The "fall" - part 2
The "fall" - part 2
Well, in case you think I can still type pretty fast and well with one hand to write so much, let me qualify first ... (1) it's written over a few days before publishing, (2) it's written over few hours compared to my usual speed ... =)
I've shared about what happened, thought it's also time to share about what I've learnt, count my blessings, and blog about some musings in the entire span of this incident.
Thanksgiving
I had so much to give thanks for although given a choice, I would have hoped I didn't fall:-
- Thank God I didn't hurt my back or spinal area - that could have more permanent implications on my body ...
- Thank God I didn't fracture my right hand, which is my writing and stronger hand. While being injured in my left hand brings inconvenience, I can still manage independently in a lot of things.
- Thank God semester has come to a close and I only had to miss 2 days of lessons
- Thank God I won't be doing my FE Internship this holiday, otherwise I think the injury and recovery would have brought much inconvenience.
- Thank God for the grace from lecturers in allowing extension of dateline for term papers, or to defer exams, etc. I'll still try to hit the original dateline and scheduled exam date, but the grace is definitely helpful in getting me to focus more on recovery than stress over studies.
- Most importantly, thank God I AM THE ONE who fell, and not my elderly mother - wouldn't have dare to imagine the consequences.
- Thank God for good nurses, doctors and surgeon which made my stay in the hospital/surgery not as scary as I would have imagined it to be. I was told my surgeon did an internal stitch for me, so there's only a mark of the stitches at the beginning and at the end - the nurse said such stitches shouldn't leave a bad scar. So thankful that he really tried his best to make sure I don't get an ugly scar after recovery =)
Love felt
I felt so much love and care - from family, friends, church, lecturers, etc, during this period of time. I really thank God for everyone of them, their prayers, their care and love.
- Eldest sis really doted on me very much - ever since I was a kid till now. We are 9 years apart and there are 4 other siblings in between us but she really, really loved me dearly. When she visited me on day 1, she brought croissants/fish bee hoon/strawberries/peaches - most of which are my favourite - but alas! I can't pinch a single bit due to fasting for surgery. The next day she knew I could break fast after the surgery, she queued for 35 minutes outside "Donut Factory" and bought 2 big boxes of donuts, and of course with strawberries too - but alas again! I can't sample the delicious pastries and fruits due to the nauseous feeling after my GA. And guess what?? After my discharge, she bought LOTS of fish (including rather expensive fresh cod-fish) so that mum could cook them for me. She also bought "sheng yu" (sorry lah, don't know what it's called in English) so mum could boil the soup for me - "sheng yu" soup helps to close up stitches after operation. Thanks sis, I'm really thankful to you and really love you lots!!
- My other family members also visited me after my discharge (mum didn't want to bother them during my visit since it's a minor operation anyway). Thanks to 2nd sis who has also been driving me around whenever she could, and took over my weekly responsibility to a certain commitment so I don't have to worry.
- Friends from church and college, and lecturers had also been very helpful and concern. I've mentioned it in my previous post, so I shouldn't say much here. Their emails, sms-es, prayers were what I need for covering and to keep me in such cheer. Especially thanking A for taking time to drive me to college, and I know next week during exam period you don't have to be down, but you chose to serve me in such ways, in getting me to college. Thanks A, appreciate your friendship and love you lots!
- And oh yes, ex-colleagues who heard about what happened also sent messages of love. Thanks Twin for the fruit/flower/chicken essence basket =). And yes, news of my accident went all the way to Australia and EH also texted me to tell me to take care. Haha, love from friends - thanks!
Effects of GA (General Anesthesia)
- MS said GA might have long term side effect, like becoming more forgetful, etc. I was horrified!! My immediate response was, "WHAT?? I still need to remember my Greek!!"
- This is the first time my body went through GA, and I know for sure it doesn't respong very well. I was feeling nauseous the whole day after surgery and could not have a good meal at all. And I think the other side effect of GA is making me feel tired - easily. I could still feel traces of it somewhat as I can't do much for very long without feeling sleepy and tired ...
- I think GA not only make me nauseous, it also whet my appetite somewhat days after discharge. I found myself complaining of hunger like ... once every 2 hours??? At this rate, it's not only my hand that looks like a pig trotter, think my whole body is going to balloon like an elephant too!! So, control, control, control ... =)
Change in diet
- Well, there are food (prawns, squids, crabs, chicken, etc) I have to abstain from to prevent infection of the wound, so I'm on fish, fish and more fish ... pork, pork and more pork ... veg, veg and more veg ... haha. Sounds real "funny" as I don't have a natural liking for fish - actually depends on how it's cooked coz I can't tolerate the fishy taste/smell, but I've got no choice now ... but mummy knows me best, so every meal is as delicious!! yummy!
