Ankle Surgery

I sprained my right ankle last year, during futsal with my friends. What seemed like a normal sprain has unbelievably turned out to be a torn ligament, much to my horror. I was given 2 choices, to either go on with life, doing nothing to it, sacrifice my active sporting lifestyle and risking athritis in my later life. Or, going under the knife to reconstruct the torn ligament, but there's no 100% guarantee that it will return to function normally after that. I took the latter option.

I went for the surgery at Pantai Cheras Medical Centre last Wednesday, under the surgeon Dr Ang Leong Chai. My gf drove me there early in the morning. I kept telling her I was not scared at all. We checked in and I was given a 4-person room instead of the 2-person room as they were all fully occupied. Surgery was supposed to begin at 1pm and so we waited. I had to fast since midnight and thus my gf went for lunch alone at the canteen. We were told surgery was delayed as there were lots of emergency operations that day. I was still telling my gf I'm feeling perfectly cool at that time, no fear at all. I put on the surgery coat and waited for the surgery. It was quite embarassing as we're not supposed to wear anything else beneath and we can easily 'cao kong'. LOL...

At about 2 something, the nurses came and I was pushed into the Operation Theatre. Still feeling rather ok all the way. Gf waited outside the Operation Theatre. My feelings suddenly changed, a sudden rush of adrenalin got me rather worried. The lights turned on, so brightly above. Doctors and nurses were talking. I remember one nurse asking the Doc, "What do you need for this surgery?" And the Doc replied "I need to drill the bone......" !!!!!! And the rest was history. I nearly fainted upon hearing those words. Then came the anaesthetic doctor. I had to sit up and bend my back like a prawn. He mentioned I will be given the spinal anaestasia. The jab was really painful down the spine I almost teared. After few minutes, my lower body was all numbed. I can't feel my legs!! Can't move, can't lift them. That was when the Doc asked whether I wanna sleep or not. A big yes!!

I remember I was in a state between sleeping and awaking. I remember I heard the drilling, but thank God I felt nothing at all! There was once I asked the Doc whether I could see what was going on, but he said no. Then I dozed off. After sometime, I woke up again asking the nurse beside me whether it's done or not? And finally after a few more waking ups and dozing offs, the nurse told me it's done, my right leg was plastered and everything has been completed. Phewwww...

I hope my days on crutches will end soon and I will be able to walk again. Pray for me ya folks.