Sometimes it is good to look back into that rear-view mirror to see how far you have come and what the Lord did to get you there! On December 16, 2018, I had a run in with an 80-pound yellow Labrador retriever. She was a very exuberant young dog and she wanted to greet me. Of course, she was not aware that I had hip revision surgery only 5 weeks before. I tried to stop her as she bounded toward be, but it was no use. Bang! Down I went on that newly implanted titanium hip. Crack! went the femur! The largest and strongest bone in our bodies was not capable of standing up to the ‘axe’ that the implant became. The femur was fractured, cracked and broken in two pieces.
A room full of shocked friends began praying for me. Several men helped me up off the floor to a stool where the pain seemed manageable, but the break was obvious to onlookers. My toes that should have pointed straight ahead, were turned outward to the right! An ambulance was called, and I had my very first trip in this amazing medical buggy!
Getting me onto the stretcher had to be one of the most painful moments of my life! Standing on that leg for more than a second was excruciatingly painful. Once I was strapped down on the stretcher, the pain was minimal. The kind gentleman that sat in the back with me kept assuring me that it did not appear to be a break as I did not seem to be in much pain. Of course, he was unaware that I have a high threshold for pain. After several previous operations, I somehow adjusted to the pain.
Each time we approached a pothole, the attendant would give me a warning. When we drove by without much pain, he encouraged me again, ‘it doesn’t appear to be a break’. But it was a break!
In the ER my husband was with me. He tried very hard to keep me engaged and my mind off the pain. We called everyone that needed to be called and I waited to be X-rayed (PAIN), then waited to be seen by the doctor after the x-ray was read. Finally, the doctor came in and said the dreaded words…operation needed to repair the break. You are being admitted.
It was a Sunday evening. I was expecting the operation the next day, but it was not until Tuesday. Monday was a blur as I could not get out of bed, I could not eat, and I was on major pain meds.
Finally, the repair was done, and I began to mend. The staff that came in and out attending to me were just great! They helped any way they could. My husband was there most of the day! I don’t know how he did it. I hate sitting in the hospital! I’m pretty sure the photo above was the day after surgery! Excuse my appearance!
Five days later I went to Allied for re-hab. Twice a day physical therapy and then walks in the halls in the evening. It was a pleasant time to be there as it was Christmas time! There were very few people having elective surgery, so I was in a room by myself. The place was decorated, the staff was pleasant and accommodating, and there was an activities coordinator that made sure we had fun things to do. I even won a dog at BINGO!
Christmas was coming and I knew my family would be in. What would we do for the holiday? Would my grandchildren come to see me? What would they think?
By this time, I was dressing in street clothes. The grandchildren had been prepped as to what to expect of Nana. The younger boys (4 and 5) stood at the end of the bed and stared. Finally, the older one said, “I thought she didn’t have a leg”. They had no understanding of what to expect when they saw me. Once I assured them, I was the same old Nana, and I wanted their hugs and kisses, all was well. They wheeled me down to a community room decorated for Christmas. The boy’s thought it was cool that they could go into a room and get snacks by themselves, using a code! They brought the entire Christmas dinner up to me, and all the gifts as well! My Christmas was still a beautiful expression of family and faith in the face of adversity!
If you know me in person you know I am back to all the business of family, faith and friends as I was before the accident. God had His mighty hand on me every inch of the way and I will always be thankful for His care. I was reading in Nehemiah for my Bible study when the accident happened. He had me intrigued as he went back to Jerusalem to re-build walls to protect the city after they had been broken down. I could relate! I know that God was beside the doctors as they ‘rebuilt’ my femur, and God rebuilt my life.
I must give a shout out to my mom. She drove to see me every day and brought me her ‘labor of love’, kefir, that she made herself. Of course, my husband spent every evening with me as my days were occupied with my ‘work’ at physical therapy.
Looking back, I realize that we are more durable and resilient people than what we even imagine. I was blessed by the people that cared for me, visited me, prayed for me and believed that I would recover. God was… no, God IS Good! I hope you can be encouraged by my story. God will do it for you too!
Family Christmas Dinner at Allied Rehab. BTW, the drink is Welches sparkling cider!
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