THE FIGHT FOR MY LIFE

Hey my beautiful Tory lovers!

I hope this meets you in good health and sound mind. I know it's been a while I gave you undiluted, salivating and mouth-watering gist.

Please pardon me, I have been in and out of the hospital, no, don't let your thoughts wonder far. It is not COVID-19, far from it. Remember we have an agreement with life so I know that it won't take any of us.

Anyway I just thought I should share with y'all what I have been going through these past few days and how I am faring at the moment.

Quick question, have you been so sick that you feared you may not survive? Please be very honest. Like you were so sick that you dreaded the night time because it seemed that once darkness comes you may never see the light of the following day. That's what happened to me.

Okay it actually started on Sunday the 14th of June, I woke up that morning like every other Sunday with a heart of gratitude and I had already made plans to visit my elder sister that day. I was not feeling any form of discomfort or pain as at when I left home that day. 

You see that is what happens when you hear people say about someone, "I saw him/her this morning and he/she looked alright" and the next minute you hear that the person is no more. May we never experience that.

I got to my sister's place and as usual we had fun till evening. I was about leaving when I noticed that I suddenly started feeling sleepy and weak, immediately a ride was booked for me. On getting home that evening, I was feverish with a bad headache. I initially thought that I had over-stressed myself that weekend because I had lots of order for my customers so I took 2 tablets of paracetamol and laid down hoping to feel better after sleeping.

You won't believe that I woke up in the middle of night shivering like someone that had been pulled out of an iced ocean during winter. It was so bad that my teeth was struggling to stay apart. I couldn't go to work the following morning so I called my doctor to explain my plight and was told the medication to take to help me feel better.

For 3 days I was receiving treatment and had to go to the hospital for test. Let me state it here for the records that I am not a drug person. I hear people asking "drug and injection which do you prefer?" To me that question does not make any sense because I don't prefer anyone. I hate drugs and I hate injection. Or should I say I prefer good health, Thank you!

I have tried various ways of swallowing pills to make it easier but none has worked for me. I have put in it inside my eba, but being a garri-chewer will not let me swallow it in peace. I have tried swallowing it with different liquids of different temperatures but none has worked for me. 

As for injection, you have to recruit strong hands to hold me before you can successful give me one. It is a testimony that needle has not broken in my buttocks by now.

I know you are wondering how I was able to take my pregnancy drugs, hahaha, don't ask me mbok. I don't even know but somehow I think I took them because of my babies. As for my kids, sometimes I look at them and I wonder if it was actually me that gave birth to them because I know myself that I cannot bear one aorta of pain. Maybe they came from Heaven sha.

During this period of my illness I noticed that the nights are usually the worse time of the day. When everyone is sleeping, it feels like your life is hanging in the balance. I prayed all kinds of prayer, I cried different styles too and sleep was very far from me. 

At a point I was considering confessing to my husband about all the money I have stolen from him and all the small change I have been hiding inside my cloth pocket. I even considered breaking my kolo so that I can hand the money over to my daughter to go and publish the book she has been writing since 1900.

I thought about my blog, what will happen to my Tory lovers? Who will give you people gist if I am no more? What about my kids? How will life be for them without their mother? This my husbandman, I don't trust him, he may go and marry one Calabar girl like that because I have been threatening him that I want to remarry from another tribe.

You can imagine having all these thoughts all at once, my head wanted to explode but then God said it was not yet time and my work on earth is not completed so I ain't going nowhere. That was how I braced myself and decided with my spirit that irrespective of the pain I was going through I will not give up or give in. I made up my mind to fight for my life.

I always looked forward to the morning with great expectation that everyday will be better than the previous one. I realized that indeed there is light at the end of the tunnel and made up my mind to stay strong through it all. 

To crown it all, I experienced a terrible tooth ache, one that caused a severe swelling on my face and made it difficult for me to chew or swallow so I was literarily living on pills and liquids. Without mincing words, it was a horrible time for me. I was feeding on tea and pap for more than a week until I had to eventually go and pull out the tooth that was causing all the discomfort.

It was an awful experience that I couldn't even take calls because of the stress of talking. I was communicating with chats and text messages. My children now understood my sign language by force. Words are not enough to fully describe what I went through these past few weeks but I am convinced that it was God's mercy and grace that kept me through the prayers of my family, friends and loved ones.

Most of you who reached out to me asking why I had been silent for so long, your love and concern boosted my strength and encouraged me to fight for life. I really do appreciate you all.

So yes, we won the fight! And I am overjoyed that I am here and you are still here too. I have come to a conclusion that Life is a gift, so each day we wake up, we should embrace it with gratitude and give it our best shot. Do not let whatever situation you find yourself get the best of you, you are bigger than that situation and you will come out of it stronger if you keep pushing. Don't give up!

Hey, what's been happening with you? I would really love to hear from you, please do well to drop a word in the comment section.

Remember, The Tory Teller loves you.

Stay safe and healthy.

© Onyinye Udeh