Hi everyone,
Apologies for the long silence these past few month… truth be told, daddy changed jobs back in October of last year and had to re-prioritize a couple of things leaving little or not time for this blog. Nonetheless, I’m back and I promise I’ll do my best to post regular updates again on how I’m doing.
The good thing about these couple of months of radio silence is that I have a lot to tell you so sit back, put up those legs and grab your drink – here we go!
As the Covid 19 pandemic was starting to hold the world in it’s clutches, I was fortunate to be able to take one more amazing trip back in February this year. We spent a week in the United Arab Emirates to enjoy the sun and the sights which was amazing.
We visited the busy city center of Dubai and its mall and I was struck with awe by all that glitter and luxury. The wall of water inside the mall was hypnotizing and it felt as if the divers were going to take me along on their way down.
The shops, the aquarium, the huge outdoor fountain in front of the mall we visited it all in a day. But what was really amazing was of course the great almighty Burj Khalifa! I was lucky again to be able to skip all the lines and as we took the incredibly fast elevator all the way to the 125th floor. I felt butterflies in my tummy which made me laugh like a madman. The other people in the elevator probably thought I was on drugs or something. 😉
The sight from panoramic visitors deck was astonishing. I’ve never seen anything like it and I wasn’t scared at all! It was quite crowded too and moving around with my stroller wasn’t exactly a joyride but I didn’t mind, after all it weren’t my toes that got run over by the stroller.
We did a lot of great things in Dubai but I still have a loads of other things to share with you today so I’ll try to be brief. We visited the old town and the souks and the new harbor where I had cheesecake in the cheesecake factory. For a moment it felt like I was back on Union Square in San Francisco. Delicious! Man I love cheesecake and I clearly take after my dad on that one.
We also spent a fair amount of quality time in our resort just chillin’ by the sea or the pool. The food was great, the drinks were expensive and the staff was kind… what more could you wish for right?
Did I mention already that the food was great? I believe I did 😉 Our resort had several restaurants so we had plenty of choice. Everywhere we went for lunch or dinner, the staff was kind enough to fix me a special meal so that I could eat along with mom, dad and my brother. I had tender chicken, great fish and even tried an Indian Curry… It’s all about pushing your limits isn’t it.
One day we drove our rental car all the way to Abu Dhabi to visit the big mosque and Ferrari World where I got to ride a classic Ferrari around a track. Don’t worry, my big brother came along to prevent me from hitting a curb. It was awesome!
As our holiday came to an end we had one more thing on our agenda, a desert safari! We rode a big white jeep over the beautiful sand dunes of the Dubai desert and I had the time of life. I got to take a ride on a camel and at one of the stops I even got attacked by a wild falcon! Don’t worry, I was brave enough and defended the entire family from this viscous animal! 🙂
Even though it was only a week we had a great time in the UAE and it’s an experience I’ll never forget.
When we got back home I was ready to go back to school but then came Covid 19… our country went into lock down and school was cancelled. This meant I didn’t get to say goodbye to any of my friends as I won’t be going back to my school anymore. As there is no school nearby with adequate support for me, I’m forced to go for home-education as of next year. Mom and dad are taking the necessary steps to arrange this for me next school year and although I glad there is a solution, I’ll miss the interaction with my classmates, my teacher and the caretakers. But just like every other challenge we have faced so far, I’m sure we’ll prevail and come out stronger than ever!
Fast forward to last Thursday. I was expected in the hospital of Leuven to meet with my Orthopedist. During a checkup late last year the x-rays showed I had a hip dysplasia on both sides. Normally I was scheduled to undergo surgery for this in April or May but due to Covid 19 my operation had to be postponed. All of a sudden we got a call from my orthopedic surgeon that they finally were allowed to operate again and that he wanted to scheduled me in for this week! Having to make an instant mental switch my parents grabbed the opportunity with both hands. So last Thursday we drove up to Leuven for a surgical pre-check. New X-rays were taken and we passed by the anesthetist who asked a zillion questions. Then we got to meet with the surgeon who explained what he was going to do.
After one last weekend of great fun in the sun at home we set off early Monday morning towards the hospital in Leuven. After the mandatory Covid 19 test, which was negative fortunately, I was checked into the hospital awaiting my operation the next day.
Come Tuesday morning, after a difficult and restless night for both me and my mom, I was taken to the operating room and stuck with tubes and wires prepping me for surgery. A shot of sedative and I drifted off into a dreamless sleep. First and foremost, both my hips were set straight by taking out a piece of bone from my upper leg and placing it above my hip socket to tilt it. Then all the plaques and bolts, that were still in my legs from my previous orthopedic surgery, were also taken out. The surgeon and his two assistants worked 7 hours non-stop to perform the necessary surgery. Most importantly, everything went according to plan and the surgery was completed perfectly within scope, within budget and within time 🙂
After the operation I was taken to the recovery room and mom was allowed to come sit by my side. The room was freezing cold and I had wires and tubes sticking in and on me, I felt like a bionic man. As mom held my hand and comforted me the best she could the pain was excruciating. I was given morphine and my heartbeat went all over the place. After more than 3 hours in the recovery room I was taken back to my own room where dad was waiting.
So here we are today… after another awe full night of fighting the pain and trying to get rid of all these cables and tubes I’m feeling slightly better today. Although it was a busy day with doctors and nurses hustling and bustling I’m glad they are finally getting my dosage of medication right. Seems the combination of morphine and Valium does the trick more or less but I’m not sure if I’ll have a peaceful night tonight. If only I could get rid of all these dreadful wires… luckily mom is by my side 24/7. She the real hero in my story (and my entire life for that matter)!
If all goes well I’ll be able to come home from the hospital sometime next week. Recovering at home is still my preference but it is what is is right now. At least I have these great memories of our fantastic trip to UAE earlier this year, to think back on and I can start dreaming of my next adventure… It might not be this summer but as soon as I’m well enough to travel and the covid 19 pandemic is more or less behind us, I will continue my tour around the world. Maybe Asia or South America this time… or wait… an African safari also sounds great… Oh boy, I can’t wait to get better, get up and see all those wonderful places and taste all those beautiful cultures. As the saying goes… you only live once, better make the most of it!
I hope you enjoyed my blog and apologies again for the months of silence. I’ll keep you posted on my recovery and on my next plans for sure!
Stay tuned!
Jerom