I have always known that I have a ‘condition’: that my back is not
aligned or symmetrical but I didn't know what it was. In my darkest hours, I
always thought I was some kind of deformed and wondered if any man would like
me for what and how I am. But following my recent medical check-up, I now know
for certain what it is. It’s called scoliosis. If you look around, you’ll
probably notice (usually) older women walking around with a hunched back or
something that looked like a lump. They would end up bent to one side and in
some cases, would have one leg longer than the other. This is scoliosis but
because the condition worsens only when one is old, we may have dismissed it as
osteoporosis or ‘something normal that happens to old folks’. I won’t talk much
about what scoliosis is as you can look it up on the Internet and I’m by no
means an expert anyway. I just want to share the start of my journey towards
treating my scoliosis.
As fate would have it, I just noticed a physio centre at Ampang Point. I
must’ve walked past it a million times before but only really noticed it after
dad started sending me to Ampang Point in the morning following my attack in
early May. See, I used to just walk to Ampang Point before that and would take
a route that didn’t pass the centre. I noticed the centre after my mate shared
that her brother had a stroke - also in Ramadan - and I recommended the centre
to her. It was only in Syawal when the centre added a banner on scoliosis above
its door. So yes, I feel that Allah is guiding me to seek treatment at this
centre.
I went to the centre and asked a few questions about scoliosis. The
physiotherapist promptly scheduled a session for me and, when I asked,
confirmed that PMCare covers the physiotherapy session costs so I then went to
a panel clinic and asked for referral. The locum doctor who told me he’s an
orthopaedic at PPUKM asked why I wanted to try doing physiotherapy and I told
him that I thought it was high time I did something about it. I sure didn’t
want to end up like one of those women I mentioned above. In fact, I think
Mummy had the same thing but we didn’t know any better then and scoliosis was (and
still is) pretty much an unknown thing in Malaysia. Well, I was determined and the
doctor agreed to write out a referral letter.
So I went for my first physiotherapy session on 3 July 2019. I had
decided I would attend her last slot on any day (she works on Saturdays too but
her schedule is already full so I have no choice but to attend sessions on
weekdays) so that would mean me taking an hour off work. I’m allowed to take up
to 2.5 hours for time-off but I don’t want to take time much time off work. I’m
already aware that July and August are busy months at work but hey there’s
never a good or bad time to start anything. At my first session, I was told to
change and the therapist then measured my back and lumbar and made some notes.
I had a file opened to monitor my progress. She proceeded by showing me some
exercise steps while lying down, standing and sitting. She showed me how to
stand, how to position my hands while standing and sitting and what I should do
(open my right armpit, place my left arm on my waist and slightly curve in, etc.).
She also showed me what I should stop doing (bending backwards, looking back
without turning my body, and standing on one foot which I used to do while
brushing my teeth among others). The first session was supposed to be for an
hour but lasted 1.5 hours (so much work to do because it’s gone quite bad) and
the second session on 8 July lasted 1.25 hours. I feel good after the first two
sessions and feel I’ve put in time and effort to help myself. I have also been
doing the exercise daily at home and at work. I had my third session yesterday
and felt like I was taking one step back for every two steps forward as I may
have positioned some limbs incorrectly.
It’s not going to be an easy journey. The therapist told me that for a
start, I would have to attend a session twice weekly and after I have shown
improvement, she will reduce the frequency to once a week. I know I will face
challenges and I will have my up-and-down days, days where I feel like I’ve
lost my mojo and feel listless, but I am determined to do it. I’m determined to
beat this scoliosis or at least arrest it before it deteriorates further (the
therapist was honest enough to let me know that my condition will not be
completely cured). There’s no choice: I have to either get down and do it or I
will suffer the consequences later and I don't want to suffer the consequences
later. The therapist told me yesterday that my sessions now are for the ‘beginners’
and that a more intense (intermediate) series of sessions would follow. Yikes.
Oh well.
Still, I am thankful that there is alternative treatment available these
days, that I happened to notice the centre, that I did my medical check-up when
I did and had my path cleared for me to do the sessions. I am thankful that I
have an understanding boss and colleagues who accept that I have and want to do
this, and I am thankful that my employer is covering the expenses (it costs
RM120/session so if need be, I guess I’d have to be prepared to fork out my own
money otherwise and why not when it’s for my own health anyway).
So if you see my standing or sitting in strange positions and positioning
my hands and adjusting my body in funny poses at my workplace, in the bathroom,
in the lift etc., it’s because I’m in the midst of some exercise. I have a lot
on my plate what with taking care of my elderly dad with his own medical
problems, taking care of two households and juggling work at the same time so I
have to be smart and snatch any free time whenever I get it. And if you wonder about my frequent time-off, it’s because I have to attend my physiotherapy session.
No pain, no gain: that’s my motto. And as
Shakespeare said, ‘Self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin as
self-neglecting.’
|