My first time going under the knife
I have always like to think of myself as a manly man. Most men do. We like to do manly things. We like to get dirty, eat meat off a bone, watch sports, play with the TV remote control and grunt a lot. It makes us feel manly to do these things. We have no fear that we will admit to except snakes. I can admit that with not problem. Even though we don't admit to many fears all men have that one fear that makes our knees weak and hands sweat. I had mine. Luckily for me, it was one I had never had to face before so it was easy to hide. But after 44 years, 7 months and 12 days I had to face it. It
was surgery. I had never had one before and I was glad because it scared me to death. Before this past week I only had one hospital stay and it was sugary free. Even the thought of surgery made me want to run and hide.
Where did my fear come from? Like most fears it come from the unknown and not based on any facts or real possibilities. I feared not going to sleep or waking up in the middle of the surgery and not being able to let anyone know. Now, do I know anybody that has happened to? No. Have I read about that happening? Nope. Did I see a TV special on it? Never. Has it ever happened before? I don't know but I did know I didn't want it to happen to me. So where did the fear come from? I don't know but it was there.
So a few weeks ago I had a stomach pain like I had never had before. No other problems just a very sharp pain just under my chest plate. Nothing made it go away until it decided to leave on its own. Over the next few weeks the pain came back on different levels but never like first pain. That was until last Saturday night. I have had broken bones. I have had concussions. I have had 210 degree sun burns (Ok, maybe not that bad but it felt like it.) I have had severe headaches. I have ate spicy food that burnt me on the inside and out. I have hot bacon grease pop me in the eye but I have never had a pain like that. My wife and daughter tried to get me to go to the ER but I kept telling them it was wearing off. That was wishful thinking on my part. I tried to sleep but I couldn't. Around 2:00 am my wife came into the living room to inform me that she was going to take a shower and then we would be leaving for the ER. I, the manly man, said, "Yes, Ma'am." So off we went.
I arrived to the ER and begin answering the same questions to everybody who came by. I hope I get a lot of birthday cards next year because I think everybody in the ER asked me my birthday. I received some pain meds and the pain finally started to leave. At that time I went into preacher mode. I was asking the nurse what time I could get out of there to make sure I could get to church in time to preach. In my mind I was already trying to figure out what was the latest time I could leave the ER and make it to church on time. Even while having a CT scan I was going over my outline. I had just about talked the nurse into letting me go when the doctor came back and told me it was my gallbladder. I nodded in agreement not really knowing what I was agreeing with and turned to my attention back to the nurse to continue my bid to leave when the doctor said he was calling the surgeon. The nurse smiled and told me I wasn't leaving. My wife began to make the needed calls.
In my mind I still had a chance to avoid surgery. The surgeon still had to look at the CT scan and decide if the gallbladder needed to come out. It was that small hope that kept me from curling up in a ball and crying like a baby. So in the hospital I went to take some antibiotics in preparation for surgery. On Monday morning it was confirmed that I was to have my gallbladder removed. I was expecting to be scared. I was expecting to be nervous. I was expecting to scream like a little girl, in a manly way. None of that happened. In fact I was able to talk to people without crying and hiding under the covers. Why?
Was it because I had confidence in my doctor? Dr. Bast is one of the best but that wasn't it. Did I have confidence in the hospital. No, in fact, the only reason I was at Caldwell Memorial was because when my wife thought it was my gallbladder she wanted Dr. Bast to be the one take it out. Was it the pain meds? No, I had not had any since Sunday morning. What was it? Grace. I knew I was praying. I knew my family was praying. I knew my church was praying. I knew that other churches was praying. I knew a request had been put out on Facebook and people all over were praying for me. I also knew II Corinthians 12:9 "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." I was able to face my biggest fear without blinking an eye because of the prayers for God's grace to be upon me and because of the promise that His grace is sufficient.
