The Price of Hard Work and Success - A Life Without Regrets Continues with Pain

Has the inevitable moment finally arrived? It was just a few days ago. During my monthly medical check-up, I noticed something strange. My blood pressure was unusually high. Usually, my systolic pressure hovers around 130, which always reassured me, but this time, the doctor told me it was 157. Oddly enough, the doctor didn’t seem overly concerned and let it slide without comment, so I didn’t think much of it and went home.

That night, I decided to measure my blood pressure again, as I had been doing frequently of late. To my dismay, it was still in the 150s. Feeling a bit worried, I took a light dose of 25mg antihypertensive medication and reassured myself that I’d be fine. I continued working, occasionally watching TV, when suddenly, I felt an inexplicable discomfort in my body. I measured my blood pressure again and it was 170, which was 40 points higher than usual! A cold sensation started to spread through my body, as if ice was entering my veins. This wasn’t good. Was my blood pressure still rising? Another measurement showed an alarming 192.

It dawned on me that this is how people with high blood pressure will die of a brain hemorrhage or a subarachnoid hemorrhage. Both of my parents had died from subarachnoid hemorrhage. Considering the worst, I texted my younger son, who lives with me, to tell him to take care of things if I didn’t wake up in the morning. When I went to bed, my hands felt cold due to the high blood pressure, and I was shivering. I decided that if I could sleep and wake up alive, I’d be grateful, and tried to fall asleep anyway.

The next day, I woke up safely, but my blood pressure was still high. I immediately went to a nearby hospital for tests. Although no specific cause was found, I was prescribed more antihypertensive medication. However, despite taking the prescribed medication, my blood pressure didn’t decrease that day. I decided to monitor it until the next day. Fortunately, by the second night, it had dropped to 150, though still high. I tried to find the cause, but there was no way to know, just as no doctor could tell me.

Before this blood pressure incident, I had experienced another serious event that still lingered. Two weeks prior, I woke up one morning with a painful neck, thinking I had slept wrong. I use a pillow that suits me perfectly and have always had good sleeping posture, so I had never experienced this in decades. I thought the pain would go away in a few days and wasn’t too worried.

However, the next day brought an unprecedented level of pain around my neck and shoulders. I am accustomed to pain and rarely give in, but this pain was so severe that I occasionally screamed out in agony. Even the painkillers I had on hand, like Loxonin, didn’t work. Unable to concentrate on work, I went to the hospital for tests.

X-rays revealed that a previously mild cervical spondylosis had worsened into a cervical hernia. Though I wasn’t experiencing arm numbness, the doctor decided to skip an MRI and prescribed stronger painkillers. Unfortunately, these too had little effect, and I endured days of severe pain. Seeking a second opinion at another hospital yielded similar conclusions. Different medications provided varying degrees of relief, but the fundamental issue remained. Online research suggested that while pain without numbness might subside eventually, it could take time.

4 days ago, when this ordeal had already been going on for 10 days, I experienced another strange symptom. As the pain started to subside and just as I was thinking that it would go away soon, my neck, shoulders, and back suddenly felt a cool sensation, similar to using a cooling patch or anti-inflammatory tape, lasting for hours. The next day, I noticed extensive numbness in those areas. The numbness seemed to bypass my hands, directly affecting my neck, shoulders, and scapula.

I began to worry that my cervical herniated disc might have rapidly worsened, leading to numbness in my neck and shoulders beyond just the tingling in my hands. To make matters worse, I started experiencing urinary issues at the same time. Simply put, it took a very long time for me to urinate, and the amount was small, causing me to go to the bathroom frequently. At first, I just thought it was a bit weird, but by the second day, I was convinced it was a medical problem. I searched for information online and finally started to get a clearer picture.

