I was sick the other day with strong stomach cramps. As I sat there in the bathroom holding my
stomach, I had to think, “You think this is bad, you’re going to have your
kidney taken out. That’s going to hurt a
lot more than this!” Another friend who had a hip replacement told me that two months
later he is still not back to normal, still recovering. Major surgery is major.
When I think about the actual operation, of course I have
qualms. I liken it to the feeling of
walking out on a high diving board. Quite
intimidating for those among us who are non-divers, or who have not had many
opportunities to fall under anaesthetic.
But I am immensely cheered by people I know who have had
this operation, my husband, for one. I
saw him getting better day by day. And he had the added challenge of battling
cancer. And a woman I met who had
donated her kidney to her daughter. She observed, “Yes, it hurt, but not for very long. And my daughter was getting better every day, it was totally worth it. And life has gone on for normal for me, I
don’t even think about having one kidney.”
I know it will hurt, and I know I will have to rest and not
try to jump into activities too quickly.
But that’s a price I think that I can afford, considering the good that
this surgery will bring about.