Contents may be too graphic for the weak stomach or too lengthy that you may fall asleep. Proceed with caution!!
A summary of the dreaded year where 4 major health problems visits me in a span on 6 months. Here is the list:
1. Spinal Fusion
Got this surgery done in June 2010 where we first found out that the last disc in my lower back had collapsed to 50% and because it was compressed, there was a portion that was swollen outwards and therefore pressing against some nerves, leaving some portions of my legs numb.
So after months of pain, agony and not to mention cash spent on acupuncture, specialists and therapist, finally it was time to face the music and get the lumbar fusion done.
Now, I have titanium screws, bolts and nuts in my spine for the rest of my life.
2. Bone fracture
2 months after my medical leave, I went back to work and at 9am, we had a meeting on the 3rd floor. As I was walking down the stairs at 11am to the 1st floor, on te last flight, my legs just refused to cooperate and I fell backwards down the stairs. In panic as to NOT hit the area recovering from the surgery I just had, I raised my butt to avoid the stairs hitting my lower back. As brilliant as it sounded in my head at the time, I managed to fracture a bone on my upper spine! Whoopiedoo... that was another 2 months of medical leave.3. Pancreatitis
After returning to work for the second time, I went in on a Thursday. Both that day and the following day were such a blur and I was so tired by 5.30pm that by the time I got home, I just fell on the bed, work clothes and make up still on and slept!
On Saturday morning at around 5pm, I woke up like there was fire in my stomach and I vomited so much till just what looked like water was coming out. I hardly drink a sip of water and 2 buckets come out in under 5 seconds! I called a friend and asked her to take me to the clinic as I am sure I could not drive in that condition. We thought it could be gastric as I had not been eating well and on pain medication for such a long period so the doctor gave me a jab.
This repeated at 5am Sunday and by Sunday evening, not only did my stomach feel like it was a volcano but my left arm could not move. The doctor said straight to the hospital. From then, all I know is that I woke up in the middle of the night and I was in the ICU. My poor friend had to get all the administrative things done for me as I had passed out.
3 days of IV, poking, prodding and shoving god knows what in every hole in my body, they said I had pancreatitis. They gave me antibiotic shots straight through the veins and I think that hurt way more than the insulin jabs.
4. Fungal infection
The very next day after I was discharged for my 14 days stay, I went back to work and that morning itself, I felt like Hell itself was let loose down there. I went to the clinic behind the office and after a very embarrassing exam (I am used to my own doctor thank you) and even more embarrassing questions, she told me that the antibiotics kill good and bad bacteria so I now had a fungal infection down there and here are six enormous tablets and a stick thing to shove them up! I shall not include any pictures cause even I will get nightmares.
That sums up the second half of 2010 for me. Many ups and downs but hey... nothing killed me, so here I am blogging strongly!
