Last April 24 to 25, our church held an overnight children’s camp in our church. I was one of the coordinators (since I am the head of Christian Education). Most of the time I was standing up. I felt a lot of stress on my leg and feet, but it didn’t bother me (no pain).

Second day of the camp, we had a morning run, and I wasn’t able to catch up with them. I was with no run for so many years, that a short jog made me catch my breath. At the church the same morning, I played skip rope with the kids. I was able to make a lot of skips. But that’s the time I felt my right knee and right foot a bit sore. I stopped and everything went on.

Evening, still at the church, finishing some materials that will be used in tomorrows awarding ceremony (kids already left for home, it was Saturday), I felt pain on my right knee and right ankle. But I was so tired I didn’t mind it. Sunday morning came and we did the awarding during the church service. Afternoon,me and my wife took a nap. Upon waking up, that’s the time I felt more pain, not on my right side, but on my left foot. I thought It was just because of the skip rope. Monday, around 3 am, I was awaken by a tremendous pain on my left foot. It was so painful that I am actually growling (that woke up my wife). The last time I felt that pain, also on the same foot, was when I worked (just for one day) on a chiken meat processing plant (I was assigned to the freezer, pushing stacks of cart filled with chicken meat). It took me almost an hour before I was able to sleep again (my lack of sleep due to my work might have overcome that pain). At around 7 am, I woke up again, growling in pain. I tried to stand but I can’t stand the pain on my left foot once I press it on the floor. I walk skipping and using only the toe on my left foot.

The whole day passed with the same pain. I took some pain reliever (that relieved “some” of the pain) but its effect was short. I wasn’t able to go to work that night due to the pain and the fact that I can’t walk. The pain was persistent for two days. By tuesday morning, the pain subsides but I can’t still walk. I was absent for three days at work.

I went to the doctor and the suspect was (mild) gouty arthritis. I am overweight by almost 30 kls. My blood pressure was high (140 / 100). My uric acid is almost above normal. I was told to go on diet.

Gouty arthritis refers to a form of arthritis caused by deposits of needle-like crystals of uric acid.

I am only 25 years old and I already feel a lot of pain in my body. I should have taken care of my health before it was already hard to control.

The pain on my foot had already subsided, but there are still stings on both of them, maybe due to the gout.