Life recently threw me for a loop. I know this phrase is cliché, but the definition works because when an unanticipated health issue sneaks up and knocks you on your derrière, the emotional fallout from being caught off guard can spin you round and round.
When you are a high gear, independent soul like me, slowing your roll doesn’t come easy. But, sometimes God needs us to let go of what we think we need to do so He can work out some stuff in our lives. Especially in the realm of physical, mental, or spiritual healing.
In my case, I needed a physical mending because pre-cancerous cells took up shop in my uterus. The remedy was a full hysterectomy which meant 6 weeks of doing a whole lot of nothing so my body could recover. For some reason, I went into the experience believing that 6 weeks was a huge exaggeration and I was hell-bent on bending the law of recovery averages.
Then real life happened just the way every trained doctor and been-there-done-that friend predicted. Plus more. Not only was the 6-week healing disclaimer on point, but I had unforeseen complications in the first two days post-op which sent me to the ER—in an ambulance, no less. According to my dramatic self, my tidy little world was in shambles. The pain from complications kicked my fanny—the type of misery I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.
Before I knew it, my emotions began to teeter and my mental health tottered. For someone who errors on the side of control, all the uncontrollables had me a tad undone.
Cue, Christine Carter’s beautiful book, Help and Hope While You’re Healing: A Woman’s Guide Toward Wellness While Recovering from Injury, Surgery, or Illness. Let me tell you friends, this woman has been through the trenches of injury and health scares. She understands the nuances of healing because she’s been there. Multiple times over. My heart aches just thinking about what she’s endured.
Despite her health setbacks, Christine fought her way to the relieving side of pain with grace and perseverance. The pages of her book share a compassionate plan to help the rest of us navigate the unruly waters of recovery. Her loving and caring words are a paying-it-forward gift for you and me so we can better embrace those bristling moments when compromised health becomes a rude intruder in our ‘we want everything to go smoothly’ worlds.
Get this book. Read it. Share with your friends. I promise you’ll walk away feeling comforted and empowered to face the long haul of recuperation because Christine’s uncanny way of blending tenderness and wit will settle on you like a cool breeze.
I love this lady and am honored to call her friend. She’s the real deal—salt of the earth—and a fabulous writer. You can find her pouring out her heart and sharing her faith with candidness and profound insight in all kinds of places on the web and over on her blog at The Mom Cafe and across the social media world at:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/TheMomCafecom/
https://twitter.com/themomcafe
https://www.instagram.com/themomcafe/
https://www.pinterest.com/themomcafe/
Oh, and I just found out—like this very second—that Christine found her way into a new Chicken Soup book. Of course! She’s that good and you can read her love story about her and her amazing man in Chicken Soup for the Soul Book “Miracle of Love”.
Thanks, Christine, for helping me heal! God bless you!
Be comforted, crazy Mommas!
