Recovery With a Schedule

One week ago I was in the emergency room.  Several hours later, I was beginning my recovery from surgery.  Labor Day weekend was no vacation for me.

After a week of pain medication and my husband being around, my schedule is a little off kilter.  I have managed to get up NEAR the same time as usual, but I am physically incapable of keeping the pace that I had set for myself.  I’m having to do it in bits and pieces and not sweat what doesn’t get done (i.e. my bathtub is a mess, but the stitches make it almost impossible to bend over and clean it.  On the positive side, I can’t take baths – showers I am allowed – so I don’t technically have to look at the bathtub).

I got the “all clear” from the doctor on Thursday to start building back up to my regular activities.  He said it would probably be about three weeks before I could start exercising again, and I can’t drive until I’m NOT taking medication, but I can pick up my baby now.

The hardest part for me was trying to maintain a schedule when every one around me was determined that things be different.  My husband was in no hurry to get up in the morning since he did take off from work.  My kids were more than happy to spend all their time watching television at grandpas.  I was just about to give up on keeping this family on track when I got a little nudge from my bible study.

God is at work around me – right now – even when I feel like nothing is going on around me.  He is also calling me to join Him in what He is doing – even when I don’t feel like I can do much of anything.  The excuses to not do what I know to do will always be easier.  It seems that just when I tackle one excuse, ten more line up to take its place.  The key is choosing to listen and obey HIS leading and HIS calling and not fall into the pit of excuses so eager to swallow you up.

I got up Friday morning and began my push to do every thing I could do.  My family vacated the house – which has been their operational procedure for this whole week.  I pushed myself a little farther each go and sat down or lay down for a little less.  Things are looking better, and I have the weekend to get them back on track completely.  Tonight is bath night, so I’ll let the kids scrub the tub while they scrub themselves – that whole two birds with one stone theory.

The surgery was not something God did to me to make me slow down and pay attention, but you can bet He was the first to take advantage of it.  How much easier would our lives be if we slowed down BEFORE the accident so that we could avoid it all together?