My Health Struggles As An Adult!

We’ve all had challenges at some point in our lives that we eventually overcame with time…

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….they say a man without challenges is a man without a future, and yada yada. I consider it all bollocks. Not all challenges can be overcome, some are a result of genetic dysfunctions such as allergies, and sometimes physical disabilities which we simply have to live with for the rest of our lives without a choice.

I am one of such people. From getting sick easily to the daily knee pain, occasional allergic reactions, and being hypertensive. I didn’t choose to be this way but sometimes nature has a greater plan for us, thus begging the question “are we really at the top of the food chain or simply robots operating in line with an instruction manual?”

Here are some of my struggles

Getting sick easily

I’ve always gotten sick easily since my childhood, it’s a surprise I even survived at all. At a point in my life, I used to get admitted to the hospital every month. I’d suddenly wake up one morning and begin to throw up all over the place while having a very high body temperature that could cook a plate of rice and spaghetti (forget I said that).

I’ve always been allergic to every little thing hence I begin to sneeze once I’m exposed to excess air or a little dust. Teachers do not flog/scold me while I was in high school cos’ they know I’d skip school for the next week due to sickness.

I’ve been admitted to the hospital more times than a normal person would. I’ve always been a delicate person, and though I’m getting stronger as I grow, my health cannot be compared to that of other people my age.

Knee pain from childhood

I’ve always had knee pain since nursery school (that’s as far as I can remember). Walking a long distance makes me uncomfortable, almost like I was designed with a weaker body. As a grown-up, I still have knee pain every single day for no reason at all. I sometimes wake up in the morning with knee pain, go for lectures come back then Kaboom knee pain again. This knee pain is sometimes accompanied by backaches especially if I go through unplanned stress.

Being Photo-phobic

My eyes have always been light sensitive since childhood which I ignored but eventually got worse coupled with a refractive error which the optician calls astigmatism. I ended up using glasses with a focal length of …….I won’t tell you.

Looking younger than my age

Most people think I’m younger than my actual age, you’d be surprised if I told you how old I am. I’m not short and I’m not too tall either. I’m s above lightly average but I’ve got a small stature and a young-looking face, making me look like I’m just 18 or 19 when I’m actually ………I won’t say.

It’s can be sometimes annoying as I sometimes do not get the required respect cos’ these teenagers think they’re talking to another teenager. A girl I once taught was initially treating me like we were age mates perhaps because I didn’t care and always liked it when people feel free around me. During one of our conversations, I told her when I got out of high school and at my age at the moment and she began to apologize while treating me with special respect I didn’t request (I didn’t intend to make her feel bad).

I once got a job in a school about 7 years ago to teach Physics and Maths. The interview went well but the principal later told me the students initially thought I was a new student, I felt embarrassed on hearing this. It’s seven years later and I’ve gotten a lot bigger but I still look younger compared to other people of my age.

My cousin whom I’m older than with one year+ looks like he’s two or three years older than me, and will beat me up if we ever got in a fight.

Being hypertensive

After going through a series of chest pain and irregular heartbeat, it was discovered in 2018 that I’m hypertensive. I’m on permanent medications and have to use them every day or my blood pressure will spike for no reason.

It’s weird cos’ I have to spend a lot on those drugs every month (the pharmacy loves collecting my money). Though I’m not a big fan of football, I sometimes want to play football with my mates out there but I can’t cos’ I’d probably overwork my heart and kaboom …….you guessed right (I won’t say the word).

Getting tired easily

My parents took note of this since my childhood, once I tell them ‘I’m tired,’ they instantly understand and I have to relax immediately or I may end up being hospitalized. The hospital was like my best friend while growing up with my skin being pierced by needles and Injections more times than I can remember.

I still experience this but not as much as when I was younger. The deal is I mustn’t stress myself or lift heavy objects and must have enough rest at night (advice I cannot take). I feel like a robot that comes with an operation manual that malfunctions when Instructions are not followed strictly.

Allergic reactions

I’m not sure if everyone goes through this as well but I’ve got some really weird reactions to things around me that I sometimes feel I’m on the wrong planet;

I’ve got a very sensitive stomach hence I can’t eat okra and vegetables or I’d have a real stomach upset and will have to flood the restroom with ‘you know what.’
I’m not asthmatic but I sometimes have difficulty breathing on exposure to dust, pollen grains, and excess heat.
I feel cold easily hence I have to put on socks all the time or I wouldn’t feel comfortable, and neither will I be able to sleep at night.
I feel irritated seeing cobwebs that my nose begins to itch immediately. I think it’s psychological but at the time of writing my nose itches me as well cos’ I was unlucky to get touched by a web somewhere around the house and I’ve been irritated ever since.
My nose itches when I eat popcorn or simply smell them, which means I’d have to rent a personal cinema hall if I ever want to see a movie cos’ it’s gonna be popcorn here and there.

And so on… I can be extremely stubborn and often run my mouth to prove a point but I’m not as strong as you think. These are some of my everyday struggles. Welcome to my world, Kristoffer’s world.

First published on my read.cash blog!

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