Page 13 - First cut
P. 13
Surgery???
As I announced my leave, for
an impending surgery, people
were looking quizzical. I tried
explaining to people that I
was having a disc popping out
at the wrong place. The head
nurse was saying, "You know,
I was also having a lot of pain
in my arm. But when I stopped
lifting my grandchild the pain
subsided magically !!" Now I
couldn't possibly try that out. It
would take years for me to have a
grandchild and then stop lifting
her....!!! Another sister chipped
in, "I have also been having these
pains, especially when I type the
discharge summary. Then I just
Illustration by Jithin VT stop typing and go for a break." I
wondered if I could do the same.
But apparently that wasn't the problem. I imagined myself taking off my
The problem was that there was actually a gloves in the middle of an operation... Hmmm,
problem. Apparently, my C5 disc was tired of wasnt really workable. Most of the people
being confined in his limited 4 walled space around me seemed to have more serious disc
and had decided that he wanted to see the problems than I was having. Did I actually
world outside. He had taken the jump and was have a problem or not? Was I only imagining
now sitting on my nerves. And my nerves were this pain? Maybe it will go away by itself?
irritated with the fact and were protesting Now I was actually getting second thoughts.
loudly. The disc guy had to be caught by his Is surgery required? Was there any other way
neck and pulled out as early as possible. That out? Massage? Tantra- mantra?
meant that I needed surgery. That was the only But my in-house neurosurgeon shooed all my
option.
13
2K1 MBBS, Trivandrum Medical College
