Read my blog and it been a long time since i blogged. Been wanting to blog but do not have the time to do so or rather do not have the energy to do so. It will take me a super long time to blog on my eventful two months from the day I was admitted to Parkway east hospital for my spine operation..
It all started on 21 Feb 2011...
I got up early in the morning at 6.30am and travel to parkway east hospital with my friend to admit myself for my spine surgery at 2pm.. Reached PEH at 8am and after registering at the counter, I was brought up to level 2 for a blood test and after that I was brought to the bed and ward which I will be warded for a few days. As it was still early, I played monopoly deal with my friend while waiting for someone from the operating theater to fetch me to the operating theater at 1pm. Finally after playing for quite awhile, the trolley bed was here to bring me to the operating theater, we did not complete our last game before I went for the surgery.
My friend accompanied me till the operating theater and wished me all the best and re-assure me that I will be alright. Then my friend left. Was very touched that my friend accompanied me to the hospital so early in the morning and waited with me till I was in the operating theater. Thanks alot, friend! Not very convenient to say ur name, so I just used 'my friend' all the way..haha..hope u dun mind..=)
In the operating theatre, I was feeling scare and nervous but is confident that both my spine surgeon and my pain doctor will take good care of me and I am in good hands. Waited for my pain doctor at the waiting area, spoke to him and shortly after that, I was pushed into the operating theatre.. In the operating theatre, I got more nervous. But seeing how professional my both doctors were, I felt much better. My pain doctor inserted the iv plug on my hand without much effort and injected some medications into my veins. Soon after that, I was knocked out..the next moment I know is that the surgery is completed and my doctor is there beside me waking me up. I did not feel much pain as I was heavily on pain medications. The whole surgery was not as scary as I thought. Soon after I was awake in the recovery room in the operating theatre, I was pushed back to my bed where my family were already there waiting for me. Was feeling very drowsy and tired, didn't talk much to my family members. Just kept sleeping and only had a few mouth of porridge. After my family members left, my bestest friend, wanying and her bf came to visit me. Though I was feeling drowsy and tired, I still managed to stay awake to talk to them for awhile, guess cos it was already few hours after the GA and I was feeling more conscious when they came. Thanks wanying and darren for coming to visit me.
22 Feb 2011
One day after the operation, my surgeon came to see how I am coping and told me that the surgery were very successful, the only thing is that they found that I have a damage nerve which is near my left disc. The nerve had turned white instead of the normal blue but after he free the nerve from the ligaments pressing on it, the nerve slowly returned to less white. It was probably damaged by one of the doctor in AH who had done a minor procedure on me in 2009. I was quite upset when I heard that. I was told that the damage nerve might recover within 6 months to 1 year and if it doesn't, there is a high chance that it will remain damage forever which means that I will be feeling the pain on my left leg forever. I didn't think that much as I was still quite tired and drowsy. Ard noon, the physiotheraptist came to get me out of bed and walk me. When I tried walking, I felt the pain on my right butt, hips and leg. My family came in the evening to visit me but i was too tired and pain that i kept sleeping.
23 Feb 2011
The physiotherapist informed my spine surgeon about my pain at my right leg and my surgeon came and examined me and I was told that the pain was due to the Sacroiliac joint that is giving me the problem. He informed my pain doctor who had all along treated me for my pain as well as for my SI joint problem. I did not get out of bed to walk as I was feeling pain at my right leg and the physiotherapy thought that I should rest till further instructions were given to her by both my doctors. Dear came to keep me company in the afternoon. He took leave on that day. Bought alot of things for me..even bought kinder joy for me..=D was very happy that he was there to keep me company and to cheer and support me..=) Besides, kinder joy, he also bought me magazine with all the movies that is/will be showing soon and also orea biscuits..hahaha..
he left in the afternoon..Thanks dear for coming to keep me company and supported me all this while..=D Besides, dear who came, brother yuanxing came too to visit me with flowers from him and his two sisters too. Thanks bro for always being there to care and encourage me!! Thanks brother and sisters for the flowers. =D
I received a hamper from my colleagues in credit suisse.. Thank you so much colleagues! My colleagues came in the evening to visit me..They bought HAPPY BEARS for me and also a book from siew lin. Markus also sent his regards to me. They left shortly as they saw that I was very tired. I was really touched and happy that they came to visit me, encourage me and also bought me things even though they know that I will be away for quite some time from work and they will be more busy and stress. Hope that I did not give them much trouble due to my absence. But I guess I did as I am away for 2 months. They must be more busy..so sorry my fellow colleagues.. I felt so bad to have to be away for so long but my back and legs just didn't wanna 'behave' making me feel terrible. I will try my best to get well soon and be back soon...so sorry for all the inconvenience caused. Thanks for coming to visit me despite ur busy schedule. =)
My ex-colleague from DBS training came to see me as well. Thanks candy! =D My family were there in the evening as well, I was much alert compared to the previous two days. But when I told them that I am feeling pain at the right side, they were very worried. I told them that I would be fine but they were still worried..hahaha..They left after seeing me go to sleep.
24 Feb 2011
My pain doctor came to examine me as he was informed that I felt alot of pain at my right when I walk. He then did some tests and was convinced that it was my right SI joint that is giving the problem. He then suggested that I go for a radiofrequency abalation for my SI joint. Putting it in simple terms is to burn my nerve in the SI Joint area so that I won't feel the pain anymore. It was ard 8am that I have decided that we should do that if not I won't be able to walk normally without pain. The procedure was schedule for in the afternoon. So once again, I went into the OT. This time is not GA but I was under deep sedation. It was super amazing as I did not remember anything during the procedure.. I was 'sleeping' for the whole procedure and was only awake when my doctor wake me up once again in the recovery room informing me that the procedure is over. Shortly, I was being pushed back to my bed.
