I received good news twice this past week. First, I had my six-week check-up with the surgeon who performed my total knee replacement. He was very impressed with my progress and said that he normally has his patients return to be checked again at 12 weeks, but since I am doing so well he said that wouldn’t be necessary. In other words…he “kicked me to the curb” and doesn’t want to see me for a year. Hallelujah!
The next day I had my final physical therapy appointment. My therapist put me through all of the various exercises to strengthen my knee and leg and then it was the moment of truth. If you’ve had a knee replacement you know which moment I am referring to. At the end of the session they measure to see to what degree you can straighten your leg and to what degree you can bend your leg. Those two numbers tell whether the patient (me in this situation) has been doing the home exercises that were assigned at the beginning. They had measured me two weeks prior and were happy that I was measuring 0/115 so I was anxious to see my progress. The therapist measured and smiled which is usually a good sign. My measurements were 0/126 and she said that was impressive at just six weeks after surgery. I was very happy!
Obtaining that range of motion didn’t happen overnight. In fact, after the surgery I really doubted I would ever be able to bend my knee again. Why? Because my knee was so swollen and the thought of even trying to bend my knee made me feel a little sick. To say I had a lot of pain, is an understatement, and I just couldn’t imagine that in six weeks I would be able to use my leg and knee much at all. But they told me that how well I could eventually bend, would depend on how determined I was to get full use back of my leg. I would have to do what they told me to do…be willing to go through the pain of rehab…keeping my focus on what I wanted to accomplish.
I had had others tell me how much they dreaded physical therapy following their surgery, but I never did. I didn’t enjoy the pain that was involved, just like I didn’t enjoy the pain when I did my exercises at home, but I knew I had to be willing to sacrifice to get where I needed to be. Without the pain, I was never going to get stronger. With each therapy session, I felt encouraged that I was slowly improving and moving towards my goal. My patient therapists were wonderful and kept encouraging me to work even harder.
As I’ve thought about what I have experienced these past seven weeks, I realized that my rehab is similar to my Christian walk. If I want to reach my goal of looking more like my Jesus, I have to be willing to sacrifice. I have to be willing to go through painful times as He stretches me and makes me stronger in Him. There will be times when I think that getting through my current situation is impossible and I will want to give up, but I have to keep my goal in mind. Just like I had my therapists cheering me on, my Jesus never gives up on me and only wants the very best for my life. He can see my tomorrows and knows my potential and He just needs me to be willing to put the work in and be obedient to His instructions.
What about you? Are you in a situation right now that just seems impossible? Are you ready to give up because it’s just going to be too painful to continue on? I want to urge you to not give up! I learned in therapy that the pain is worth it because of the victory in the end. I believe if you are obedient to the Lord’s instructions, even if it causes pain, the YOU that He is molding and shaping will realize in the end how worthwhile your sacrifice was. Who knows…victory might be just around the corner…so look up, keep your eyes on Him and obediently do the life “exercises” that He has for you to do today!
“But as for you, be strong and courageous,
for your work will be rewarded.”
2 Chronicles 15:7
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