I want to apologize to those on my list for the break in receiving my daily blog. I was writing a number of articles to cover the time of my hospital stay after surgery, when an unexpected set of circumstances sent my life into a tail spin. On the morning of May 15th, the day ahead of my surgery I came to the realization that my catheter had become blocked. The trip to the hospital allowed me to experienced levels of pain that made the surgery a play in the park. Thus no extra articles were written.
I am so thankful for nurse Stephanie in the emergency room at Toronto General Hospital. She was like an angel in a time of great need. Not only did she address the physical challenge, but celebrated with a short dance and a hug when the pressure had been relieved. Words of encouragement and high fives throughout the day meant so much. She also pushed for the emergency doctor to contact my surgical team, who in the end agreed to let me stay in the hospital overnight. This alleviated much stress for our family. Thank you God for Stephanie who stood in the gap for us.
The surgery proceeded as scheduled and was three and a half hours in length. I am grateful to the team of doctors and those who assisted through that successful procedure. I was sent home on the Saturday May 18th and sat at the back of the church for the service the next day. Your prayers and support made this possible. Thank you.
I will not go into a lot of the details, but the doctors are talking about a six week recovery process and then will talk about what lies ahead. As I write this article it will be a week since the surgery. I will admit it has been a long week and I have not been on top of my game every second of the time. However, I suspect my progress has been significant when everything is considered. The fact that I am writing this on my computer, having climbed the 16 steps to get to the office is an important milestone. Having not had any pain killers since I left the hospital is allowing my body to detox and my mind to begin to be less foggy. This is important for me. So much to be grateful for.
While is article is more of an update on my progress. There is one very powerful thought I want to leave you with. Thank you Joel Bauer for this training tip. I am seeking to understand at greater depths, as I apply this practical and important concept to my recovery process: “I am a progressionist.” Finding the little things that reveal forward movement, and improvement, even an inch at a time, is extremely important. There have been many of these “inches”this week that give me hope and strength to keep on going. Be mindful of little increments forward! Always be a Progressionist!