“I was scared I would be paralysed”
By: Chanty
Today I will like to share my story with everyone.
I was twelve years old when the Dr’s told me that I needed to have a big operation on my back.
For years I had, had a lot of back pain because I was born with severe scoliosis to my spine. Scoliosis is when your spine is not straight – it looks like a big S.
I couldn’t run properly or sit straight. I could walk but very slowly and on an angle – kind of like to one side. There were lots things that I couldn’t do because of my back. I couldn’t do running, hiking, swimming, ice skating, playing any kind of sport or lifting heavy things. It was really tough.
So, I really needed the operation – it was really important to get my back fixed!
That day the doctors came in their white jackets – they sat across from me and my mum and brought out a lot of papers with pictures so that I could see what they were going to do to my back.
One of the doctors looked at me and my mum and said, “There are a lot of risks with this operation.”
I swallowed, what risks? Mum and I looked at each other.
The doctor continued talking, “One of the biggest risks is that Chanty won’t be able to walk every again. She can stay paralysed.”
My heart skipped a beat and tears filled my eyes. What! Paralysed? I would never walk again. No, no! I was very scared.
Mum hugged me and we chatted softly.
Finally, the day of the operation arrived and I was so anxious. My stomach was in knots and doing little flip flops. My heart beat fast.
I looked at mum and dad, “What if I never walk again?” I asked in a trembling voice.
“Chanty darling, you need to remember that you have a God that is powerful!”
Dad hugged me tight and said, “Trust him Chanty. He will look after you. There are LOTS of people praying and fasting for you. God will see you through.”
I nodded slowly, yes that was right. God was with me and I didn’t have to worry about walking or not because he already had it under control. Everyone was praying.
My parents were praying, so was my sister, my aunties, uncles, cousins, the people from my church as well as friends, teacher and my school. I think I was pretty covered with prayer.
The operation was going to take more than five hours. It was going to be long because the specialist surgeon had to put together the bones in the spine so that the bones didn’t continue to curve like an S. He was also going to use metal rods and screws to fix the curve and hold everything in line until the bones healed.
The metal parts are put deep under the spine muscle and they are meant to stay in there permanently.
More than five hours later I woke up very dazed – I blinked a few times trying to make my eyes clear. I was already in my ward and in my warm bed.
A kind nurse came to see me, “Now Chanty, you can’t move. You need to be very still and very straight.”
Doctors came in and out every few hours to check on me. It was a long long process. Finally one day the stitches that were on my side could come out.
“Ok Chanty,” My doctor said, “we need to check if you can move your legs and hands.”
Slowly I began to move my legs and hands slowly – I grinned – my legs and hands were moving!
I wanted to jump and shout and just scream with joy, but I couldn’t just yet – I still had to look after my body and take things really slowly. I looked up at my parents – my dad was really happy and my mum had tears running down her face. It was a miracle that I could move my hand and legs and that the operation hadn’t left me paralysed. I know that God looked after me because I felt His presence.
I finally was allowed to go home – but I couldn’t go to school yet – I had to stay home for the whole term – that’s three months!
I wasn’t allowed to do a lot of things for many months. I had to be careful and take care of myself.
Slowly I got better and today I thank God because I don’t have the horrible pain I use too. I can do more sports and have fun.
Of course I have to be careful not to fall and hurt myself and I still need to rest sometimes when my back is aching from too much sport.
But I’m GREAT and know that God took care of me in the operation and is still taking care of me. I can walk straight and it’s a miracle.
There is power in prayer!
