Background Story – Part 1

For more than a decade and a half,  I worked in the technology sector. Like many in that field, my life revolved around long hours—often 10 to 14 hours a day. Stressful deadlines, irregular eating, junk food, and no exercise. It was a typical technology professional’s lifestyle.

The first signs that something was wrong appeared around 2007 when I began experiencing persistent lower back pain. Sometimes the pain was sharp and radiated down my legs. Over the next three to four years I visited multiple doctors, went through X-rays, physiotherapy sessions, and various treatments. Most provided temporary relief, but nothing seemed permanent.

Around 2008–2009 I developed high blood pressure. Doctors advised exercise and dietary changes, but work pressure (an easy excuse) made it difficult to implement those suggestions consistently. By mid-2009 my blood pressure had reached 160/105, and I started medication.

By 2010 my weight had climbed to 86 kg. That same year a severe episode of back pain left me on bed rest for two weeks. An orthopedic doctor diagnosed disc degeneration of L5–S1. He warned that if the pain recurred at that level of severity, surgery was the final option. He even advised me against running—“not even to catch a bus,” as he put it.

That was the moment I began to realize that my health was steadily declining.

Around mid-2010 I made my first real effort to change course. I began exercising, reduced junk food, and started walking regularly. I also explored Ayurvedic treatment for my back pain.

In September 2011 I took a career break that lasted until March 2012. In hindsight, that break turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made. It helped me focus on health, a new interest in photography and solo non-temple travel. By end of 2011, I had visited all 82 divyadesams (Vishnu temples in Tamil Nadu) wanted to travel outside of the temple circuit. 

Coming back, by mid-2012 I had lost about six kilograms. Daily walking helped stabilize my blood pressure, and I was able to stop my blood pressure medication. During this break I also underwent Ayurvedic massage therapy, which significantly improved my back pain—reducing it by nearly 90%.

These experiences changed the way I looked at life. I realized that life was a marathon and not a sprint, and I have to slow down. 

By mid-2012 I stepped away from full-time corporate work.

Over the next year I spent time traveling around Tamil Nadu, visiting temples and historical sites. Life had slowed down, and my health had improved considerably.

Then, in August 2013, circumstances shifted again. A close relative underwent surgery, and I stayed with them for few months to help during recovery.

What initially seemed like a pause in my life turned out to be another turning point.

During that period I focused even more on my health. In early 2014, at the age of 41, I started running for the first time in my life. And for pleasure. 

Over the following year I lost nearly 15 kilograms, going from 78 kg to around 63 kg. Running became a daily habit. Ironically, just three years after being told not to run at all, I was participating in 10-kilometer races. My personal best in first race was 60 minutes and 3 seconds.

Things seemed to be moving in the right direction. I started thinking of planning for my early adulthood dream - traveling all over india, especially north India 

Then, in April 2015, life threw a completely unexpected curveball.

I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis, an autoimmune disease under the Inflammatory Bowel Disease category. Unfortunately, there was no cure for it.