Life After Surgery

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    None of the nurses in the dialysis center said : "I told you so!" but I said it to myself. I have never really followed the renal diet closely; as a result I had sky high levels of phosphate and calcium, resulting in itchy skin all over my body. As a result of all the constant scratching, I had marks all over my body, not a pretty sight.

    I needed to have my Parathyroid glands removed badly. This is because the itchiness I was experiencing indicated that my Parathyroid (PT) glands had already swollen tremendously by this time. Everyone has 4 PT glands. And it's not easy feat to remove all 4 because 2 will be in an obvious place (behind the thyroid glands) but 2 will be in not so obvious places.

    I was told all this when I went for my first doctor's consultation. I was originally scheduled to have surgery on the 5th of July but because my nephrologist (kidney doctor) spoke to the endochrine surgeon (Thyroid and PT doctor) on my behalf, he managed to persuade the endochrine surgeon to move up my surgery date sooner, so on the 22nd of March, I went in for surgery...........

    I was admited on the 19th, to prep me for the surgery on that fateful Friday. I was in surgery for 5 whole hours. And I was so very thankful that the surgeon managed to remove all 4 PT glands! He also dissected the smallest gland and implanted it into the muscle of my right arm; so I wouldn't lose my calcium regulations completely. That's right, the function of the PT glands is to regulate the calcium levels in your body.

    When I came out of surgery, I felt really groggy, it was so surreal! My parents were there for me and told me that all 4 PT glands had been removed. I heard them, it registered in my brain but I couldn't speak because the PT glands were so near my vocal chords that my voice was then nearly gone.

    During my next doctor's visit, I was told that I couldn't sing for 6 months, and I was told not the talk so much for now. I calculated on my desk calendar and the 6 month mark is the 22nd of September. So maybe I can sing this Christmas but I'll have to wait till next January to sing in the Church Worship Team.

    All in all, I'm glad it's all over now. I just have to rest my vocal chords and later this year, I'll be able to sing my heart out for the Lord again!

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