- I'm on a glass of milk everyday since, haha. Well, I do take calcium products, but it's at my whims and fancies, but guess now I gotta start building up the quality of my bones ... =)
Miscellaneous things that happened
- I didn't mention that 2 police officer came on the evening I was admitted and did a routine check to make sure my fall wasn't foul-play. I told sis about it when I called her and she cheekily asked me why I didn't report my mum as the "culprit". I said I still need my mum's lovey dovey care and to cook for me after I'm discharged. Haha, super naughty hor, me and my siblings.
- My skin reacts to iodine solution - or at least that's what the nurses at the Polyclinic concluded when they changed my dressing. I have a big patch of burn skin, which I thought was blue-black from the blood clot due to swelling/surgery. It looks yucky, so I'm controlling my urge to peel it off ...
- I'm finally off cloth bandage and I can move my fingers freely. Before that, I just felt like a pig trotter, or elephant's hand, with fingers chubby like little babies (due to swelling). And the itchiness caused by the bandages just make me feel like a monkey scratching to relief that feeling.
OK, enough of all the records and sharing. As I looked back at the entire incident, I'm thankful for the way I've responded with optimism and cheerfulness. Well, of course the wound is painful, but I kept a positive and high spirit and that has helped to lighten very much of the worries in the heart of my family member, especially relieving the guilt from mum for having somewhat "caused" the accident. 2nd sis was sharing with me that mum commented I must have felt really scared about the impending surgery on that day of admission, but she responded to her, "You look at her ... still can joke, still can laugh. Moreover, she has Jesus with her, do you?" As I heard this, I can only thank God for such responses and pray that this incident will be a testimony for my family to begin looking more to God and recieve salvation one day ...
God is in total control even when unfortunate things happened. Trust Him - absolutely!
PS: Just remember to pray for me on 9 Nov can? I should be removing stitches that day and the Polyclinic nurses "scare" me when they said internal stitches (the ones I had) cause great pain when they are removed. Oh no!! I'll either be biting the hands of the nurses/doctors, or I'll be fainting from pain and need to be resuscitated ...
Well, in case you think I can still type pretty fast and well with one hand to write so much, let me qualify first ... (1) it's written over a few days before publishing, (2) it's written over few hours compared to my usual speed ... =)
I've shared about what happened, thought it's also time to share about what I've learnt, count my blessings, and blog about some musings in the entire span of this incident.
Thanksgiving
I had so much to give thanks for although given a choice, I would have hoped I didn't fall:-
- Thank God I didn't hurt my back or spinal area - that could have more permanent implications on my body ...
- Thank God I didn't fracture my right hand, which is my writing and stronger hand. While being injured in my left hand brings inconvenience, I can still manage independently in a lot of things.
- Thank God semester has come to a close and I only had to miss 2 days of lessons
- Thank God I won't be doing my FE Internship this holiday, otherwise I think the injury and recovery would have brought much inconvenience.
- Thank God for the grace from lecturers in allowing extension of dateline for term papers, or to defer exams, etc. I'll still try to hit the original dateline and scheduled exam date, but the grace is definitely helpful in getting me to focus more on recovery than stress over studies.
- Most importantly, thank God I AM THE ONE who fell, and not my elderly mother - wouldn't have dare to imagine the consequences.
- Thank God for good nurses, doctors and surgeon which made my stay in the hospital/surgery not as scary as I would have imagined it to be. I was told my surgeon did an internal stitch for me, so there's only a mark of the stitches at the beginning and at the end - the nurse said such stitches shouldn't leave a bad scar. So thankful that he really tried his best to make sure I don't get an ugly scar after recovery =)
Love felt
I felt so much love and care - from family, friends, church, lecturers, etc, during this period of time. I really thank God for everyone of them, their prayers, their care and love.
- Eldest sis really doted on me very much - ever since I was a kid till now. We are 9 years apart and there are 4 other siblings in between us but she really, really loved me dearly. When she visited me on day 1, she brought croissants/fish bee hoon/strawberries/peaches - most of which are my favourite - but alas! I can't pinch a single bit due to fasting for surgery. The next day she knew I could break fast after the surgery, she queued for 35 minutes outside "Donut Factory" and bought 2 big boxes of donuts, and of course with strawberries too - but alas again! I can't sample the delicious pastries and fruits due to the nauseous feeling after my GA. And guess what?? After my discharge, she bought LOTS of fish (including rather expensive fresh cod-fish) so that mum could cook them for me. She also bought "sheng yu" (sorry lah, don't know what it's called in English) so mum could boil the soup for me - "sheng yu" soup helps to close up stitches after operation. Thanks sis, I'm really thankful to you and really love you lots!!
