It’s two weeks into my new job! However just before the company retreat, there was a slight attack by the devil as the sebaceous cyst at the centre of my back suddenly became infected. It was actually harmless for many years, no idea when it was first formed. I had to sleep on my side as it’d hurt if I sleep flat. I went to see the GP who gave me some antibiotics. After 5 days, the cyst was still infected and became slightly painful. I went back to the GP and he gave me a letter for me to go to A&E for a saucerization day surgery to remove the carbuncle. I became slightly worried and troubled, and now I know how those people feel when they receive a bad report from the doctor. I took a while to decide whether to go to A&E immediately or not, since it didn’t seem super serious. Called my insurance agent for advice and he told me to go to a private clinic instead, since I have coverage. But have to wait till the weekday.
So I decided to wait till the weekday and call the private the clinic. The doctor from the clinic told me to wait till the infection subside, so that it is easier to just insert a needle, poke a hole and remove all the stuff. Anyway, it was starting to get less painful so I decided to wait. Finally on friday, my mother-in-grace asked me to go to my wife’s uncle, who is a doctor, to take a look. He and everyone else there convinced me to poke a hole immediately and remove all the pus on the spot. Haha. I took a while to decide and I said yes.
So we began the procedure in the clinic and I could see the whole process through a camera and a large TV in front of me. Thank God for local anaesthetic, for I did not feel much pain when the doctor inserted the needle. Apparently, the hole was too small, so he decided to cut a small 1cm hole so that it is easier to squeeze the stuff out. Then he had to insert a scraper of some sort into the hole and try to dig stuff out. It was gross. It took a lot of squeezing and manipulating to squeeze everything out. He had to cut the hole slightly bigger as the cyst tissue was quite complicated. Lots of yellow smelly pus and thick blood came out. He also used a special vacuum tube to suck everything out.
After about 30 minutes, the procedure was complete and my wife had to continue to press on the wound to squeeze any remaining blood out. It was alot. Over the next few days, she has to repeat the same pimple-squeezing-like procedure whenever we change the dressing. She enjoys it though.
After 1 week, the cyst finally disappeared and my back is almost flat now. Praise the Lord.
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Jesus didn’t have any local anaesthetic when he went to the cross. At the cross, he took the full effect of the pain experienced when the nails pierced through his hands and his feet. He experienced all the pain when the soldiers strike his back. And by his stripe we are healed, without pain and without shame.