Jesus said to him, “If you can believe? All things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child called out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe. Help me in my unbelief.” (Mark 9:23)

Upon arrival early morning to the Princeton Medical Center at Plainsboro, my daughters and I were escorted to what would be my “residence” for the next three days. While I was being prepped for surgery, the three of us admired a beautiful view through a very large picture window. This view was to provide me with many quiet, serene calming moments.

I wondered what was beyond the trees still full of summer greenery. A few houses with children playing, a farm with barn and animals about, a bucolic open field, maybe an apple orchard? I often envisioned the present scene moving to leaves falling and the bright colors of orange and red and yellow on those left on the branches and being blown about off the limbs; then to the barren tree limbs and greys of the bark lightly covered with a wet and pure white snow. Completing the cycle, I envisioned moving onto spring with its life anew filling the tree limbs with the various greenery of leaves and watching the popping of daffodils, crocuses, and hyacinths covering the ground and forsythia defining the edges of the fields along the roadway.

It was very unlikely that I would be able to attend the Women’s Retreat; however I thought of the retreat knowing that the focus would be on “balance.” I picked up the Bible on my bedside table and looked up a favorite OT passage in Ecclesiastes Chapter 3: “To everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven.” God has given us in NJ the gift of “balance” in the beauty of our changing seasons.

Now was the time for me to gain back my “physical balance” which had slowly eroded over the past couple of years and which came to a head the past few months.

I was accompanied by my two daughters as my nurse took me to the OR waiting room. My anesthetist came in and very thoroughly prepared me for my time in the OR. I told my girls to enjoy breakfast and that I would see them soon as they each kissed me and we departed to the OR. Heading in, I said a prayer petitioning God to care for me through the great skills, knowledge and expertise He provided to the doctor and his team and to all the professionals and non-professionals that would be providing care for me. I also asked Him to care for others in my wing facing surgery and for all throughout the hospital who were suffering from various illnesses.

It was now a “time for trusting.” I TRUSTED the anesthetist to keep me sedated enough so as not to have pain, nor to be aware of the “hammering”, the “chiseling”, the “sawing” and whatever else was taking place on my behalf, but not to sedate me too much. I TRUSTED my doctor from my first meeting in consultation and now to provide me with the best fitting prosthesis, a successful surgery and a complete recovery. The anesthetist had told me that I would speak with the doctor and others in the OR and not remember that. She was right. Though I don’t remember seeing them, I TRUST they were there. I TRUSTED the young nurse who greeted me in the recovery room and who focused on me coming out of the epidural and keeping track of my vitals and needs. I TRUSTED the transporter who was full of good humor who took me back to my room. I TRUSTED my girls to be there and they were, greeting me with smiles and a kiss. I TRUSTED the nurse welcoming me back to my room.

A Physical Therapist arrived shortly after I got into bed and informed me that we would be getting up and even would take a walk. I TRUSTED her as I stood up. Ooooooops!!!!! My “balance” was totally out of kilter. With some epidural still in my foot, I had absolutely no control. The PT did as she balanced me and aided me in turning toward the chair with ease. She told me to rest on the chair and that she would return for those first steps in taking a walk. With her promise kept, she came back shortly. With great anticipation, I got up with ease and with my walker and my TRUSTED PT directly behind, I was able to take those initial steps and our short walk which started me on my way to a complete recovery. Each day, the therapist worked with me individually and also in a group session. It was done in incremental steps and with repetition building on strengthening muscles used for “balance.” Every session I was seeing improvement.

I TRUSTED the wonderful man who introduced himself as the guy who would be there to clean and sanitize my room. He was always quite special in a very positive way.

I TRUST my nurses who monitored my vital signs, saw that I got meds on time and in proper doses and who truly were the “captains” of my care. They were all very caring and great educators as well. The Assistant Nurses were wonderful and were responsible for aiding me with my personal needs. It was not easy for me to require all of their help, but I was able to TRUST each one as they helped me build TRUST in myself.