- My other family members also visited me after my discharge (mum didn't want to bother them during my visit since it's a minor operation anyway). Thanks to 2nd sis who has also been driving me around whenever she could, and took over my weekly responsibility to a certain commitment so I don't have to worry.
- Friends from church and college, and lecturers had also been very helpful and concern. I've mentioned it in my previous post, so I shouldn't say much here. Their emails, sms-es, prayers were what I need for covering and to keep me in such cheer. Especially thanking A for taking time to drive me to college, and I know next week during exam period you don't have to be down, but you chose to serve me in such ways, in getting me to college. Thanks A, appreciate your friendship and love you lots!
- And oh yes, ex-colleagues who heard about what happened also sent messages of love. Thanks Twin for the fruit/flower/chicken essence basket =). And yes, news of my accident went all the way to Australia and EH also texted me to tell me to take care. Haha, love from friends - thanks!
Effects of GA (General Anesthesia)
- MS said GA might have long term side effect, like becoming more forgetful, etc. I was horrified!! My immediate response was, "WHAT?? I still need to remember my Greek!!"
- This is the first time my body went through GA, and I know for sure it doesn't respong very well. I was feeling nauseous the whole day after surgery and could not have a good meal at all. And I think the other side effect of GA is making me feel tired - easily. I could still feel traces of it somewhat as I can't do much for very long without feeling sleepy and tired ...
- I think GA not only make me nauseous, it also whet my appetite somewhat days after discharge. I found myself complaining of hunger like ... once every 2 hours??? At this rate, it's not only my hand that looks like a pig trotter, think my whole body is going to balloon like an elephant too!! So, control, control, control ... =)
Change in diet
- Well, there are food (prawns, squids, crabs, chicken, etc) I have to abstain from to prevent infection of the wound, so I'm on fish, fish and more fish ... pork, pork and more pork ... veg, veg and more veg ... haha. Sounds real "funny" as I don't have a natural liking for fish - actually depends on how it's cooked coz I can't tolerate the fishy taste/smell, but I've got no choice now ... but mummy knows me best, so every meal is as delicious!! yummy!
- I'm on a glass of milk everyday since, haha. Well, I do take calcium products, but it's at my whims and fancies, but guess now I gotta start building up the quality of my bones ... =)
Miscellaneous things that happened
- I didn't mention that 2 police officer came on the evening I was admitted and did a routine check to make sure my fall wasn't foul-play. I told sis about it when I called her and she cheekily asked me why I didn't report my mum as the "culprit". I said I still need my mum's lovey dovey care and to cook for me after I'm discharged. Haha, super naughty hor, me and my siblings.
- My skin reacts to iodine solution - or at least that's what the nurses at the Polyclinic concluded when they changed my dressing. I have a big patch of burn skin, which I thought was blue-black from the blood clot due to swelling/surgery. It looks yucky, so I'm controlling my urge to peel it off ...
- I'm finally off cloth bandage and I can move my fingers freely. Before that, I just felt like a pig trotter, or elephant's hand, with fingers chubby like little babies (due to swelling). And the itchiness caused by the bandages just make me feel like a monkey scratching to relief that feeling.
OK, enough of all the records and sharing. As I looked back at the entire incident, I'm thankful for the way I've responded with optimism and cheerfulness. Well, of course the wound is painful, but I kept a positive and high spirit and that has helped to lighten very much of the worries in the heart of my family member, especially relieving the guilt from mum for having somewhat "caused" the accident. 2nd sis was sharing with me that mum commented I must have felt really scared about the impending surgery on that day of admission, but she responded to her, "You look at her ... still can joke, still can laugh. Moreover, she has Jesus with her, do you?" As I heard this, I can only thank God for such responses and pray that this incident will be a testimony for my family to begin looking more to God and recieve salvation one day ...
God is in total control even when unfortunate things happened. Trust Him - absolutely!
PS: Just remember to pray for me on 9 Nov can? I should be removing stitches that day and the Polyclinic nurses "scare" me when they said internal stitches (the ones I had) cause great pain when they are removed. Oh no!! I'll either be biting the hands of the nurses/doctors, or I'll be fainting from pain and need to be resuscitated ...
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