No one prefers to go to hospital but when fate takes you there then you don’t have any option but to go. Unfortunately fate pushed me to hospital. The story goes from here.
While playing football, I met with an accident where my ankle got dislocated. I was in terrible pain that time (one cannot imagine) Because of my accident I had to rush to the hospital. It was a major one hence needed treatment immediately..During my admission to the hospital they first asked about insurance card () which I didn’t have that time (A big mistake which I learned that point)..In Japan Insurance has a big value and one must possess insurance card all the time where he/she goes..Thankfully hospital agreed to have insurance card later which my friend submitted.
Day 1 of admission
In the evening I got into the hospital and started with all the formalities. Doctor checked my Xray and explained details about the surgery etc. Lot of forms to be signed that time..me and my friend who was my guardian started signing all the forms. Those forms were nothing but details of surgery/consent forms and other basic admin procedures. Instantly after signing forms they took me to CITI scan center (I never ever visited and did CITI so it was totally new for me) then did SCAN and brought back to original place where friend was sitting. Doc decided first surgery immediately next day hence nurse asked me not to eat or drink anything. Because of the covid situation across country they took me to isolation ward..already I was very nervous because of surgery etc.. in that they isolated me so I was feeling very lonely. That room had no toilet.. so had to do my toilet in the diaper they provided..yuck.. but that is how life is. You have to face it. Thankfully they allowed to me do video call to my family from that room and I felt relieved.
Day 2
In the morning, nurse came checked my temperature and BP.. put saline..and just asked me to wait until someone comes for further instructions. After some time they took me to operation theatre. While entry into operation theatre they asked me my name, birth date, injured area name and then took inside. Then my surgery done (of course I was not awake so I cant describe that 😉 ) Post operation they took me to general ward. I was unconscious hence was not aware what was happening. Slowly gradually I became conscious and pain started like hell. It was terrible terrible pain which I couldn’t bear at all. Nurse gave me painkiller and Got little relief. Still I remember, how I survived that time..One thing I liked about hospital was, they immediately removed my saline the very next day. Of course pain killers were continued for 10 days. After surgery, next 2 days I didn’t even see what they did to my leg. I was basically afraid to see. But after 2 days nurse only asked me to check how my leg looks as I had to go for toilet thereafter. (another good thing – no bed toilet at all so I had to move). When I saw my leg, it was kind of wrapped into metal rods. One can say kind of robot leg (Reminded me of transformers).
It was looking so terrible and I couldn’t bend the leg as it was wrapped from knee. Till my next surgery I had to keep that leg straight and that was terrible. Hospital staff was very supportive. I was the first foreigner admitted to their hospital and they also were little confused/afraid that how can we communicate. Thankfully I was knowing Japanese to certain extent so I could able to manage things. It was though very difficult to manage as many of the medical terms I was not even aware of. Still with coordination/collaboration with hospital staff I managed to spent those days without any issue. Food was another big problem there. First of all In Japan there is no concept of vegetarian so explaining them was tough. In that that hospital was not providing any vegetarian food so it was further difficult. For Indians like us who usually don’t eat non-veg very often it was very difficult to have that food. Pure Japanese food with only non veg in it and that too bland..who would like to have that.. but I had to because I wanted to survive. Afterwards I was used to having that food. 10 days spent well and doctor informed me that the surgery I had was just basic surgery for alignment purpose. The main surgery is going to happen in 2 days. I was again in the same mode thinking what will happen now..
Because of covid, hospital didn’t allow me to meet any of my friends. In fact they had strict rule that from your bed also you just cannot contact anyone. Only text/mail were allowed. If anyone wants to talk then he has to travel to outside corridor which was a dream for me that time. My only source of entertainment was reading books, watching something on mobile or just looking to other patients. It was most difficult time for me. I was feeling so lonely and empty but then gradually I started investing my time in thinking positive things and doing some positive work which can improve my health.
Day 11
Now the day has come for 2nd surgery. Doctor did initial preparation and this time I was less tensed as I was knowing the procedure. Also all the staff was very supportive and motivative so I didn’t feel much. This operation was going to take around 4-5 hours which was big one but of course for me it was okay as I will be in unconscious position during surgery. Surgery went well and I was back on my bed in general ward. When my consciousness started coming back, pain was like super bad.. I don’t have any words to mention the pain I was going through but it was just extreme. Again staff gave me painkillers and that night I slept.
Next day my routine started, my saline removed and kept only on pain killers. As usual days passed by. Only I was seeing positive things during that time. And it really worked. Even though I know Japanese I was not at all aware of medical terms but this incident taught me/gave me opportunity to learn medical terms in Japanese.. I started observing what doctors nurses were saying and then searching on the internet to find the meaning.. it helped me a lot while communicating with them easily. Rather just sitting and doing nothing I started investing my time in such activities where I can learn new things for my own benefit. (And now I am much comfortable explaining symptoms to my doctor). All these sorts of doings made my improvement tremendously fast. Doctor/nurses/caretakers everyone was very much became friends of mine. The care taken by all of them were just great. Initially I was using wheelchair to move but within 10 days they removed my wheelchair and gave me sticks for walking..initially 2 sticks..then came down to 1 stick…then 1/3rd weight on the leg…2/3rd weight on the leg…DONE.. 100% weight on the leg..Hospital assigned one rehab (physio) for post surgery recovery which is still continued. There goal is to make me 100% fit like earlier. One thing liked about these people was they were always in try to make me independent for going to toilet/having food/doing my personal work etc.. and it was successful. For almost 2 months I was in hospital, definitely I was bored..super bored.. but everyone was there to take care of me. I was away from my family and loved ones but they also were in touch with me continuously during my hospital stay by mobile/chats/video calls..which gave me further strength to recover faster.
During that stay I had to get medical certificates for my insurance submission and getting visa for my wife. Couple of friends helped me a lot in completing these procedures faster.
The journey in the hospital is very tough... especially when you are in some different country..where language is big barrier..food is the problem..but self confidence motivates you to make yourself learn things and get out of it faster.
The day when I came out of hospital was one of the memorable day of my life. entire 2 months I had been seeing only hospital doors/people/patients.. nothing else.. after coming out from hospital it was like new beginning for me..everything I was seeing was like new..Going back to my home was such a great feeling..free bird from cage..
Everyone should believe in oneself. And for sure you will come out from any situations
Some learnings I had during my 2 months stay in hospital were
1. Self confidence
2. Self-belief
3. Will power
4. Family values
5. Value and importance of good health
6. God belief
7. Value of people who help/who stand by you
8. Knowing people who just do formality
9. Having faith on doctor/nurses
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