Feeling blue...

It’s been more than a month since I was hospitalised, and recovery seems so slow. Of course there are good and bad days but I’ve lost count of the numerous occasions when the frustrations & boredom has threatened to drive me absolutely insane.

Through all these, I’ve realised that there are actually so many things in our every day life that I seem to have taken for granted. There were so many things I was not able to do over this period. Walking, standing and sitting were really difficult initially and I could only lie on the bed without pain. Slowly, as my condition improved, even seemingly simple things were difficult. I didn’t have the strength to push a swinging door open, couldn’t get in and out of the car without difficulty, couldn’t even sit through an entire meal. Even a simple sneeze caused so much pain! We don’t realise that a simple thing like a sneeze actually results in a huge impact on our spine. Over the past few years, I’ve always known that a sneeze can cause my weak back to seize up. People look at me incredulously when I told them that a sneeze caused me to hurt my back again but my doc and physiotherapist were not at all surprised. Unfortunately, to top it all off, I have an ultra sensitive nose

But there is one thing that I’m extremely thankful for – my husband. He has been with me every step of the way, and I really mean every step – physically, mentally and emotionally. . Friends, if they are free, can only give the occasional visit or sms. But my hubby has been with me every day in the hospital, to every physiotherapy session and every doc’s visit… tolerated with all my frustrations and mood swings…. Encouraged me when I was at my lowest low… More than anything, he has shown that there is no one in this world I can depend on except for him, absolutely no one at all. I used to feel guilty when friends tease me for not spending enough time with them. But I will feel guilty no more as my hubby deserves my every thought and every bit of love. No one has any right to blame me for putting my hubby first in everything because that is exactly where he belongs! - Jan

doctor's "verdict"

in my last update, i mentioned about going back to the doctor for review... the verdict is out! sigh... 2 weeks hospitalization leave (but staying at home)...and had to be put on steriods... .
actually she's getting better gradually. but due to her sinus, it always affects her improvement whenever she sneezes. what makes it worst was, it can get real bad if she was caught unaware when she sneezed. According to the doctor, steriods would be able to help her with the sensitivity of her nose and it definitely helps to shrink the disc a great deal. Hopefully with all that, she would be able to recover faster. thankfully, the steriods course is only 6 days. let's hope that she would be able to recover a fair bit by then.

with all the hospitalization leave that she has, on one hand it will be a good time for her to relax... but on the other hand, she's complaining of the boredom that she gets out of it already... poor baby... i hope the cny season would lift her spirit a little...

Improvement

Hi guys and gals, it's sunday and yet i got to work...

How time flies... 2006 and come and now chinese new year is just round the corner... that means it's time for those new year goodies and decoration again... wonder if my wife will be better by then...

anyway...so far she has made some imrpovement... doctor has allowed her back to work on half a day for 2 weeks...and it's been a week since...so far so good... just that by end of her half day, her back if either strain or stiff...and that's when she will need to lie down and rest again...
went for her supposingly last physio session 2 days back... after her therapist assessed her... he commented that he would preferred to see her a couple of times more... I thought that was a good arrangement...at least to keep a tab on her progress... And according to the therapist... her recovery might take as long as 2 to 3 months for a 90 % recovery... he also commented that even if she had fully recovered, she will need to take extra care in the future... Hopefully with all the exercises and some swimming sessions in the future, would help her in building the back muscles... to prevent a relapse...the only way is to be extra careful and to build the back muscles to help strengthen the back... btw...she will be seeing the doctor soon...let's see what arrangement she has for her then... Ant

Happy New Year

Hello Friends and Relatives out there, it's a NEW YEAR with a fresh new start.

Lately, my poor wife had a slip disc (3 lumbar spine slip). Condition was quite bad that she has to be hospitalised for 5 days in Mount E. Luckily based on the MRI, she can choose not to have an operation. Couldn't imagine if she has to go thru the op... But still she was bedridden for a week and will need to go thru all those physio and exercises to help her recover and cope with the slip. From not being able to walk/stand nor sit for more than 1 minute, she can now walk for an hour or so. Although she has made some improvement but still needs to lie down whenever it's painful. btw, we have cancelled our trip to Bangkok this month on top of those entertainment that we have booked earlier for the month of december... think back...my poor wife didn't get to enjoy all those and yet have to suffer in the hospital. Thankfully she's so much better now. Hopefully with all those exercises she can recover soon.

A fresh new year...a fresh new start... Hope this year goes well for everyone around us...hope everyone stays happy and healthy... especially for my wife...have a speedy recovery. our wedding is a few months down the road...getting busy soon.

Thanks all friends and relatives for all the well wishes to my wife, you people have an great 2006. - Ant