Post-Surgery Reflections

Last week, I finally had foot surgery after putting it off for years. Now that I’m on the other side of the surgery, I’m thankful it’s over and wish I’d done it sooner.

Following are thoughts on why we delay and the benefits of having a hard thing behind us:

Causes for delay:

Fear of the Unknown
When you’ve never experienced something before, it’s easy to allow fear to take control. As fears multiply, you begin to think of reasons why it would be better to wait for another, easier time. I thought about rescheduling my surgery many times, but ultimately, having to reschedule pre-op visits with several doctors, and not wanting to go through more waiting, pushed me to go ahead with the surgery.

We can always think of excuses for delaying health related procedures, and other challenging tasks, but don’t allow fear to cause you to put off what needs to be done.

Horror Stories
Have you noticed you hardly ever hear positive reports about surgery? People love to relay horror stories of their experience or those of others. Even my surgeon said, “Oh, you’re going to feel like a truck ran over your foot!”

If we listen to negative stories, we’ll never move forward. Remember, your scenario is unique to you and your experience may be much better than that of others.

Amplified Dread
I confess, I dreaded the post-op pain, and pain med side-effects more than the surgery. However, dread was worse than reality. The pain med was sufficient to control the pain level and I didn’t experience the side effects I expected.
Many times, dread prevents forward motion, but when you don’t allow dread to get the upper hand, you move ahead and discover what you expected isn’t there at all.

Inconvenience
Surgery is inconvenient. It interrupts the regular flow of your days and forces you to accept a new normal. But inconvenience is short-lived. Soon you adjust to what is different and move toward healing and a more normal routine.

You also learn not everything has to have your touch to function. Embrace down time and let others “do” for you.

Post–Event Benefits:

Rest
We all need rest, yet we often squeeze more into a day than we can handle while adequate rest goes ignored. When circumstances hand you an opportunity to rest, take it. Enjoy rest without worrying about what you are leaving undone. There will be time to catch up later.

Reflect
When a hard thing is over, don’t forget to give thanks. Reflect on God’s goodness to you and his faithfulness in seeing you through. Express gratitude to those who have prayed for you, prepared meals, or showered you with other acts of kindness. Then, as opportunities come, provide the same sort of support for them.

Trust
Sometimes, when facing challenging circumstances, we fail to trust God. We spend a lot of time conjuring the worst possible outcomes instead of entrusting our future to God. Next time you face surgery, or some other event you wish you could avoid, trust God for what lies ahead and rest in knowing He is smoothing the path before you.

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand” (Isaiah 41:10 NLT).

©CandyArrington

Candy Arrington is a writer, blogger, speaker, and freelance editor. She often writes on tough topics with a focus on moving through, and beyond, difficult life circumstances. Candy has written hundreds of articles, stories, and devotionals published by numerous outlets including: Inspiration.org, Arisedaily.com, CBN.com, Healthgrades.com, Care.com, Focus on the Family, NextAvenue.org, CountryLiving.com, and Writer’s Digest. Candy’s books include Life on Pause: Learning to Wait Well (Bold Vision Books), When Your Aging Parent Needs Care (Harvest House), and AFTERSHOCK: Help, Hope, and Healing in the Wake of Suicide (B&H Publishing Group).
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