When life gives you yellow, it's not always lemonade

It was almost winter. The kind of evening where you huddle outside a tea stall, hands wrapped around a warm cup of tea, sharing laughs with colleagues. 

Everything felt normal – until it didn't.

Fast forward a few weeks, and "comfortable" was the last word I'd use to describe my state. 

Fevers came knocking, followed by nausea, chills, and a stubborn loss of appetite. At first, I dismissed it as the usual seasonal nuisance. 

Who hasn't Googled their symptoms only to be led down a rabbit hole of scary diagnoses, right? 

I did the same, and unsurprisingly, it wasn't helpful. I even tested for dengue (negative) and reassured myself that it was nothing serious.

Then came the night I couldn't sleep. 

Severe palpitations and a trembling body made even a sleeping pill seem useless. 

That was my wake-up call, ironically, to go see a doctor. 

Yellow flags 

The doctor ordered a slew of tests, including the ominous-sounding Liver Function Test (LFT). 

He hinted at jaundice, pointing to my slightly yellowish eyes. Until then, I had never really noticed the whites of my eyes. But once he mentioned it, I couldn't unsee it. 

Naturally, I did what any sensible adult in the digital age does: I Googled. 

The internet, in all its melodramatic glory, screamed phrases like liver failure and irreversible damage. 

I was horrified. 

But reality turned out to be less dramatic, though far from comforting. My test results confirmed jaundice. 

My liver enzyme levels were off the charts—ALT (SGPT) at 1423 (normal: under 35), and bilirubin at 8.25 mg/dL (normal: 0.2–1.1).

I didn't even know "bilirubin" was a word until that day, let alone that too much of it could turn me into a human highlighter.

From that moment, my symptoms turned into a full-blown drama. Yellow skin? Check. No appetite? Check. Insomnia, body itching, and scars turning purple? Triple check.

Surviving 45 days of yellow doom

The next month-and-a-half felt like being trapped in a slow-motion nightmare. 

Vomiting became a daily ritual, lasting a staggering eight days straight. I dropped three kilograms like I was on a crash diet (except this one was neither planned nor desired). 

Solid food? Forget it. The very thought made me queasy. 

Liquids and tasteless mush were my reluctant companions.

And the internet didn't help. 

I spent hours searching for miracle cures: "How to get rid of jaundice in three days?" or "Detox your liver overnight!" Spoiler alert: They don't exist.

The only real solution was complete bed rest and patience. Weekly blood tests became my only outings, where I'd nervously wait for the latest bilirubin update. Slowly, the levels began to fall, but the process was excruciatingly slow. 

And during this time, I stumbled upon horror stories — people losing their lives to jaundice, developing chronic conditions, or even ending up with liver failure. My overthinking tendencies had a field day.

Lessons from the yellow zone

The ordeal taught me more than I ever wanted to know about jaundice. 

For starters, jaundice itself isn't a disease but a symptom of underlying liver trouble. Common causes include hepatitis A, E, or B, often linked to contaminated food or water. And it's not just dodgy street food – fancy restaurants aren't immune to hygiene issues either.

Prevention became my new mantra. Vaccines for hepatitis B? Done. Avoiding oily food? Also, on the list. And let's not forget the eternal rule: drink water that won't send you straight to the hospital.

Despite the misery, there were silver linings. I realised the immense value of supportive family and friends. My colleagues checked in regularly, and two close friends went above and beyond to help. These small gestures felt monumental when I was stuck at home, itching to escape.

As for recovery, it was a slog. It took 45 days for my bilirubin levels to drop below 1, and I have to run LFTs every few months to ensure no surprises. 

Some adults recover faster; others take six months or more. And while I'm symptom-free now, the experience has left its mark—literally and figuratively.

Final thoughts: A new lease on (less yellow) life

If there's one thing jaundice has taught me, it's this: your body doesn't issue neon warnings for fun. Pay attention. Those yellow eyeballs? Not just a quirky Halloween look.

And if you're reading this while Googling symptoms, let me assure you—it's not all doom and gloom. With proper care and patience, you can navigate the jaundice ordeal. But do yourself a favour: see a doctor instead of letting WebMD ruin your sanity. 

For now, I'm sticking to my tasteless healthy foods, skipping the greasy indulgences, and cherishing the simple joy of feeling normal. Because after 45 days of yellow drama, even the mundane feels like a miracle. Cheers to that—and maybe a less adventurous winter next year.