THROUGH THICK AND THIN

CHLOE TAN, 28, was diagnosed with bowel obstruction in January 2021 and underwent two emergency surgeries. She was worried that her condition would impact her relationship with her then-boyfriend Ang Jin Liat, but he demonstrated unwavering commitment and they recently married.

While pursuing her master’s degree in the Netherlands, Chloe started experiencing frequent abdominal pains that were accompanied by vomiting and gurgling noises from her stomach. The doctors at the local hospital repeatedly told her she had food poisoning and kept turning down her request to be warded, so after a week of excruciating pain, she decided to return to Singapore.

“The doctor at Changi Airport had me sent to Changi General Hospital immediately. I went through various X-rays and CT scans, and received the correct diagnosis with a need for emergency surgery,” she explains.

All was well for the first couple of days until she was informed that she was at risk of sepsis due to an infection – leakage had occurred because her intestines were not