The same thing can happen to you. No, not a gallbladder attack but God's grace carrying you through something you don't think you can face. His grace is sufficient and will carry you when you can't take another step if you allow Him to carry you. Prayer can bring that unexplainable peace that can only come from His grace. I want to thank everyone for the prayers. They were answered. I want to thank God for His grace. Once again it was sufficient.
Parting Thought: Prayer only works when you try it.
Where did my fear come from? Like most fears it come from the unknown and not based on any facts or real possibilities. I feared not going to sleep or waking up in the middle of the surgery and not being able to let anyone know. Now, do I know anybody that has happened to? No. Have I read about that happening? Nope. Did I see a TV special on it? Never. Has it ever happened before? I don't know but I did know I didn't want it to happen to me. So where did the fear come from? I don't know but it was there.
So a few weeks ago I had a stomach pain like I had never had before. No other problems just a very sharp pain just under my chest plate. Nothing made it go away until it decided to leave on its own. Over the next few weeks the pain came back on different levels but never like first pain. That was until last Saturday night. I have had broken bones. I have had concussions. I have had 210 degree sun burns (Ok, maybe not that bad but it felt like it.) I have had severe headaches. I have ate spicy food that burnt me on the inside and out. I have hot bacon grease pop me in the eye but I have never had a pain like that. My wife and daughter tried to get me to go to the ER but I kept telling them it was wearing off. That was wishful thinking on my part. I tried to sleep but I couldn't. Around 2:00 am my wife came into the living room to inform me that she was going to take a shower and then we would be leaving for the ER. I, the manly man, said, "Yes, Ma'am." So off we went.
I arrived to the ER and begin answering the same questions to everybody who came by. I hope I get a lot of birthday cards next year because I think everybody in the ER asked me my birthday. I received some pain meds and the pain finally started to leave. At that time I went into preacher mode. I was asking the nurse what time I could get out of there to make sure I could get to church in time to preach. In my mind I was already trying to figure out what was the latest time I could leave the ER and make it to church on time. Even while having a CT scan I was going over my outline. I had just about talked the nurse into letting me go when the doctor came back and told me it was my gallbladder. I nodded in agreement not really knowing what I was agreeing with and turned to my attention back to the nurse to continue my bid to leave when the doctor said he was calling the surgeon. The nurse smiled and told me I wasn't leaving. My wife began to make the needed calls.
In my mind I still had a chance to avoid surgery. The surgeon still had to look at the CT scan and decide if the gallbladder needed to come out. It was that small hope that kept me from curling up in a ball and crying like a baby. So in the hospital I went to take some antibiotics in preparation for surgery. On Monday morning it was confirmed that I was to have my gallbladder removed. I was expecting to be scared. I was expecting to be nervous. I was expecting to scream like a little girl, in a manly way. None of that happened. In fact I was able to talk to people without crying and hiding under the covers. Why?
Was it because I had confidence in my doctor? Dr. Bast is one of the best but that wasn't it. Did I have confidence in the hospital. No, in fact, the only reason I was at Caldwell Memorial was because when my wife thought it was my gallbladder she wanted Dr. Bast to be the one take it out. Was it the pain meds? No, I had not had any since Sunday morning. What was it? Grace. I knew I was praying. I knew my family was praying. I knew my church was praying. I knew that other churches was praying. I knew a request had been put out on Facebook and people all over were praying for me. I also knew II Corinthians 12:9 "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." I was able to face my biggest fear without blinking an eye because of the prayers for God's grace to be upon me and because of the promise that His grace is sufficient.
The same thing can happen to you. No, not a gallbladder attack but God's grace carrying you through something you don't think you can face. His grace is sufficient and will carry you when you can't take another step if you allow Him to carry you. Prayer can bring that unexplainable peace that can only come from His grace. I want to thank everyone for the prayers. They were answered. I want to thank God for His grace. Once again it was sufficient.
Parting Thought: Prayer only works when you try it.
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