Like many other students, I intend to complete my studies and earn a degree. To accomplish that I am challenged to choose among many the art courses which represent my major. Because my major requires some science courses as well, I have recently decided to try one of them. Health studies has entered my everyday life and I already know much more about psychological and physical conditions.
As I was going through the chapters – simultaneously I was going through my life.
I am still not too old to do the review of my childhood, youth and maturity. However, what I went through during past 26 years made me think and think again about what’s important in my life.
I was planning to be born on my mother’s birthday, but I missed the due date. I came almost three weeks later. I didn’t even get a chance to see my mom, because I was rushed into the ICU and then to the different hospital due to a condition related to pneumonia which was caused by an excessive amount of fluid in my lungs. Now I know that I was not supposed to drink that. But hey, nobody told me that at the time:.
By the time I entered the school yard for the first time, I already had some cuts and bruises, but I was described as a very quiet and shy girl. During the elementary school years, my chart at the doctor’s office was becoming fuller and fuller and by the time I graduated from high school, the diversity of my chart could have been compared to that of an old man.
I went through so many sore throats, flues and cold, I had to have my tonsils removed – you wouldn’t believe how hard it is for me to swallow a large vitamin pill to this day! Once, after having very bad headaches that didn’t allow me to bow my head to the knees, I was sent for additional x-rays. They showed some mass in my head and it had to be removed trough my nostrils. I also spent some time in hospital because of my teeth after a doctor pulled my tooth in not very professional way. I guess she was just practicing on me.
I was only eleven at that time and I already blamed God for suffering so much. I had no clue children over the world suffer much more.
By the age of seventeen, in addition to enjoying first dates and receiving first kisses, my appearances at the doctor’s office doubled. The cause? Kidney stones. I spent some time in hospital waiting for the stones to leave the canal. Finally laser surgery brought some relief, but still some stones are there.
After having so much illness in my childhood and adolescence, I would never have believed that someone like me could have a family of their own. But, I got pregnant. I sill don’t know how, but I did. After I realized that it was not a joke, and that I really was pregnant, I did my best for the baby and myself.
The first three months went accordingly to the book I was reading about the pregnancy. After that, I had every symptom mentioned in the book, starting with morning sickness – pardon me, in my case it was all day sickness. I was throwing out everything. Everything from my stomach, shelves and table. I had blood on my toothbrush, spider veins on my legs and, based on the ultrasound, some gallstones as company for my baby.
When the D-day came I was yelling and screaming, pushing and cursing and verbally throwing my husband out of the room. Pushing didn’t help. My daughter was born by C-section and so was my son two and a half years later.
Now, I am enjoying my children a lot. They are two smart and beautiful creatures – how did this happen? – and I love them to death.
Just recently, though, I started having pain in my breast and chest, arm and fingers. Of course, I cannot forget the breasts, right? The pain was awful, my bones hurt and I had the urge to cough. My doctor prescribed antibiotics and sent me for blood tests, an x-ray and a CT-scan.
I was so scared I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t eat. I did excellent research on the Internet, better than any radiology centre. As it turned out, the results were fine. I nearly kissed the doctor when I heard, but instead I kissed my husband and children. The joy and happiness I felt that day hasn’t stopped yet.
I realize again and again what’s the most important in my life. I may sound like a hypochondriac, but when I feel sick I usually really am.
Here, in America people try to prevent diseases by regular check-ups. Billboards, brochures and commercials teach us about the symptoms of various kinds of cancers, and people try to take precautions.
From my point of view – the more I know, the more scared I am. On the other hand, with so much information I can help not just myself but also people around me. Health Studies has so far been an interesting journey through my past, but I hope that what I learn will help me keep my family safe in the future.
