Tuesday, August 25, 2015

I Don't Hate My Guts Anymore - Health Update

Rejoice with me!

My surgery on July 29th was a success, and I'm well on the way to recovery.

Today I had my last follow-up visit with my surgeon, and he has cleared me, as I feel able, to go back to work, exercise, and activity.

I still have various post-surgery aches and pains, get tuckered out easily, and need to be careful how I add things to my diet, but I'm feeling much better, have lost 34 pounds, and am happy to have regained a properly working digestive system. (I guess I won't write that book on Resisting Diverticulitis after all).

I have so many things I'm thankful for:

- My remarkable wife who walked with me every step of this difficult Summer.

- Prayerful and caring friends and family. Visits, cards, calls, a load of gravel, help for Heather, and so much more.

- A supportive team of church elders and a congregation that have given me time and space to heal.

- The skillful hands of my surgeon and the expertise of his medical team.

- An amazing set of nurses and aides on the third floor at Dubois Hospital. Today, I dropped off a few dozen donuts to say thanks for their excellent care for me those 11 days I live under their watchcare. They have a difficult job, and they do it with panache.

- Lessons I've learned in the school of affliction. As I begin to feel better, I don't want to forget them.

- These and so much more are my Lord's mercies which are served up fresh and hot each day.

I'm really excited about to getting back into full time active ministry: preaching the word, equipping the saints, shepherding the flock, and making disciples of Jesus Christ.

I know that each day I get is a gift, and I resolve to use them for what really counts--His Kingdom and His righteousness.

4 comments:

Great news - good to hear it and may all continue to go well :-)

I wouldn't want to wish these kinds of medical frustrations on anybody, especially pastors, but it sure has opened MY eyes and heart to the suffering of others after going through what I did! And it's the same for you. We're better men because of it. Praise God. Woulda thunk it? All those verses on suffering actually are true!

Totally true, Bob. It also opened my eyes to work/vocation issues, as well. I was already thinking about those things in new ways because of Made to Flourish and your re-integrate resources, but watching the medical professionals in action around me in the hospital was awe inspiring. What hard work and hard workers!