands. My parents had explained to me the importance of hand hygiene many times. They even scolded me over this bad habit but still, I wouldn’t care.

One day, I started having severe stomach ache when I was in school. My teacher called my parents and they picked me from school. I caught a high fever by midnight and started vomiting. My parents rushed me to the hospital in an emergency. Since the fever was quite high, so the doctor advised my parents to admit me to the hospital. I had continuous stomach pain with high fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. I was crying in pain. The doctor diagnosed it to be Acute Stomach Infection. He inquired about my hand washing habits and I felt too embarrassed to accept that I never cared for it. I was also administered intravenous rehydration. The doctor prescribed some medicines; emphasized hand cleaning habits.

I had to be on continuous medication for the next few days and was allowed to eat only light food like khichdi (that I never liked). I badly missed my school, my friends and of course, my favorite food. I realized that hand washing is the first and foremost step to stay healthy. And I can enjoy food and all other pleasures of life only when I’ll be healthy. Now, I religiously follow hand hygiene, especially during this pandemic time.

For me, it was a lesson learned the hard way!!