6 days...

And counting! My summer is not going to be as planned. From finishing my last A Level exam last Friday to beginning University life on the 23^rd September, I had over 3 months to spend going on road trips with friends, buying kitchen utensils and saying goodbye to life in St. Albans. I was even looking into going on holiday (for the first time in seven years) with the family before entering the big, wide world. Then one X ray ended mine and my family’s summer.

The summer of 2010 was very similar to now in so many ways. I finished my exams in mid-June (GCSE’s), was enjoying an international football tournament on the TV constantly (World Cup), the sun was shining and I would be embarking on a new stage of life in September (Sixth Form). First of all, I would have to undergo major spinal surgery to correct my scoliosis. Basically, my spine was curved so I was starting to look like the Hunchback of Notre Dam but it also was impacting on vital organs, causing problems with breathing. The procedure involved surgeons bolting a metal rod from the top right down to the bottom of my spine. The actual operation was a success but there was a persistent issue with the lower part of the wound healing. After a month in hospital, which included going to theatre again for a wash out and staple, I came home thinking I am glad the worst part of my life is over… or was it?

I had been suffering from back pain in the lower left area for a few months but I convinced myself it was a cyst and would soon go away. It didn’t and eventually my mum found out and booked an appointment at Stanmore Orthopaedic. When the doctor called me in to discuss, both my parents and I noticed that he looked a bit on edge. I explained the pain and my humble opinion (because I’m an expert) but he flatly denied that the cause was a cyst and turned the computer to face me. My mum said my face visibly dropped and I remember, so did my stomach. The x ray clearly showed that the rod, which we thought and was told could never break, had snapped at the bottom.

Now, I’m not sure how long I will be in hospital this time but it will definitely be a minimum of 10 days. I’ve got a pre-op on Friday to have tests ahead of the big day Monday. Before I go, can I just recommend that you put a bet on England losing 4-1 on Sunday because the day before my last op, we got knocked out by Germany in the match involving Frank Lampard’s ghost goal. Enough about football.

Bye for now…