Healing is Hard Work (Migrated from PostHope)

 ....harder than I had imagined.  I've been home for close to a week now, to be honest I've sorta lost track of the days.  There is much brewing inside of me in terms of reflection, but there is so much to heal on the inside of my body and I am learning to live with a certain level of pain.  The energy for written reflection stirs emotions that I am keeping at a distance for now.  Any "heaving" in my chest provokes pain in the muscles and tissues that have been cut to remove the tumor and affected organs.  

So I am busy at the hard work of healing . . . figuring out which tasks are on my NOT to do list is of utmost importance, but sitting with my laptop keyboard here in the recliner I inherited from Nana (my grandmother) has comfortably moved to my "to-do" list today.  I have follow-up appointments with the surgeon and my primary care doctor (one of which will be in-person in San Francisco, hopefully to have my remaining 12 stitches removed) this week. 

So my days are filled with a lot of sitting/resting/reclining (a.k.a. letting my body heal).  I watch the clock for my next round of meds - nothing too spectacular, mostly just tylenol and ibuprofen to keep my pain level hovering around 4-5 and other stuff to keep my newly sculpted digestive system running smoothly.  

In between the sitting/resting/reclining I get up and walk around the house and perform light weight tasks that keep my body and mind from too much atrophy.  I am eager to ask about some physical therapy to see what I can do to strengthen these muscles as they heal.  Oh, and there is this fun little breathing apparatus that I'm supposed to use to keep my lungs healthy and pneumonia free.  It's sorta like a game and for the first time I have imagined having grandchildren someday who might like to play this game with me.  

Thank you for all your prayers and cards and texts and phone calls and words of encouragement and practical helps that have been offered.  I'll wrap this up here. I haven't had a nap yet this morning, so perhaps it is time for that.  I just wanted to say "hi" and let you all know that I am well, doing the hard work of healing, sustained by your prayers and God's love. 

In the bold confidence of God's care, 

Dawn Noelle