If you know me, you’d probably have added me on Facebook and likely would have seen the x-ray scans of my leg/foot/ankle. Ever since I came to Taiwan, I have exercised a lot and I mean a lot. I was on a strict diet and my goal was to lose 16kg. I achieved that goal in 3 months of planning it. I exercised everyday for an hour, doing cardiovascular exercises to lose the weight that I had gained from eating too much in England. I lost the weight I wanted to lose and to be honest I looked good so I was satisfied with what I had achieved.
However, then I started again…
I exercised a lot, similar to how I was exercising before, except I was probably less intense when it came to cardiovascular exercises, I did a lot more press-ups, went boating, swimming and all of that. Just two days ago, I felt significant enough pain in my foot to be concerned about the welfare of my foot as I had damaged that area before; I fractured my leg previously. This pain happened only about two nights ago.
I went to hospital to have my foot looked at after work. I had to miss an hour of work, but my health is more important so I decided to go and get it checked out.
As I was walking into the hospital as my mother had dropped me off by car, and I was feeling the same pains in my foot just walking normally. I felt there must have been something wrong, I could feel it and sense it.
So the doctor looked at my foot and he quietly dismissed any idea of getting an x-ray done. He stated all I had was a common among athletes called Achilles tendon; however I didn’t believe this to be the case. I insisted on an x-ray saying to him that I had not seen a doctor in while about my broken leg. He refused twice saying he could assure me that all I had was Achilles tendon. But, I think he just wanted to go home after a long day at work. I saw him at nearly closing time, even though I missed one hour of work.
I got the x-ray done in the end and this dear doctor informed me that I had early stages of arthritis. I was shocked, speechless and horrified. I wanted to ask, what the next step was.
I felt horrid, dismayed and extremely unhappy. The doctor said there is nothing that he could do. He recommended me to fly back to England or to go to Switzerland as apparently they have a fair few more experienced doctors who specialise on this particular issue of mine. He said something about bone corrective surgery.
I can’t walk without feeling pain, I definitely can’t run and I kind of feel crippled. I have to drag my leg along as it is too painful to step on the ground normally. The pain right now should subside, but I’ll be having an operation in Taiwan to correct some issues which should relieve the pain I’m experiencing.
You can see more of my x-ray pictures at my new photography site:
http://photography.jargoned.com/2012/05/x-rays-i-may-have-arthritis/
