1st Big Race, and a Jellyfish Stole my Paycheck

It started just like any other race day. Conditions seemed good and I felt ready. After a short warm up jog with Mok and then a swimm, we headed to the start line and squeezed our way to the front.

When the horn sounded we charged into the water and started stroking away. The plan for Mok and I was to go easy at the start before going ahrd after the turn. We were pacing each other quite nicely on the first stretch, though i was sandwiched between Mok and this angmoh who i was jockeying positions with. This kinda distracted me a bit and before i knew it Mok was about 2 body lengths ahead of me.

I lengthened my stroke and pulled harder to catch up. I was making progress as I could tell I was getting closer.

Then it struck.

I felt a line go around my neck and my right shoulder. Then it was as if someone switched on the electricity and I felt a very painful jolt. I stopped and grabbed the lane rope and sat on it. One of the swimmers in the pack behind paused to ask whether I was ok. I told him that it was a jelly fish sting. I tried to swim again but it was way too painful to continue, and i knew my day was done.

I waved to the seaboat nearby that I needed help. They brought me onboard and we headed back to shore. At this point i was in extreme pain, with my right side twitching uncontrollably. Tha pain was insane I tell you.

Some of the officials on the shore were more shocked than I was. They just stood there and stared while I was spasming in pain, so i shouted at them on where was I suppose to go. Really, imagine being in so much pain but still having to manage the situation. I wass rushed to the medical where they started pouring vinegar on my stings. I started shaking, spasming, twitching all at the same time and i started to cry from the pain. I have never felt this bad before.

Some of the team who havent started their waves came over. I could sense that they were quite shocked. I must have looked quite a mess, but I was quite uncontrollable at this point. The MO's and medics there were pretty good, they were really caring and good at reassuring me. JJ came over to watch over me while the rest still had their races to get to.

All of a sudden I felt numbness across my chest and it ot quite difficult to breathe. The whole medical stuff jumped into action, sticking needles and patches all over me to watch my parameters. They stuck these tubes up my nose to deliver oxygen to help me with my breathing. I was having an allergic reation to the jellyfish venom. The whole of my upper body felt numb. I could only remember starting up at the celing while the staff tried to take my BP and vital stats and inject me with stuff.

After a while then the numbness subsided, and I could sit up once again. After a while more of observation they let me go, though with the advice that i should seek medical help if I have a reation again.

My whole body was a mess. My sense of balance were off and i stumbled everywhere. The medicine they gave me was pretty strong, and I was drowsy throughout, in addition to the pain around my neck and ears.

Thanks goes out to the team for taking care of me and being there for me when I really needed it. The presence of you guys made it that much better to go through the shit i was in. I had never hit so low before, being in the immense pain I was in. At that point, the race didnt really matter to me, but it was more of the pain that I had to get through. I was listening to the emcee reading out the names of our team memebrs as they crossed the finish line, and from what i could tell it was another good day in the office for our team.

Thanks also must be to the Naval Medical Staff who were quick to act whenever my condition worsened and really took good care of me.

Last and definitely not least, thank God for keeping me alive and safe. Things could have gotten worse along the way, but it didnt. He also gave me a network of good friends who stuck by me along the way.

Now the pain is much lesser as compared to as previously. Though the pain is still there, though milder, and im probably used to it already. Hope that i'll recover fully soon to continue training for aviva next week, which is admittedly the one race that i have been aiming for since last year.

PS: not much photos for sing bi this year. i was either away from the cameras or not in a mood to be camwhoring. saddd. and i lost the chance to make some winnings for this year's race. dammit.