My Unique Holiday

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Abstract

n again, my life had become scary and painful since my disc slipped out of place. If you’ve had nerve pain, you know what misery it is. If you haven’t, pray that you never do. My nerve was so compressed that it had made my arm partially paralyzed.Despite all that, I’m grateful for the experience.(However, to be clear, I hope never to repeat it!)Through the injury, surgery, and recovery, I learned so much about myself. About my ability to handle pain and uncertainty.Those weeks after surgery were an opportunity to reflect on how I had been treating myself. My job at the time was very stressful and demanding, and I was forced to recognize the toll it was taking on my physical and mental health while I took an extended break for the first month or so after surgery.Returning to that job after surgery was the catalyst that encouraged me to make a career

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move that scared me. I ended up in a job that offered better work-life balance, was work that I enjoyed more, and offered more opportunities for career advancement. It was something I should have done about a year before I did. In that sense, I am very thankful that the surgery opened my eyes and pushed me out of place that was no longer where I needed to be.This was the surgery that led me to decide my health has to be important enough to prioritize and protect. That’s a decision I still have to rededicate my commitment to from time to time, which is part of what the anniversary of my discectomy — my “Surgiversary” — is set aside for.I’m proud of my scars, they are part of my story and are markings that remind me of how I became the person I am today. On April 28 I celebrate that I am a bionic woman and that I am stronger than I knew.Happy Surgiversary to me!</article></body>

Celebrating my “Surgiversary”

One of my favorite holidays probably isn’t on your calendar.

On April 28, 2016, I became a bionic woman.

That day was the first time I had major surgery. I’d had my tonsils out a few years before but that was my only other surgical experience. This time I was going to get metal parts!

I was having a cervical discectomy — they would remove a disc in my neck and replace it with an artificial disc. The surgery was scary and painful.

Then again, my life had become scary and painful since my disc slipped out of place. If you’ve had nerve pain, you know what misery it is. If you haven’t, pray that you never do. My nerve was so compressed that it had made my arm partially paralyzed.

Despite all that, I’m grateful for the experience.

(However, to be clear, I hope never to repeat it!)

Through the injury, surgery, and recovery, I learned so much about myself. About my ability to handle pain and uncertainty.

Those weeks after surgery were an opportunity to reflect on how I had been treating myself. My job at the time was very stressful and demanding, and I was forced to recognize the toll it was taking on my physical and mental health while I took an extended break for the first month or so after surgery.

Returning to that job after surgery was the catalyst that encouraged me to make a career move that scared me. I ended up in a job that offered better work-life balance, was work that I enjoyed more, and offered more opportunities for career advancement. It was something I should have done about a year before I did. In that sense, I am very thankful that the surgery opened my eyes and pushed me out of place that was no longer where I needed to be.

This was the surgery that led me to decide my health has to be important enough to prioritize and protect. That’s a decision I still have to rededicate my commitment to from time to time, which is part of what the anniversary of my discectomy — my “Surgiversary” — is set aside for.

I’m proud of my scars, they are part of my story and are markings that remind me of how I became the person I am today. On April 28 I celebrate that I am a bionic woman and that I am stronger than I knew.

Happy Surgiversary to me!