discharged- 27 june 08

6.45am. 21 june 2008. saturday morning. a typical sneeze and my body convulsed into a strained state of chill and stillness. it seems every strand of nerve in my limbs tuned themselves into muffled silence. couldn't get up to open my door. crawled on floor using the tips of my shoulders and whatever movement left on my ankles and knees to reach the phone. skin leeched on marbled ceremic. had to roll pillows under to make more movements possible. to my mobile-phone. every inch hurt like hell. can't quite pray when a pragmatic crisis-laden mind just wanted to make the shortest domestic call possible. to home. outside my own door. family unlocked it and found me lying like an orphaned handicap. blanked out. eyes wide open. alert. steady but can't quite decipher what was happening to my body. call the ambulance. something isn't right. i calmly said. it came minutes later. drama. am dragged and lifted on stretcher in the tight confines of my room. felt as if my back was snapping. sped away. my first time in a screaming ambulance. embarassed if not for the wee hours when residents have yet to pop their curious heads out of their estates. to NUH. ER. 3 painkiller jabs to my arms and butt. needed to pee. but couldn't walk. they gave me a bottle. i froze coz my brain and urethra wouldn't cooperate (they did, later).for once, i knew how a fellow handicap felt on the bed. pain. painful. pained.

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hi folks

i am well and coming to terms that i may been unable to engage in gym and my faved running or kayaking in a long while. parents brought me to invest in a good bed and an ortho-friendly mattress today...we invested in 1k and it ought to last 10 years.

apart from that i am in good spirits...somewhat bored at home as i cannot sit, lie down or stand for too long to avoid strain on my legs and spinal nerves. MRI reports a degenerative lumbar structure but the bone mass is fine except for the large protrusion of prolapsed disc on L4 and L5. scheduled for acupuncture, heat treatment and physio 3 times a week. recovery is expected to take about a month. if not maybe surgery. am covered on mc till 11 july. my principal popped into the ward and visited me today. i was too shocked to greet her as i was still in the process of waking up...dishevelled, from clumps of tousled hair to an unbrushed set of teeth, mildly greasy face as i laid flatly arrested on a pile of squashed bedsheets and over-sized ward garments. she wants to rearrange my classes to be on ground floor when i return to school. these are the thoughtful gestures i will always remember her for.

thanks for your calls from nz and firm blessings that i should and would recover in due course...will keep u posted of my recovery status

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dear colleagues,

a personal note of thanks for being there to cheer and encourage me in more ways than one during my hospitalisation. the whole mishap began with a sneeze, looked like a cruel joke and i was really unprepared for the challenges & changes in lifestyle to come. your ready understanding, empathy, presence, generous sms, quality time and personal companionship did wonders to bring me cheer in a rather sterile and clinical ward. these healing experiences within that one week in hospital leaves me much to reflect on.

it is in times like these that i (we?) walk away and live in the knowledge that i do not work in a mere professional setting with rank and file concerns. i live and move on, privileged to receive your friendship and kindness beyond work, beyond school, beyond duty and place.I will get well in due course and look forward to seeing you again.

rest assured that i will remain in close touch with matters in school and duties gratefully covered in my absence: Thank u people...

In thanksgiving,

eddie