My mum and sis were in the room waiting for me when I was being pushed back to bed. They looked worried as they saw that I was very tired. I didn't actually remember much abt what happened as I was feeling so drowsy. I think brother, sis-in-law and dad came to visit me in the evening as well.. but I was too tired to remember much. cos the medicine that I was given in the operating theatre was still not wear off.
25 Feb 2011
The physiotherapist came early in the morning to see how I was doing and I got up to walk. When I started walking, I found that I was unable to walk much as my left side of the SI joint is giving me the problem after the right side was fixed.. I was abit worried when I felt that pain. My pain doctor came in the afternoon to review me and see if I am feeling better from the procedure he did on the right SI joint the previous day. But I told him that I had the left pain this time round. The previous day before he did the procedure for me on my right SI joint, both doctors tested on both sides of my SI joint and only the right was painful and the left was perfectly alright. When I told him that my left is in pain, he was abit shock as it was only a difference of a day. He suggested that we do the same to the left SI joint to solve the pain and I agreed and decided to go ahead since I am already in the hospital and was already in pain. I do not have much choice as I will be feeling the pain if I dun go ahead to decide with the procedure and I won't be able to walk properly as I will be in pain. This time, the procedure is in the evening.
When evening came, I was again pushed into the OT for the third time in the 5 days, same thing, I was in deep sedation and did not remember anything abt it. I was woken up by my doctor after the procedure informing me that all is fine now. I was then pushed back to my room. And my family was there waiting for me already and I think it was already 9plus by then. Was very very tired and wasn't able to talk much with my family just kept sleeping. I am very sure is due to all the medications given to me during the 1 GA and 2 deep sedation and also the painkillers contributed to a certain extend..
26 Feb 2011
My pain doctor came to review me and told me that if I want, I can be discharge that day. But I told him that I was still feeling alot of pain. He asked if I want to stay for a day more to infuse some medication in me for 24 hours to reduce the pain and be discharge the next day. I told him I am agreeable with his suggestion as I was still feeling pain. The medication that was infused in me was ketamine. It made me feel so tired and I slept for most of the time. My uncle came but I didn't get to see him as I was asleep and he didn't want to wake me up as he sees that I was soundly asleep. He left some tonics that he bought and just left. Thanks uncle and sorry for not waking up to say hi and thank you to u. =)
My family came during the evening and stayed for some time before leaving for dinner. Thanks Mama, cynthia, brother, sis-in-law and dad for coming down to see me almost everyday! Thanks for caring so much for me and for supporting my decisions and also for being there for me throughout.
27 Feb 2011
The physiotherapist came early in the morning to test if I could walk properly, brought me to the stairs and corridor to walk and was satisfied that I am good to go. I was finally able to discharge. Waited for my doctor to review and discharge me. He came at around 10am, told him that I was still feeling pain but was much better so he allowed me to go back home to rest. He showed me the X-ray he had taken during the procedure he did on 24 Feb and 25 Feb and told me that they were very shock to see my x-ray as they discovered that my SI joint is 90 degrees instead of the normal curve that normal ppl had. I was shocked to hear that too. He asked if I had any other fall besides the stairs incident. Then I recalled I fell from the bike once when dad sent me to work. I told him abt it and he was very sure that the fall from the bike is the cause of my SI joint being 90 degrees. Dad was there when I told my doctor abt it. Dad was abit shock too and he started to feel worried and looked abit guilty. I didn't purposely made him feel that way but i need to inform my doctor so that he could fill the insurance claim form for me. My doctor told me not to worry abt the 90 degrees problem and said that it will probably only affect my child birth in the sense that I won't be able to have natural birth. But I was still able to give birth to kids. So nothing much to worry. After dad and mum talked to my doctor and everything was settled, I went to the cashier to settle my payment. The total bills for the 7 days came up to be $55,716/=.. I went up to collect my things and discharge summary, etc and left at 11 plus. Was glad that I was finally able to discharge but was still feeling pain and was still very very tired.
This is part 1 of my eventful two months. I shall continue with part 2, 3 and maybe 4, 5 when I am feeling better.. need to go for a rest now. abit tired and feeling pain already.
Before I stop, I would like to thanks my Mum, Sis, Bro, Sis-in-law, dear. dad, cousins, friends and colleagues for all the care and concern for me. Thanks for all the encouragement and support from everyone.. Though I am still not fully recovered yet and still feeling pain but I am already trying my best to get well..Hope all of u will continue to give me ur support, encouragement and understanding so that I could recover well and walk out of this painful period soon.
My mood has been up and down recently.. Feeling good when I feel better and bad when I feel more pain.. Upset at times when my pain increases suddenly when I felt much better for some time already...Trying very hard to cope with all this..but sometimes it's really not very easy to cope with it.. Too many things that I worried for but unable to find anyone to talk to abt it..At times, I really felt so lost and so upset..I can only bear with the pain and move on, hoping that I will feel better soon..no other choice for me I guess..='( everyday when I wake up from my sleep in the morning, I will be so afraid that my pain will increase but I can't do anything to control my fear..This two months is really terrible for me..hopefully it will end soon but I really am not confident abt that..=(
Dear, I hope u will continue to be there to support and encourage me.. I promise that I will try my best to get better for our future..Give me ur support..k? Sorry to not be able to go shopping with u for this two months.. Thanks for being so understanding and loving me even though I am so troublesome.. Thanks dear, Love u lots! =)
SERENE-D(x 12:03 pm
