The Best - through the Worst of times !

There was a girl in school who used to be known for her silence and hard work. She was quite good at studies and at sports too. I remember she always used to write on blackboards, whenever notes were to be written, and she never hesitated. Initially she didn't like studies, but she started feeling the need to do well. She also took part in alot of sports activities like Shuttle Badminton, Ball Badminton, Gymnastics, Martial Arts (Tai Chi) and a few others. She loved to March Past too!

Years passed by, and then came a turning point in her life. When she was in the 9th standard, suddenly she started getting comments like "You're not standing straight", "You're not walking straight" and so on. She observed her own posture as well, but never really found it a major concern. She just ignored all those comments.

Concentrating only on her studies, and her short-lived career in Badminton, she ignored everything else. She was going through some tough situations at home as well. But that didn't really affect her studies. Time passed by and she wrote her +2 board examinations. She then gave a thought about all that occurred in the last few years. She wondered if something was really wrong with her that she actually received such personal comments, time and again. She then decided she would tell her folks about it. Sensing some kind of a problem, she went to the doctor, who made her take a few scans, etc.

She got the biggest shock of her life! She had Scoliosis! She hadn't even heard of such a thing before. Her spine was curved as the doctor put it. That needed rectification by inserting rods and screws to straighten the spine! She did alot of research on it, and also watched a video of the actual surgery to be done. It was like a horror film. Her folks discouraged her, as even the doctor warned her of paralysis or something even worse than that! She was going to be the first once in the state to have such an operation. The doctor even suggested she could do it in another country. But she was brave enough and decided she would take a chance here only, so that she could have her loved ones around her.

The doctor announced the surgery date, which would be after a month. The entire last week, just before the operation, she had the time of her life, as if it were her last few days on earth! She had a caretaker-cum-friend, of her age almost, who was her partner in all the fun she had.

The day arrived. She was lying there in the operation theater, being cut open, where the titanium rods could be fitted. I believe the operation lasted for about 8 hours, after which she regained half consciousness, when she was being hit to find out if she was in good condition or paralyzed!! Ahh that was something scary. By God's grace, she responded which meant she was absolutely fine.

She had to stay in the hospital for about 11 days. Again, those were few of the best days of her life. She received so much care and affection from most people she knew, including her friends and school teachers! Even the doctors and nurses were so friendly. She had a gala time! I remember, the teachers were so affectionate, they even fed her an apple, which took her almost one hour to finish! What patience they had!! Phew! Yeah but she had to sacrifice on her normal diet of junk food like French Fries and Pani Puri, which were her favourites. Her friends did let her have a bit of them though. That was really sweet. Not to forget, her caretaker did a wonderful job giving her everything she wanted and taking such good care of her.

Meanwhile, the doctors were doing their job as well. Her lungs had become weak. She had to do some breathing exercises to become absolutely normal. That didn't take long. She also had to wear braces around her torso, which would give support to her back, until it became rigid enough. She started walking, initially with some support. She soon was able to stand on her on feet, and could return home. She was elated to get back to normal life again, though she would miss those hospital times!

Back home, she had a really warm welcome, like it was her second birth! She was lucky she had her loved ones around her(though not all), for it was they who helped her through those hard times.

What's more? Her exam results were out and she faired very well! Despite the worries she had from all sides, she made her folks, friends and teachers proud of her, which in turn was a proud moment for her! Well done, my girl... :)

One thing she still misses is the Badminton tournaments. She wanted to make it real big on that front, but it couldn't happen as the doctor warned her against it. Nevertheless, she still continues to play now and then, as a part of leisure. Her folks are just worried if this surgery would prove to be a hindrance in her marital alliance. Is it really that big a concern, when she's absolutely normal now? I guess only guys can answer this...