'I have to practise how to walk again': Coco Lee undergoes surgery to resolve painful birth defect

While some netizens wondered about her alleged marital problems, Coco Lee had other things to worry about.

The 48-year-old singer shared about the congenital issue in her left leg in a Weibo post yesterday (Feb 23) and how it has deeply affected her entire life and career. After ignoring it for years, she recently decided to undergo a surgery to resolve it.

In her Weibo post, she wrote: "Today, I am going to face my greatest challenge in life, which is also my greatest fear. I was never afraid of any difficulties and solved them one by one. But this time I became weak and I kept escaping from my problem, but now I can escape no more."

The pain has haunted her since she was a toddler. She shared that she was born with a birth defect in her left leg. Her mother had realised there was a problem and sent her for surgery when she was two years old. However, the surgery failed.

"One of the most difficult parts was when the doctor inserted a thick metal rod through my left heel and placed it in a leg cast, so I could not move at all. For a kid, that was torture. I felt that time crawled and days felt like years."

It was a lonely experience for her to be hospitalised for many days.

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She recalled that every night she cried herself to sleep as she missed her mother and sisters. She had felt sympathy towards the other 200 kids at the hospital ward too, whose cries she could still remember.

"When I was finally released from the hospital, I could not walk at all and was afraid of pain. However, I had to learn how to walk again. The whole process gave me great pain and trauma," Coco admitted.

She revealed that she relied on her right leg to support her entire body when she danced and sang on stage. After every rehearsal or performance, her right leg hurt terribly. Yet, she said, she never allowed anybody to see her struggle in pain as she wanted to present her best self.

However, Coco revealed she aggravated her left leg and her hip joint even shifted when she was rehearsing for a performance last October.

She confessed that she has simply tolerated the pain all these years, but right now it is impeding her from leading an ordinary life.

When she was young, doctors had said it would be impossible for her to dance — but she danced anyway. She felt that it was due to her willpower and hard work and fate rests in her own hands.

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Coco quipped: "Whenever someone says I can't do it, I need to prove to them that I can… I am going to face reality with courage, and regardless of the outcome, I will accept it. I hope that I can return to the stage… I hope that I can spread positive vibes and that everybody can wait for my return.

"Attitude decides everything. Right now I am a female warrior, facing a big challenge again. Human beings have their weak moments, that is unavoidable. However, we need to remember that the sun appears after the dark clouds."

She expressed her resolve to overcome her challenges step by step and return to the stage quickly and continue shining.

She continued: "I am going to face a new beginning in my life. I have to practise walking again, and hope everybody can accompany me as I get through this arduous journey.

"I need all of you even more now. You will always be in my heart and I love you all. I am like the Great Wall of China — infallible!"

Coco's sister revealed that she underwent surgery for her pelvis and thigh in Hong Kong yesterday. She would likely be hospitalised for a week but physiotherapy would take six months at the minimum.

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jolynn.chia@asiaone.com

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