On to St. Lawrence Rehab: Here again I TRUSTED the doctors, the nurses, assistants nurses and most especially all the caretakers who came to my aid as I sent out my call beckoning some help. Usually there was someone to help me within a few minutes. I TRUSTED these folks more than I ever thought I could. It was not easy for me to need their assistance so much over the next seven days in re-hab. One rule was not to do anything by myself without someone at my side.

I was able to coordinate my meal times as to when I was hungry. I could call in for what I wished and I TRUSTED their word that it would arrive in 45 minutes. The tray came often in twenty to thirty minutes.

It was the Holy Spirit which enabled me to have TRUST in all of these people who served me so well.

In the Physical Therapy room at rehab, I saw many people getting help from many different therapists and assistants. All were keyed in on their own patients yet were cognizant of all that was going on in the room. There was a lot of marvelous work with a good deal of encouragement and good spirit. There was such a variety of special needs. I saw improvement of so many in each session. God“s work was being done with the marvelous hands of the Physical Therapists. Two PT“s worked with me that week: one for the first three days and the other for the last two. I TRUSTED them both immensely. There were two sessions daily. For each session, more stretching and exercises were added as they moved me along in incremental steps, building block upon block. They both brought me a long way in regaining my “balance.”

My last night in rehab, I recalled all of the fabulous folks who cared for me. In talking with them I learned a lot about them. A couple were former students of mine; one was the daughter of a high school classmate. Some had served me ten years earlier when I had a double knee replacement but most were new faces to me. I asked some of them how they came to choose a health career. They shared some fascinating stories. Some shared where they grew up, where they went to school, where they lived. They were a diverse lot of people: Christian, Jew, Muslim, perhaps gnostic, atheist and Buddhist. They were American, EngIish, Irish, Scandinavian, French, German, Rumanian, Italian, Lebanese, Ethiopian, Egyptian, Taiwanese, Philippine, and Indian. They were white, black, brown and yellow; male and female; young and old; straight and gay. Some came from cities like Trenton, Philadelphia, Camden and smaller towns like Pemberton, Allentown, and Cream Ridge among others, including our Abiding Presence Community of Ewing. Some were well educated, others barely educated.

They were so diverse yet so much alike. Whether they know it or not, without exception each one is a caring, loving child of God who with their special “gif– rendered a great service to me and to all the others on my floor at PMCP and St Lawrence. It was so easy for me to TRUST in all of them. I thought about several times in my life when I found it so difficult to put my TRUST in the Lord, falling to my knees and crying out, “Lord, help me in my unbelief.”

It was God through the Holy Spirit who gave my caretakers their “gifts” of healing and gave me the ability to TRUST them. Because of the many hours of reflection and prayer in the hospital and rehab and now at home during recovery, I TRUST I am in a place of better “balance” physically, emotionally in my spiritual life, and though not yet attending church, even in my church life.

It is now a “time for THANKSGIVING.” I Thank God for this opportunity to draw nearer to Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in my readings of Scripture, in personal reflection and meditation, in suffering and healing, and in feeling the love of so many.

As I continue this journey of TRUST in complete wholeness, of “balance” in all areas of my life, I know I have had great TRUST in my Princeton Home Care Givers including my Visiting nurse and at-home Physical Therapist, and now in the therapist I am working with in Outpatient-PT.

I expect and TRUST my journey for a full recovery to be over soon, gaining back “balance” in all areas of my life, knowing I have family and friends to be my chauffeur until I get my “wheels” back. THANKS be to GOD.

Psalm 95: 23, 24 Let us come before God’s presence with THANKSGIVING and raise a loud shout to the Lord with psalms.

Trusted friend and Lord, help me always to trust you completely in all things. Let me provide unconditional love to those who come in my path each day. Thank you for the special blessings of family, friends and caregivers. In the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen

Contributed by Joyce
Monday October 6, 2014
Liturgical Year A: Week 45
Liturgical Color: Green
Sunday Gospel reading: Proper 22
Twentyth Sunday after Pentecost