Vera Odilichukwu is my sister from a different mother. A very different mother. Her mom works for mine but who would know. We grew up together, been together for 18years. We had our first crushes, kisses, heartbreaks, dates and all together. We shared everything....or so I thought. I'm a typical sanguine. I'm as goofy as you can imagine. I'm the kind of girl that tries skinny-dipping, the kind of girl that does the craziest things just out of sheer curiosity I was free-spirited until it broke my spirit...
It started in the summer of 2012. Vera and I were in Dubai, having the time of our life. We watched the sunset in the evenings and went to the bars at night. Vera is a very conservative or like I like to call it 'jeje' person but my influence makes her do even the worst things *evil grin*. It was a regular day like every other. I woke up with a terrible headache but I thought it was as a result of the too many drinks I had the night before. It didn't feel like a 'hang-over headache' (all you drunks would know what that feels like). It felt like a weird kind of migraine.
'Lolade, you should see a doctor oo, you look very pale' Vera exclaimed. My friend was shivering already.
Before I could stop her, she called the hotel and they referred us to a nearby hospital. The doctors calmed us and said it was a migraine. They advised me to go easy on the drinking and I listened to them....for three weeks. I went back to my partying hard and not going easy on the Vodka...I'm a Spirit-kinda girl.
We had to travel back the following week and I had an almost similar episode on the plane back to Nigeria...it wasn't as bad as the one in Dubai. This just seemed like euphoria and headache from getting some 'high' just before the flight...
Vera had warned me earlier that day
'Lolade, marijuana again? Shey you promised me you would stop ehn? Do you want to get yourself killed?' She lamented.
'Its medicinal jor....or not and this is THC baby' I winked at her.
She was simply tired of me being so headstrong. She had begged and even threatened me to stop with this kind of life but I'm so set in my ways...I'm sure you figured that out already.
My normal life continued...my stressful life of living on the mainland and working with a top financial house. Nothing changed exactly, my mom still pestered me about getting married, my boyfriend kept acting like a douche and I kept sleeping with my boss.
Don't judge me, I had to keep my life interesting.
My drinking habits honestly reduced, I started eating healthy and exercising regularly....all these my goody-two shoes attitude ended in January 2013 and I went back to being the old me...I had a reputation to up-hold jare.
Even though I still kept exercising on weekends, I rounded off my sessions with THC and Sunday afternoon with my married boss. For all you Vera-like human beings who has no idea what THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) is, Its the active ingredient in marijuana. The amount of euphoria you get from marijuana depends on the percentage of THC in it. Imagine doing THC itself.
I was exercising on a Saturday when I had one of those headaches again. I ignored this same headache for the umpteenth time, determined that nothing would ruin my anticipated Sunday afternoon. Right there on the treadmill, I blacked out....
Imagine blacking out and waking up in the hospital, I opened my eyes to see my mother and Vera. They both looked tired. I did not feel like myself but I was about to open my mouth to tease my mom and I couldn't talk....I had lost control of my voice, what came out of my mouth was gibberish. I wanted to stretch out and hug my mom, seeking for her comfort but my muscles seemed flaccid. They did not listen to me or even obey the command my brain was sending across to them. Then it dawned on me, something is wrong with my brain.
A very young cute doctor came into the room, I was so upset I couldn't flirt with him. In due time, that was off my mind when I heard him say to my mom 'your daughter suffered debilitating ischemic stroke at the base of her brain. I'm sorry but the consequences are unpredictable, she may recover completely or with some disabilities'.
His lips were moving but I could not hear a word he was saying again...
I have come to terms with it. What am I saying, do u ever come to terms with the fact that you are 28 and living with stroke?
For months I experienced the locked-in syndrome, I could move ONLY my eye balls for days...this was difficult for someone who is always up and about.
I'm just recovering from my locked-in syndrome and decided to share my ordeal with everybody on manny's blog.
So here I am,listening to Vera complain about her almost-perfect life...She's married now with two beautiful girls and her husband is a bloke. She keeps complaining about being on her feet all day and her husband's numerous demands...
I wish I was on my feet and someone needed me for something, instead of me being totally dependent. Don't mind my friend, she's not being insensitive, she's just excited that I can articulate my words again.
Yeah, I got my articulated speech back but nothing else remained the same at least not yet. I have learnt to be hopeful and to depend on God and watch a lot of TBN too. :D
I'm writing this to all so you would have yet another reason to live and eat healthy. A healthy lifestyle helps, so here is another reason to lay off alcohol, drug and tobacco.
Please note: All characters in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to any character living or dead is A MIRACLE.
The writer: Tomi is a fresh graduate with a great passion for writing and photography. She is a world-changer who is set to make a difference.
Visit Tomi at doanphotography.wordpress.com
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