t lasted for just a few milliseconds. During that time, the shopping mall spun wildly as my legs buckled. Cold sweat quickly formed, followed by nausea. Thoughts swirled in my head during those initial moments.
I
“This is not good.” “I’m too young to die.” “My wife and kids need me!” It was supposed to be a normal afternoon, on leave after the grueling coverage of the 2015 General Election. My wife and I were supposed to catch a movie at Junction 8 in Bishan. She was coming up the escalator when I became really unwell. As she came and tended to me, two policemen walked past us outside the cinema. You may wonder why are these details are important. I believe these little “coincidences” were actually planned by God to assure me that I was not alone in this. My life was not ending just yet. What are the Fast-forward to a few hours later. I had been sent to Tan Tock Seng Hospital’s (TTSH) Accident and Emergency (A&E) department. The A&E doctor on duty thought I had a “vasovagal attack,” but its effects (dizziness and nausea) were supposed to clear up after five hours. They didn’t. I still had dizziness and pressure at the back of my head. An external scan at my neck didn’t show anything so an MRI scan was ordered. Stroke was a possible prognosis.
It turns out that none of the above were true. Instead, a benign brain tumor, about 3.3cm, was the cause of all my symptoms. It was a “vestibular schwannoma,” a non-cancerous tumor sitting on the eighth cranial nerve. A registrar, Dr Julian explained that this nerve was responsible for right facial movements, speech swallowing, hearing from my right ear, and balance needed for standing and walking. That explained the dizziness I felt earlier. According to him, the tumor may have been growing since the start of the year and had bled a little. The symptoms I felt could have happened anywhere and at any time: While I was carrying the children, driving the family, or just crossing the road. But they did not. It was another assurance that God is with me on this journey.
Percentages. Doctors love to deal with percentages, and my case was no different.”
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