Everyone has a life story to tell, some as short as a simple 2 pager while some can be trilogy. To be franked I was hoping for a trilogy. Mine almost ended exactly 3 months ago.
18 April 2016 - Beautiful regular Monday morning, after downing my regular watermelon & green apple juice accompanied by my soon-to-be last stick of Dunhill lights at my garden. I was getting ready to get to work after a couple of weeks of travelling. (Yes, been home only for 2 days). Out of nowhere, my beyond fantastic life came to a stop! It all started with a chest pain.......I puked, I puffed and I managed to get dressed. Called up PW and then the ambulance, get to the front porch and wait for them to come get me. Lucky enough PW got home within 10 minutes and sent me to the next door (yes, next door!!!) hospital.
What Happened???
After a series of tests, I can now share that I had a cardiac arrest. Shit happens and was told that I survived a less than 1% odds being alive at this point. CPR doesn't work, my heart decided to stop for 2 minutes and they had to deliver a defibrillator shock to get me back. And NO, I DID NOT MEET GOD so stop asking. By the time I got up and realized I'm in the hospital, I knew the road to recovery will be tough one.
 |
| * Cardiac Arrest is NOT a Heart Attack..... Now we know... |
 |
| First selfie after coming back from 'The Other Side'...... |
 |
| My first ambulance ride.....knowing me, I discharged myself and requested for a transfer..... |
What's Next???
After transferring myself to a private facility, I've decided for yet another life changing decision. To have an ICD implanted to avoid sudden death from a future cardiac arrest. Short to say, having an airbag installed into your body......No one can ever imagine the crazy events that follow what we thought was a simple implant procedure with 4 weeks recovery lead time.
 |
| This is my implant....and ICD.....short to say, I'm a car with an airbag while most of you don't. Get the point? |
 |
| I've once again decided to move about.....got myself discharged yet again and setup an appointment with the 3rd cardiologist I came across that month... |
 |
| Photo taken during my first procedure, an angio on the 19th of April.....Having your family especially your parents pushing your sick bed into the operation room is really heartbreaking. And no one expected Mama to be pushing me 4 times in a month........the agony.....the wait...... |
Summary of Events!!!
1. Cardiac Arrest 18th April
2. 2nd suspected MI attack 12 May
3. Medical Officer accidentally punctured my artery on my right arm.
(Lost pulse with amputation option to follow)
4. Misdiagnosed and given wrong medications for a period of time (It's medical, not math I supposed, everyone playing a guessing game)
5. Transferred to Government CCU under incubator and given 48 hours (Make or byebye ultimatum - can you imagine the agony and suffering the family had to go though?)
Summary of Treatments!!!
1. 4 surgeries in a month (angiogram, ICD implant, compartment syndrome surgery (twice)
2. Bed ridden in CCU (3 days + 3 consecutive weeks)
3. 4 Different hospitals (3 different ICU/CCU)
4. Received 12 defibrillator shocks in a month
 |
| My pills are like tic-tac.......as long as I can get back to my normal state, no tic-tacs is going to scare me away.. |
Road to Recovery!!!
When the doctors told me I might need about 6-9 months to get back to normal state, I almost slap that joker and gave myself 4-5 instead. I've been driving for a couple of weeks now while was told to drive after 6. After the series of mishaps, do you think I will let a bunch of medical expert dictate my life? ^_^ HELL NO!!!!
Family, Work & Friends
Many has no idea what happened to me lately as I was laying really low to get my recovery plan accelerated. I never thought that these events made a man out of my little brother (KitKit).....Never really thought of spending so much time with my parents these few months (Yes, they moved in at least for now)....Never knew PW can be such a strong pillar (She can't even park her car properly).....The support from JieJie & JieFu were tremendous (despite JieJie heavily pregnant) they ran around the state asking for opinions from specialists causing hoo-haa in hospitals,,,,,The Sims from all over the world (my spiritual pillar cousins) and everyone spending time to come visit in waves. My boys........my 2 beautiful boys......for all these perks, I WILL BE BACK in great shape soon.
I spent quit a fair bit of my time at work as I really love what I do....this time around, my company is showing its love back.....same could not be told to all the one I recently left. With my peer constantly checking on my well-being and family needs, my director flying over a couple of time to assure me he has got my back and all I need to do is rest, my team's regular visits just to make sure I'm not missing out on anything. What more can I say?? VIVA EXPEDIA!!!!
Many of you will know that I have a close knitted cycle of friends back in my hometown. If you mean something to team, all you need to do is to lay low, they will sense something is not right and come get you. Kenny and gang managed to find out and did all they could to help. Gotten myself a private wheelchair to ease my earlier commute around. Dropped by for a chat and throw in support with regular checks... (HaiKun said I'm the luckiest jinxed bastard ever)
 |
| Thank you everyone............. |
I would like to believe I've been through the toughest phase of life in the last 90 days. I'm not afraid of the toxic effect due to the steroid treatments, nor the lost of muscle mass (I'm a proud fit man remember?? ^_^ ), the tedious physio & occupational therapy sessions for months etc.
 |
| The picture in white rope was Mama's bday present this year, heart wrenching but that's all I could afford back then..... |
I can be agitated and short fused but they tolerated me these few months. Gave me encouragements and tried their best to get me back on my feet. Nothing is going to take away the life I worked so hard for. I WILL be back in no time.....gonna update some recovery progress soon......I'm working out every day now.....slowly but surely.....driving myself around town again....next up, getting myself fit again for my BIKE.....
 |
| I Love you all so much........ |