First, I realized that the sudden spike in my blood pressure was caused by the cervical herniated disc. Severe pain can lead to high blood pressure. Therefore, by properly adjusting the dosage of my blood pressure medication, it could be managed, and I no longer had to worry about it. However, the widespread numbness centered around my shoulders indicated that the symptoms of the cervical herniated disc had likely worsened. This also explained the urinary issues I was experiencing. I understood that if left untreated, the chances of natural recovery would decrease, and I would eventually need surgery. Moreover, surgery for a cervical herniated disc carries the risk of residual effects, making it something I should avoid if possible.

I just visited the hospital, and after explaining my symptoms and history, they promptly scheduled an MRI for two days later, with results available the same day. While the exact diagnosis is still uncertain, it’s likely a cervical disc hernia or possibly a rare cervical rheumatism.

Regardless of the diagnosis, I’ve realized one thing clearly: continuing to strain my neck will lead to more severe issues, potentially requiring surgery. Thus, I can no longer run, as it shocks the neck. I must avoid bending forward while working to prevent worsening my straight neck. Long hours of work are forbidden, as is sleep deprivation. I need to relax and let the muscles around my neck loosen, perhaps by taking long baths. A list of lifestyle changes is growing, and implementing them is crucial to avoid severe consequences. The real battle is just beginning.

I’ve written a lot, but if it helps someone, I’m grateful. I know best why I developed cervical hernia. There are three main causes. First, long hours of computer work over many years. Even now, I work 5 to 10 hours daily. I’ve reached my limit. In the past, I’d work on my laptop for 10 hours straight on flights. The result is this hernia. Looking back, it’s amazing I kept doing that over 20 years.

The second cause is hard work on Takegashima, where I’ve spent a decade clearing and maintaining the island. Words can’t describe how hard it has been. This arduous task involved cutting through dense woods to turn a jungle into a nature park, requiring a strong mind. As a result of repeated cutting and clearing brush with a chainsaw, I hurt my neck. Since using a chainsaw is dangerous work, it requires intense concentration while looking down and exerting force with both hands and feet. Doing this for extended periods caused my neck to stiffen up. Consequently, my neck has stiffened many times in the past, and I had to get it loosened up by a local massage therapist who frequently warned me about it. This, too, reached its limit.

The third cause is long-distance running, including marathons, trail runs, and the recent 1,200 km pilgrimage. Long runs strain the back and neck immensely. Running a pilgrimage means 12-hour runs a day. Partway through, I gradually became unable to support my neck, causing me to run with my head down. This placed immense strain on my neck, and the stress persisted for long durations. There’s no excuse for my body. After enduring these three grueling tasks for many years, my neck finally gave in, saying, “I’ve had enough!” and surrendered.

Now, people may wonder why I pushed myself so hard. They might say it’s my own fault, but there is something important I want to convey: I ended up with cervical hernia, I have no regrets. If I had known beforehand that it would come to this, would I have avoided these three rigorous tasks from the start? It’s easy to answer. Even knowing the outcome, these three hardships were an inevitable path I had to walk, and I would have undoubtedly undertaken them.

First of all, I have to take responsibility for my company and there are still many tasks that only I can handle. My company is still like a teenager in human terms. One wrong move and it could become a delinquent or drop out, given its fragility and numerous growing pains. Therefore, I must remain involved and that is my responsibility. Additionally, Takegashima is my island, so it is my duty to showcase its beauty to the world. This is something that only I can do. So, no matter how hard it gets, I endure and maintain the island. Even if it means hurting my neck and making multiple trips to the hospital. Finally, trail running and pilgrimages have given me invaluable experiences and profound emotions with tough efforts for running across the country’s mountains and Shikoku’s pilgrimage routes. These experiences are so wonderful and beyond words that I would pay any price to make them my own.

A life without regrets might be something a sword master said. I have no regrets about my life. Despite the neck pain, I understand its causes. That’s why I willingly face this suffering now, and the days of endurance continue. Even so, I have no regrets. The path I’ve walked so far is wonderful, and I am confident that someday it will blossom greatly. As I write this long manuscript on the plane, I still find myself wondering why I’m doing it.