As I write this, I am preparing for major surgery.
By the time you read this, I’ll either be almost there or it will be complete.
After almost a decade of struggling with monthly pain due to fibroids and endometriosis, I have a come to the difficult but clear decision to have a hysterectomy. For many years, I avoided it. A doctor first suggested surgery to me six years ago, but I was determined to heal myself holistically. For many years, I was able to manage my pain through a diverse toolbox of healing tools—an anti-inflammatory diet, acupuncture and herbs, essential oils, yoga and meditation. I figured if I could just “hang in there” until menopause, my estrogen levels would drop, the fibroids would shrink, and the pain would go away.
But about 18 months ago, I noticed that my pain was increasing and no matter what I tried, I was unable to manage it very well. At the end of 2019, I had a colleague say to me “you’re ‘only in pain three days a month?’ that means that you are in pain for a full month every year!” I needed someone to put it in that perspective for me to get serious about it. Then 2020 happened complete with Covid-19 shut downs, my family moved cross country, and I was a single parent for four months in a new city with no friends for support. When I finally went to the doctor, the test results showed that my uterus was the size of a woman who is four months pregnant. It was such a relief to be validated that no, I wasn’t crazy, and that yes, there are structural reasons why I have been suffering for so long. They had doubled in size in just two years.
So here I am, feeling ready and even excited for surgery. That might sound crazy, but I am so looking forward to being pain-free. The women that I have spoken with who have chosen a similar path as me have all said the same thing “I wish I had done it sooner” and they talk about feeling their life force coming back, renewed energy, and just a greater peace in their bodies. I can’t wait to see and experience the new and improved me once I have recovered.
So if you find yourself facing a health crisis and you have to make plans for a big life style change, and possibly even surgery like me, here are some things to consider as you navigate this territory.
Five Steps to Intentional Healing
1. Get the facts. Engage in information gathering from multiple perspectives. Visit your doctor. Get multiple opinions if you need to. Talk with others who have had similar experiences. Read books on the subject.
2. Trust yourself to make a clear decision. One of the things I have learned through my study of Human Design over the past few years is that our minds are for information gathering, but our bodies are for decision-making. You’ve heard this described before as intuition, or trusting your gut or an inner knowing. While you can consult with friends, family and experts for advice, only you can make the best decision for yourself.
3. Make a plan. Once you’ve made a decision, whether it’s about a course of treatment, or dietary changes, a new exercise program, or having surgery…it’s important to put a plan in place. Write up all the things that need to happen, and get clear about the timeline that you are working with. Make lists, and include things in your calendar to make it a priority.
4. Ask for help. Even if you are someone used to juggling a million balls, and you consider yourself an excellent multi-tasker, when it comes to your health, it’s not always so good to go it alone. Seek the support that you need. If you’re changing your diet or exercise, find an accountability buddy, an online group, or hire a trainer or a nutritionist. If you’re dealing with a chronic health issue, consider joining a support group. And if you’re having surgery, reach out to friends and family to ask for help with meals, cleaning, childcare, etc. so that you can really rest.
5. Do your spiritual work. This is the time to go within, and dig deep. Honor your emotions about how you arrived here, how you’re currently feeling, and where you’re headed. It’s perfectly normal to feel a mixed bag of excitement and hope, dread and worry, anxiety and overwhelm. Talk to your spiritual advisor or a mental health counselor. Sit at your personal altar and pray. Consider doing a ritual, or several, to help you move forward on your journey.
Bonus Tip: Rest, rest, and rest some more. Build in serious down time. For those of us used to accomplishing a lot, it’s not only OK but necessary for the healing process to unplug from our normal activities. (My friends are going to have to continually remind me about this one!)
Hopefully you’ll never have to face a major surgery or health crisis, but if you do, know that you’re not alone and that help is available if you simply ask for it!
Blessings to you and yours,
Elizabeth
P.S. Three people I can highly recommend who are helping me prepare for and recover after surgery….
My fun loving + faith-filled personal trainer, Kandice Harris
My smart and straightforward naturopath, Dr. Sally Wendel
My insightful and wise medical intuitive, Megan Caper