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 Kilimanjaro calling! A journey from Dr. Hooglands operating table to the peak of the shining mountain in Tansania |
Inspiring patient story about pain, fear, ambition and the big happy end
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Mr. Oliver Blam with his surgeon Dr. Thomas Hoogland |
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The preparations for the Kilimanjaro-climb started in March 2004. I’ve been dreaming about it for years and was finally able to convince one of my best friends to come along. We planned to meet our wives for a weeklong tent-safari after climbing the Kilimanjaro and even add some beach-days in Zanzibar. A real dream-vacation!
A small pain in my left leg appeared out of nothing and could not be associated with any special occurrence. The pain was still very irrelevant so I did not pay much attention. We flew to Mexico for a vacation and the pain was fast forgotten.
A stronger pain in the left leg returned in Mai, in the middle of my wedding-preparations. I went to visit a Doctor and was sent to a physical therapist, who hinted, that the pain is most likely coming from my back. I got the full treatment of exercise, massage and heat – the pain increased from day to day. The pain became an obvious disturbance just in time for my sensational bachelor party in Hamburg. As things progressed, I had to wait for five seconds after sitting in order to be able to move halfway pain free, on the day of our dream-wedding in June 2004.
The pain increased rapidly during our honey-moon in beautiful Greece and I quickly consulted with an orthopaedist upon return, who arranged an MRI examination. Heavy equipment was pulled out, I had to take strong pain medication, the obligatory physical therapy and – as things did not improve – CT-guided nerve-injections were added. The physical tension was joined with fears and stress: by that time I had missed two months of work. In today’s society you can easily become a welfare case. The pain increased to a point where even the strongest medication no longer relieved it.
This is when my orthopaedist advised conventional surgery. When I confronted him with minimal invasive solutions that I found on the web he shrugged them off as “Star Trek and James Bond”. Other consultations did not offer any help. I finally enquired at my private health provider (kudos to the staff here!), who confirmed the Alpha Klinik’s professionalism and specialization. They also informed me that an element of risk always remains and that I would have to carry some of the costs myself.
The pain became truly unbearable by the end of August. I finally reached for the phone and contacted the Alpha Klinik, team Dr. Hoogland. Everybody was very friendly and helpful. I mentioned my plans of climbing the Kilimanjaro and an upcoming wedding that I could not miss and was taken serious. An examination was planned for the upcoming Wednesday and – if indicated – the surgery would be on Thursday. Finally, Dr. Thomas Hoogland operated my herniated disc L5-S1 endoscopically on the 2nd of September. Shortly after surgery – I have been pain free ever since this moment – a very nice nurse asked me to get up and walk to my room. I thought her to be mad and asked if she was sure at least twice. So I left the operating theatre by foot, wearing a specially fitted corset. On the evening of the same day– although still anxiously and carefully – I took a walk around the block. Sounds crazy, but it is true. In the company of my wife I took the ICE train back to Frankfurt the very next day and enjoyed the wedding of my sister in law on September 11th.
I finally went back to work in October 2004 and postponed the Kilimanjaro-climb for another year, due to safety reasons, although I had the okay from Dr. Hoogland to do it the same year.
I finally accomplished my dream and climbed the Kilimanjaro in December of 2005. All went according to plan, all except for meeting the wives for an extended vacation: In the meanwhile we became the happy parents of a little girl named Laura…
Oliver Blam, Frankfurt a. Main
Germany
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Mr. Blam and a guide after the ascend of the Kilimanjaro |
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The peak of the Kilimanjaro, 5895 meters above sea-level |
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