Recovering Hearts
One late afternoon following a long day in the Cardiac Room, I decided to trail along with the nurses to Recovery. I wanted to see where the patients go when their heart surgery was complete. I’d never been before. I had always stayed in the surgery area where it became the quicker part of a patient’s trauma care. They were wheeled in and then wheeled out. They were fixed up, for the most part, and then the next one came in. What I did not normally experience was the aftermath of heart cases.
The Recovery Unit was such an eye opener for me. It pained me greatly. I eventually walked back to the O.R., where things happened within an hour or a day. Surgery was where magical things took place under anesthesia. It was almost non reality. But recovery…that was another story. A big dose of reality: People were enduring. They were slow moving. Hurting. Pacing. Breathing heavy. Dragging around. This was “recovery.” This was the behind-the-scenes push through. The push through before the breakthrough! What most people never see. Recovery from what had just been done to fix the problem. But it took DAYS…WEEKS. To overcome and get back on their feet, took SO, MUCH, WORK! Recovering hearts have to choose commitment. They have to choose to believe good things are taking place on the inside. Physically and spiritually speaking.
Recovering hearts need the help of the whole body to do their job. An infarction is an obstruction of the blood supply to an organ or region of tissue, causing local death of the tissue. All parts are affected when the heart is down. The mind even needs healing memory after a heart attack. Recovering hearts need rest and relaxation. Fear and anxiety are high on the list even during the recovery phrase but we can settle into our healing. (Ezekiel 37:14) We can adhere to the treatment plan. We can live settled – In our hearts! Lord, we thank You for breaking through our obstructions and releasing blood flow for new lifestyle changes in diet, movement, attitude and spiritual life.
We end this series on a positive. Here is your Courage Quote: (I call them courage quotes because they are answers to our greatest problems and questions. This one speaks to many conditions of the heart…)
“I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.”
One Comment
Jennifer Hudson
I love this message, Courtney! I’ve been in an 18 month long season of recovery from a stressful work life. I love being home now! God places me in the palm of His hand healing my heart when I’m out in my hammock, planting flowers on my porch, or sitting and meditating on his word while listening to the sounds of nature. You are so right about it being a sloooww process! But it’s so healing and necessary! ♥️