Lessons from Hip Replacement - Part Two

My right hip continues to improve, as it continues to gain strength and flexibility. It has gone so well, that the left hip is now scheduled to be replaced on April 12th, just nine days from today!

One of the joys of having a new hip is a return to walking. For most of our married lives, Beth and I have walked. We have walked to the store. We have walked the dogs. We have walked to friends' houses. We have walked in silence. We have often walked to resolve some issues, or to talk over something. We have never been good at sitting down for a face-to-face chat about disagreements, but have found walking to be a productive and healthy way to engage with one another.

So walking again has been a joy. And doing it pain free has been even better. The other day, we walked for two miles. I had been unable to walk that much for a long time. How I walked so much in Minneapolis this summer is a great mystery to me. Perhaps the healing waters of Minnehaha helped? Or perhaps the healing aura of the Presbyterian Church's General Assembly?

In order to walk that two miles, I had to relearn how to walk. With no cartilage in my right hip before surgery, it was very painful. And so, to compensate, I learned how to walk without putting too much weight on my right leg. I would take a long stride with my left leg, and then do almost a quick step with my right leg. I would spend much more time and weight on my left leg than on my right. I also did not pick up my right foot, but rather shuffled it.

But after surgery, my physical therapist forced me to put more weight on my right leg, and to spend more time in my walking stride. It was rather awkward at first to trust a leg that I had learned not to trust for so long. And I was initially reluctant to do so! As I practiced walking in the dining room, to the kitchen, to the bathroom, I had to not just walk, I had to think about walking!

One morning at church, I was observing little Lana walking about as only a 13 month old can. She, too, had discovered the joys of walking, and was intent on exploring this suddenly larger world! As I watched her, I thought to myself, "She's only 13 months old, and she walks better than I do!" And it was true.

Still, after now eleven weeks of relearning to walk, I am walking properly with my right leg, and with some speed. The other day, Beth commented that we were walking quite quickly, which has always been my norm. Being a Meyers-Briggs type "J", my goal is to get somewhere, not to enjoy the process.

Alas, the recovery has not been without cost. Whatever cartilage remained in my left hip has all but disappeared, hence the April 12th surgery date.

I have wondered about this learning to walk in spiritual terms. In my woundedness, have I compensated? Have I learned how to get by? What does it mean to live a healthy spiritual life? So as I am relearning to walk, I am also reexamining my spiritual attitudes and practices, and trying to discern which are healthy and which need to be overhauled.

It is difficult to abandon practices which have become habits, and to learn to do things "the right way." This is true for walking, but also for attitudes and behaviors in life. While I thank God for Dr. Dietrick and his team at both Congress Medical and Huntington Memorial Hospital, I am also thankful for the Great Physician, Jesus Christ. Only He can operate on the soul, and repair broken hearts, and heal old wounds, and make the lame walk, and set the prisoner free.

Some of what I am learning as I continue to recover from hip surgery. [SDG - JS]