This week may be short and sweet, a gift of words, a little treat.
Always thought I’d be a poet one day (giggle and grin) Perhaps not…
But seriously, it has been another one of those weeks fraught with more pivots, a freaky fall, scary tests and compassionate, available, and there when you need them, doctors.
When I had my first knee replacement surgery back in 2017, my dear ortho doc, Malcolm Ghazal, MD told me that his cardinal rule after a TKR, was no running, no jumping, and no falling down. 😊
He came to visit me from the faraway Friday evening as I sat on the cement drive feeling quite helpless and silly after taking a tumble out the garage pedestrian door. I have walked through that door almost every day for the last five and a half years. Never a stumble, even with those header beams sticking out just a bit into the doorway. “Did you forget my rules?” I heard.
Friday was a tough day. Tuesday I had a visit with my new cardiologist who is running every test possible to get caught up with his new patients (he took over the practice of our cardio doc who is now on the other side with my ortho doc). The blessing in getting to know a new patient (when you are blessed to find compassionate and caring physicians), is that they pay attention and ask questions.
He wanted to know why my right leg was obviously bigger than the left (I was in tight jeans). I reminded him that I had a TKR just five weeks earlier. He was concerned with the swelling and scheduled me for an ultra sound on Friday.
Bet you can guess how excited I was when the ultra-sound tech told me to go back to the cardiologist office right after she was done, do not pass go, just go!. Yep, he found a blood clot. So, four hours later, flustered, a bit scared, and with new meds in hand, I got out of the (unusual for me), passenger side of the car… and I’ve already told you the rest of the story.
But here is the real kicker folks… I started physical therapy four days after surgery and in the second week, I woke up on the morning of PT from a dream where I had a blood clot. Yep, shoved it aside as anxiety looking for an outlet but my daughter told them at PT. The therapist took a look, was unconcerned, shared some symptoms to watch out for and on I went with my day.
I saw the ortho doc the next week to get the staples out, no fun and he was pleased with my range of motion but I asked why it was still so sore (me thinking it was just deep bruising from the tourniquet, which I personally think is probably a vice). He said it would be for several weeks.
You see, all these great folks who are part of my healing team were looking at only the one leg, baggy pants rolled up to my thigh, not at the whole leg or comparing it to the other one still hidden in baggy britches.
Thank goodness for stretch denim jeans and a doc who paid attention to the whole patient me, not just my heart reports on paper.
I guess the story got longer than I thought, so much for short and sweet, but here is the message in a nutshell… LISTEN when your body talks. I preach it all the time and “Wisdom” decided to smack me up side of da’ head when I forgot to practice what I teach.
We are powerful, intuitive, intelligent beings and no one knows us better than we do so, PAY ATTENTION when your body talks and find compassionate, caring physicians who will treat the whole you and not just that “specialty” part of you that you are there to see them for.
Much love to you all as I humbly remember what would have made America’s Funniest Home Videos, getting up off the ground inching my way up a step stool and reaching for the hand of a wonderful daughter who added the extra pull that got me the rest of the ‘ouchy’ way up.
May you be blessed to walk steady and be body strong.
Please enjoy my Free “Meditation for Centering” MP3
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Vicki Dobbs is a bold and adventurous warrior walking a path of heart to manifest spirituality in everyday lives. She opens existential gateways for individuals to face their challenges and embrace these tests as the great teachers that they are.
Her goal is to see everyone walk in beauty and balance every day of their lives empowered by the voice of their own authentic truth.
Through Wisdom Evolution and Sacred Wisdom Workshops, Vicki creates opportunities for others to make deep personal changes through experiential classes, ceremony, sacred art and story. She endeavors to inspire others to create their lives intentionally. Vicki is an Inspirator of everyday awareness, an Instigator of spontaneous stories and a Connoisseur of Creativity. Gratitude and grace sprinkled with humility and humor are the medicine she brings to the world.
As an Elder, Teacher and Entrepreneur, Spiritual Coach, Ordained Minister and Crafter of Sacred Art and Tools, Vicki perceives life’s journey as an ever-upward spiraling ascension of the human spirit leading her to wisdom, wholeness and authenticity.
Her experience includes being trained in the Harner Method of Shamanic Counseling and the Pachakuti Mesa Tradition of Cross Cultural Shamanism. She is a Graduate Teacher and Mentor with the Lynn Andrews Center For Sacred Arts and Training and has been the Administrator and Writers Guide for Writing Spirit, the School.
Vicki is also an Artist of the Spirit Certified Spiritual and Energetic Life Coach, a Graduate Mentor in the AoS program and a founding member of HeatherAsh Amara’s Warrior Goddess Leadership Team and Facilitator of the Warrior Heart Practice.
Connect with Vicki here on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vickildobbsauthor