Hello Everyone,
I have recently been feeling unwell because of my upper back, chest, and left wrist. As a result, I found myself having to go and visit clinics and hospitals more often. Thankfully, my medical expenses are covered by SAF but still, I have yet to fully recover.
What Exactly is Wrong with Me?
As most of you would have known, during the middle of February, I tore my left wrist’s ligament and triangular fibrocartillage during training at Officer Cadet School. As a result, I experienced extreme pain in my left wrist and wasn’t able to carry heavy loads and thus I was put on a splint for more than 6 weeks. It was only in June when the Specialist decided to send me for an MRI scan to exactly find out why I was still in pain. From February to June, 4 months is extremely damn long to find out what was exactly wrong with my wrist! The MRI results came out in July and it wasn’t favourable. Just early this month (August), I was offered the option to undergo a day surgery and was advised that it would be a 70% chance of recovery and a 30% chance that my condition would remain the same or worsen. I consulted my parents, loved ones and even friends and have come to decided that I WOULD NOT be undergoing the day surgery.
I know that many of my friends would encourage me to go for the day surgery so that I could recover even though its a 70% chance. But also, I have consulted with some of my friends who experienced the same medical conditions as me and whom have went for the operation but didn’t got well. In fact, 2 of them told me that their condition have gotten worst and were no better even after the surgery, and are undergoing physiotherapy now. My next specialist medical review would take place on the 1st September 2011 (Teacher’s Day) and I will find out more about the consequences of me not undergoing the day surgery in details.
Recently, in the last 2-3 weeks, I have developed some kind of sharp pain in my chest and upper back and usually, it will be very painful in the morning and the pain will then gradually subside throughout the day. However, in the past few days, the pain in the morning gradually got worst and I was admitted to NUH A&E for observation. I was discharged that very same day and was diagnosed as having musculoskeletal chest pain. The only medicine given to me was Painkillers (which to me is pointless because it doesn’t heal the affected area) and some other medicine for the blood in my stools. Today, the pain got so bad that I could hardly move and twist my upper body. I dragged myself to the train (I was supposed to go for work by the way) and decided to go to SGH A&E to see a doctor. I was put through the same process (screening, registration, consultation, X-ray, ECG) and was given 2 days MC and a referral letter for a bone specialist and physiotherapist to attend to me. For your information, the appointment given to me to see the specialist is 14 September 2011 and that’s a very long time.
As I could not stand the fact that I could not get well and carry on with my usual activities and be healed, I decided to take things in my own stride and go visit Siah Ah Cheok Chinese Sinseh which is situated along Upper Paya Lebar.
My Visits to Siah Ah Cheok Chinese Sinseh
Today wasn’t the first time I visited Siah Ah Cheok Chinese Sinseh. Today was in fact the 3rd time I visited, this time, for my chest and upper back pain. You may be puzzled as to why I didn’t want to visit Siah Ah Cheok right from the start and my reason for that is because SAF doesn’t cover my medical expenses for private doctors and Traditional Chinese Medicine. But now that the pain has gone quite extreme for 2-3 weeks, I decided that health is more important and hence resorted going to Siah Ah Cheok. When I reached, there were 2 people before me and when the clinic opened, it was filled with tons of people already. Thankfully, I was early and I was 2nd in line. And also thankfully again, Dr. Regina Siah attended to me because the 2nd time I went there for my knee problem, a male Sinseh attended to me and the process was extremely painful.
Dr. Siah did some acupuncture and ba guan for me, and after the whole process which took 15-20 minutes, I honestly felt way better and was able to move my upper body. I was then given some ointment for my back and also some Chinese medicine for blood circulation. The whole treatment cost me $50, similar to what I paid for the last 2 times I visited.
Sometime next month after my specialist medical review and when I have sufficient money, I have decided to go visit Siah Ah Cheok again to get my left wrist done up. Hopefully, my body would be made whole as it was in the past and I would be able to do my usual activities again. And oh, the first time I visited Siah Ah Cheok, it was for an ankle injury that I sustained during Basic Military Training at Pulau Tekong. During that time when I had the ankle injury, I couldn’t walk at all. In fact, I walked only with my right foot and dragged my left foot most of the time. Wearing boots made it worst. Thankfully, when I went to Siah Ah Cheok and Dr. Regina Siah attended to me, I got better within 2-3 weeks and was able to carry on with my training in BMT. If not, I guess I would have to recourse for my BMT and wouldn’t even have made it to OCS.
Details of Siah Ah Cheok
Address: 371 Upper Paya Lebar Road, #01-03 Yi Kai Court, Singapore 534969
Telephone Number: 62823467/62883682
Please note that the clinic can get really crowded, so you might want to arrive early and get the queue number.
NB: I strongly recommend this clinic for all your back, chest, ankle, or any musculoskeletal injuries that you might have. However, healing and recovery is up to the individual’s own body and I don’t guarantee that you will get better. If you do get better as a result of my recommendation, do drop me an email so that I can celebrate and rejoice with you. Do also note that the clinic does not issue any Medical Certificates.
For those of you who are serving your National Service and are more prone to musculoskeletal injuries, this is an alternative you might want to rely on instead of the usual painkillers given by the doctors.
-photo of clinic is obtained from http://www.molemole.sg/2009/08/sprain-your-foot-ankle-hand-arm-back.html