Recovery - Day 6

My knee is beginning to feel a little better. My gimpy limp is settling down a bit. However, I'm still moving along like a turtle. I'm becoming braver doing stairs too. I'm not favoring my right leg as much or using my arms on the rails as much and I'm not doing one step at a time anymore. Yep, that's how my post-op progress is going!

On a spiritual note, I read some great stuff out of a little old book entitled, In His Steps, by J.R. Miller. The chapter title was, Growing in One's Place: Providence and it speaks the same message as did the quote by Samuel Rutherford that I mentioned in my previous blog. Anyway, here is some of what I read:

Many people imagine that they could live very much better if their circumstances were different. In their failure to live a noble and worthy life they find comfort in laying the blame on some infelicity or hardness in their lot.

This is very foolish. For one thing, it does no good. Blaming circumstances will not change them. After all, they are our circumstances, and we must live out our life in the midst of them. Besides, God in his providence has put us just where we find ourselves, and unless we claim to be wiser than God, we must conclude that we are in the right place--at least, that it is quite possible for us to live a true Christian life where we are.

God does not choose for us the place where we can have the most pleasant time, with the least friction and the fewest weights and encumbrances. Life on the earth is a school, and He puts us where we shall receive the best training. The easier place might be more comfortable, but the harder place does the more for us--makes the more out of us.

When I think about my present circumstances I realize that things could be so much worse. I have to keep things in perspective. But since these are circumstances I wouldn't have chosen for myself, for I would have chosen simpler and easier ones, it is the harder place for me and will hopefully prove what I have just written profitable and thus do more for me and make more out of me. At least, this is my hope and prayer.

Post-op Recovery and Here

I am on post-op day 5 recovering from my arthroscopic knee surgery I had on Tuesday, July 31st. At the moment I am icing my knee which requires sitting down with my leg elevated. I thought I would redeem the time by posting on my blog which has been so neglected due to my "running sabbatical."

After the procedure was over, the doctor came in as I was in recovery with some bewildering news. He told me he had good news and bad news. He said the good news was that I didn't have a meniscus tear after all. The bad news was that I had a condition called chondromalacia patella. He briefly explained what that was and as groggy as I was caught only pieces of what he said. Basically the cartilage under the kneecap has softened and is beginning to break down a little in some areas. Apparently, you can't see this by xray or MRI. Only a scope can diagnose it. I'll be needing some PT and have to be on NSAID's for a while. Recovery can be lengthy. The doctor didn't think I'd be able to get in that marathon any time soon. :(

Hmm...today I read this quote:

The great Master Gardener, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, in a wonderful providence, with His own hand, planted me here, where by His grace, in this part of His vineyard, I grow; and here I will abide till the great Master of the vineyard think fit to transplant me. Samuel Rutherford, The Loveliness of Christ

A transplant sounds really good right now, to be moved from this place, here, and be put on a path where condromalacia wasn't invited. But as the quote says, "the great Master of the vineyard" must "think fit" to do the transplanting.

I will get my stitches out this week and then I can resume swimming to at least try and maintain what fitness I have left after sitting on the side lines more than I care to. I have purposed to keep my eyes fixed on Christ, stay close to Him by prayer and be in the Word as much as I can. It has been an interesting time for me. I have also resolved not to let this get me down. I can't afford the enemy to find any breach whereby he can bring discouragement and depression my way. And he will try to find anything to ensnare God's people. God has planted me here so here is where I'll be - content and knowing that He is mighty to save, mighty to heal, mighty to sanctify, mighty to revive, and mighty to love. With His Hand I am here and with His Hand I will grow - here.