As I am in my last week pre-surgery, I found this in an article written for doctors from a psychological point of view – it was aimed to be a help for pre-and-post-operative considerations. Since I have been “considering” this A LOT in my pre-surgical state, I was curious if it matched up for me.
The surgical journey for any patient encompasses much more than the physical dimensions of prepping for, undergoing, and recovering from the procedure. Overlooked far too often, yet vitally important, is the psychological element embedded within this journey. Patients can experience a broad range of emotional responses at various stages of their surgical experience – from anxiety and stress in anticipation of the operation, to depression, fear, or even trauma in the aftermath.
The need for surgery, whether elective or emergency, can thrust patients into an emotional whirlwind that can significantly impact their surgical readiness, recovery process, and overall well-being. Understanding and effectively managing these psychological factors is not just the remit of mental health professionals, but is an integral aspect of comprehensive patient care that all physicians and surgeons should be equipped to address.
Anxiety? Yep – check that one, especially after I was told to go off all ibuprofen or pain meds, all nutritional supplements, all meds 2 weeks prior to surgery! I barely can hobble across the room as it is with all those helps. Add to that having seen the titanium parts they will “hammer” into place, anxiety goes up the scale big time.
Stress? Check that one, too. How will I re-arrange my schedule for work? How long? Can I get essential items done in advance? What kind of mountain of untended email, texts and responses will greet me on the other side of this? Answering the questionnaires and responding to hospital and doctor communications – daily – just adds to the stress.
Fear? Oh, yeah, big checkmark. How much is this going to hurt? How long? What if….? (fill in a thousand items here)
Emotional whirlwind? That is the best description. I go back and forth between all the positives trying not to let the negatives pop up and overtake them. Whirling around the physical difficulties I have now are the mental difficulties listed above. No matter how many positive results stories I hear from others, I hear a few negatives as well, but over it all is my own inner message “yeah, but will that happen for me?”
I know I need to stay close to the Lord, and yet I drift away so quickly and easily.
I find this from Moody’s commentary that pulls me up short: “Regardless of the exact nature of the affliction, the purpose was clear: trials come to keep Christians dependent on God.” He was addressing 2 Corinthians 1:8 where Paul was telling the church members in Corinth about the hardships he and his team suffered in the province of Asia. They were so bad they “despaired even of life” and felt in their hearts “the sentence of death.”
I think to myself – yep, that could describe pre-surgery after the disclaimers and risks discussion with the doc.
Yet Paul said “But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.” They trusted the Lord to deliver them and He did. OK, I am convicted. When my eyes drift away from the Lord, I get caught up in that emotional whirlwind.
The key – rely on God. Paul is a beacon of light for me in that regard. And as he goes on to discuss his “thorn in the flesh” which never goes away (2 Corinthians 12:7-10), he sees it as something that was to keep him from becoming “conceited”. He says he can truly boast that “in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties….” when I am weak, then I am strong. And that strength comes from relying on God.
This stops my listing of complaints and whining if I focus on the fact that I can bundle them all up and put them in the Lord’s capable hands. And stay humble. It is helpful that I can take my eyes from the individual pieces and look up to the big picture.
Yet, the “why” of it all still creeps in. Why do I have to have this physical situation that has gone south? What did I do that made this happen? I fall into that trap of looking for the person/incident/situation to blame. And how to avoid anything this terrible happening again in my life.
OK, I just stepped into the “Israelite” sandals in which I so often I find myself walking.
Blackaby’s devotionals have taught me that God allows us to suffer difficulties and hardships for a purpose. Those poor Israelites wandering in the desert so long revealed they did not really know Him. If they had, they would have had more faith. God needed to get them to a place where they were prepared for His next assignment for them.
Deuteronomy 8:2 identifies it – “The Lord your God led you on the entire journey these 40 years in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands.
Sadly, I remember how long it took them as they walked with Him to come to understand that their lives depended upon His Word – it was the most important thing they had. Sure enough, when they entered the Promised Land, they had to wage war against their enemies. They learned God’s Word meant life and death – and they were ready to listen to Him. Result? Astounding victory.
I am needing to apply this lesson to pre-surgery (and probably post-surgery as well). Am I humble? Pain can sure do that. Has it revealed my heart? Oh, yes, believe me – all the dark corners and eventually the light! Have I learned God’s Word is the most important message – and I can depend upon it? It is the key to my life and death questions. Finally, am I ready to listen to Him? That humble mindset and teachable spirit are most necessary. I am trying to stay in that humble place.
So to His Word I go. So much more scripture than I can share here but an impactful one is James 1:2-4 – “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” Verse 12 – “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”
Now I think of my dear friend who left this earth for heaven a few months ago. When I walked into her hospital room right after her admittance, she was sure she would be given some treatment or adjustment to meds or whatever and be back home shortly – maybe not even spend the night at the hospital. Despite the fact she had beaten the 6 month expectancy her cancer doctor had given her 3 years earlier, she never dreamed that in one short day, she would be moving over to hospice care, and not at home. It became clear to me and her family far more quickly than to her. It was hard. As we all settled into a hospice facility with her, it became real. We had more of the earnest talks. And it became a reality that she was heading toward her True Home.
As I reminisce, the Lord brings me to Psalm 139:16 – “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” I feel rest in those words – I am settled. I know God has this; He is in control and I can trust Him for whatever comes my way.
Now, I come to Blackaby’s summary questions he asks on this topic:
- Is God presently testing you in some area of your life?
- What has His testing revealed?
- Have you become bitter toward God because of where He has led you?
- Or have you come to trust Him more as a result of what you have gone through?
My hope is that you may benefit from this perspective on our tough journeys – I am so glad He gave me Paul, the Israelites and His Word to walk me through tough places.
