Recipe for Success, Story Time

A Tale of Two C’s        

An Ending and a Beginning!

Waiting another six weeks to ensure adequate healing from the first surgery, surgery number two was performed. This would be her third abdominal surgery, having had her gallbladder out over a decade before. This time when the surgeon went in, everything was stuck to everything else. Adhesions and scar tissue made what could have been as little as a one-hour surgery into a four-hour ordeal.

Before she was even wheeled to Recovery, the surgeon called her husband and indicated that she might have to be kept overnight due to the extreme pain she would be in when she woke up. It was true, the pain was astonishing. Before she was even truly awake, the nurse was asking her if she knew what the pain scale was and if she could give her a number.

Later she reflected that she hadn’t remembered anything but that. She hadn’t remembered speaking to the anesthesiologist at all. Just that pain scale question. Twice.

When she was alert enough, she was asked if she wanted to spend the night. Her spouse had already told them that she would not want that. He was right. An emphatic, “no, thank you,” followed by an excruciating nurse-supervised trip to the loo, and she was released.

The next two days were . . . challenging. They had given her extra pain medication which was very welcome. It was two days before she could even take a full breath, but after a few days, the healing progressed in a somewhat predictable fashion. They were waiting with dread for that next two-week follow-up. Mercifully, a message came through after just one week and one day, they found no cancer or pre-cancer in anything they took out!

Laughing, sobbing, and whooping elation! (There was a rumor going around that her husband may have danced around the room – she could neither confirm nor deny).

The end . . .

Okay, not really. After that came a few days of just overwhelming relief. The relief was so profound that no other emotions found room to be felt. During her post/pre-operative appointment between the two surgeries, the surgeon said something so important. “Healing is not just physical.”

The supporters she had in her corner were key to her healing process. So much love was sent her way. Many of them spoke positive words over her future healing and her procedures. Her healthcare workers did the same. It made a significant difference.

A period of emotional relief and numbness was followed by the start of the grieving process that inevitably follows anything traumatic.

She and her partner had prepared. Therapy sessions had been booked, and some excellent advice was followed. They had prepared something to commemorate the good news and planned for something to look forward to even before they knew the news would be good. This was another critical part of the healing, a matching tattoo was scheduled as well as a short restful getaway to a beautiful place with a pool and a wellness spa.

The story continues . . . but in the real world. If you made it this far, thank you for sharing in my journey. If you have questions or would like to reach out, we can connect at jay@pbforlife.com. I am still healing but I am anxious to get back to my advocacy work. I have missed my community deeply and I look forward to reconnecting and sharing in our joy and our challenges!