Body Signs

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Hyunjin was aware. For a long time his body was sending him signals that he would ignore.

It had started with his right side occasionally feeling numb or as if it was tingling.
Then he couldn't even get out of bet because of hiw exhausted he felt.
He blamed that on stress.

A few weeks later his hands and legs started to randomly spasm or tremor and the feeling of dizziness have been clouding his mind ever since.
But hey, he hasn't been sleeping nor eating well, he has been dancing every day for at least ten hours for months without a break. It is norma and judging from the others they are pretty much the same... just a whole lot better.

Yet, he didn't want to be a bother and further burden his members. They didn't need to worry. Nothing was wrong with him really.

And everything was good. Everyone thought he was just tired like everybody else.
It all changed an afternoon he went to dance practice with Minho and Felix.

It had been his first day off in six months and all he wanted to do is sleep in his bed till the next day but when Minho and Felix proposed to him to go practice, even if he felt like a corpse he couldn't let them down.

They have been stretching for five minutes when suddenly Hyunjin felt and excruciating pain in his spine followed by a tingling sensation.
It was so sudden he couldn't help himself but gasp.

"Hyun?"

"Ugh."

"Hey, are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"I am okay. I just felt a sudden pain. It passed."

"Did you strain that area?"

"No, I don't think so, my spine just started to hurt."

"Okay, we'll take it easy today and tomorrow and if it keeps bothering you we'll see a doctor."

They did take it easy... it was Hyunjin who couldn't even keep up with the practice.
From that afternoon and on, everything had started to go downhill.

.

"Hyunjin be... careful."

"I'm sorry Minho-"

"No, hey it's okay. I am just concerned for you, this feels like the millionth time you've lost your balance today. Are you okay?"

"Yes."

"Does your back still bother you?"

"No, I'm okay."

.

A week later Hyunjin was at the dorm with Felix where they decided to cook.
Felix was about to get the cake out of the oven when it slipped out his hands and almost fell on his legs.
Thankfully or not Hyunjin was able to catch it with his right hand.

"Hey, Felix did you get hurt are-"

"Hyujin!"

"What are you-"

"You've been holding the cake with bare hands. Here let it go. Hey, let it go, aren't you hurt?"

"N-no."

"What how is that possible? Look at your palm, that's going to scar-"

"I don't feel any pain nor a burning sensation. In fact I feel nothing."

"Oh my God! Do you think you've damaged your nerves? Let's, go to the-"

"No! My whole right arm feels... like nothing, it's numb."

"What?"

After some pressuring Hyunjin went to the nearest hospital where they were told that the feeling loss was most probably cause by the shock and it shouldn't be worrying them.

Yet, when Hyunjin associated this with the symptoms he's been getting he knew it was finally time to visit a real doctor and finally have an answer.
He had scheduled a meeting with a neurologist in the hospital in a week, only that he would have found himself there again much earlier.

.

"Guys, where's Hyunjin? We must leave in fifteen minutes."

"I don't know Chan. I didn't see him at all today. Neither did Seungmin and he was asking me about him."

"Oh... um... I am going to check up on him then."

"Okay Chan. I'll make you breakfast. "

.

"Hyunjin? Can I enter? Hyunjin? Ugh, sleepyhead, I'm coming in."

And Chan did enter Hyunjin's room, with the belief he was still asleep, only to find him breathing heavily on the fool.

"Oh my God, Jin what happened?"

"Chan... I need help. I feel horrible, I can't do this anymore."

"Did you fall?"

"Yes, I- am just so weak I can't even pick up my head."

"Shh, it's gonna be okay, alright? I'm going to pick you up and carry you to the car. Then we are going to go to the hospital okay?"

"Thank you, thank you so much."

.

"Doctor? What's wrong with him? Is he okay?"

"Are all his emergency contacts?"

"Yes. What's wrong?"

"Mr Bang, after multiple tests and an MRI to be 100% sure, we have concluded that Mr Hwang has multiple sclerosis. "

"What's that? Is he going to be okay?"

"Multiple sclerosis is chronic autoimmune disorder, a condition in which the body attacks itself by mistake, a condition of the central nervous system. MS is an unpredictable disease that affects people differently. Some people may have mild symptoms. Others may lose their ability to see clearly, write, speak, or walk when communication between the brain and other parts of the body becomes disrupted."

"Is there a treatment?"

"There is still not an actual treatment. However, since he's a young man, who is very active and healthy in general the odds are on his side. There are some medications that could help him and he could also use certain equipment, such as braces or walkers in case he needs more support or if he loses sensation and mobility on his legs, at last rehabilitation is a good way to get back important functions if that is ever needed. Also, I believe it would be good for him to visit a therapist weekly. He has shown signs of depression, something very common among MS patients."

"Is...is he going to die?"

"No! No, no, no. Thankfully, multiple sclerosis has almost no effect on someone's life expectancy."

"Oh, thank God! Can we see him?"

"Sure."

.

"Hi, guys."

"Oh Hyunnie, hi."

"How are you feeling?"

"I am okay actually Jeongin. "

"Really?"

"Yes, Lixie. I finally have an answer about these horrible symptoms I've been getting. At least I'm not crazy."

"Oh course not! The doctor also adviced me-"

"I know Chan. I will go to therapy. I don't want to be left behind, nor leave our group, I'll do anything-"

"You will as long as you put your health first, something everyone should start doing."

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