Pain Can Be a Facilitator

I have a couple of incredible stories to tell:

A friend of mine and his wife celebrated the birth of a baby not long ago. The story of the baby's birth is pretty incredible. He had been at the gym, she was having contractions... timing things - all was normal. Aways into his work out, he noticed a couple missed calls from his wife. He finished a few sets, and headed home. I guess things had progressed rapidly, and the baby was coming NOW!

As soon as they got home, they jumped in his new sports car and started racing - literally breaking traffic laws, running red lights, swerving in and out of traffic to get his wife to the hospital. SHE WAS IN PAIN!!!

At one point on the way to the hospital, they get pulled over by a cop. My friend pulls over, gets out, goes and tells the cop he has to go, he get back in the car, and drives away just as crazy as before. Her water breaks IN THE CAR! She is yelling: I have to push! It is coming!

Within 30 seconds, LITERALLY - of his wife getting into the hospital bed, she had completely delivered the baby... no doctor, no drugs, no nothing - she was DONE. Baby is here in 30 seconds FLAT! His wife says it was the most pain she has EVER felt.

According to my friend and his wife, it was also the FASTEST recovery she has ever had... within a day (I think) she was healed and good to walk around, etc.

Here's another pain story:

My friend Vern has had both of his hips replaced, and is a healthy 60 years old. 2 weeks ago, Vern was out for a daily walk feeling great, when the titanium ball of one of his artificial hips literally breaks off - disconnecting his leg from his body, and leaving a broken fragment of the titanium hip to damage the inside of his leg.

Vern called me because I was in the area, and I was able to assist him in getting an ambulance to the scene, and get Vern some of the help he needed. I will never forget praying with Vern on the sidewalk watching his entire body shaking violently from all the pain. How grateful I am that I could be there with him that day.

Because of the severity of his injury, the need for a specific doctor to fix the issue, and other factors, Vern was in tremendous pain for 36 straight hours, and underwent 8 hours of very intense surgery. He literally went nearly 48 hours without ANY sleep. All he could do was wait in agonizing pain until the recovery from surgery could begin. The doctor said it was the longest surgery he had ever performed because of having to remove the old hardware, replace it all, and all that had gone on internally in Vern's leg.

I am happy to report that Vern's recovery has been incredible. His physical therapists and the doctor were in disbelief at his ability to walk unassisted, and without even crutches just 3 days after surgery... and he is on the go now almost like before where a traditional hip replacement recovery can take 3 months or more.

Vern and I talked the other day about why his recovery was so quick, and I thought of the quick recovery of our friends after the baby being born so quickly and without drugs. The doctor had said that in some ways perhaps the pain and lack of drugs to deaden the wounds might have contributed to Vern's speedy recovery.

In life there are instances when we recognize something painful has to happen, in order to progress. Certainly any woman facing childbirth knows that the pain will come, and has to prepare for it. Whether it is this pain, the difficulty of a career change, or confronting challenges within our selves, our families, or our relationships - the pain is VERY difficult.

In my own life, I have confronted my share of difficulty... and it HURTS! It is so difficult to deal with, and sometimes when the pain is ongoing, it is so much easier to pretend it doesn't hurt and to try and ignore it or focus on something else. (Try to deaden the pain with drugs). Like Vern going 2 straight days without sleep, and agonizing - just waiting for the resolution to be over, when I am in the most difficult times, it has felt as if life would end, minutes have seemed to take HOURS...

A tremendous blessing that I have today, is the blessing of the Pain. I know in my heart how bad it has hurt, and that there is no way I could have dealt with it alone. In many ways, I am so grateful that I have had the chance to feel - and continue to experience pain that is a small piece of the pain that was suffered by One who suffered for me, and all mankind. I have had the gift of waiting for the great Healer, who comforts me, and sets my heart at ease, and brings Peace when I feel so lost. Sometimes this can take a long time, and waiting for that peace to come can be difficult... but I am learning to trust that it will come.

Somehow, I think that pain can help the healing process begin. It can bring people closer together, and heal them faster, make their bonds stronger and relationships with themselves, with each other and with God deeper and more permanent.

I NEVER WANT TO GO THROUGH THIS KIND OF PAIN AGAIN - And it is tough to recognize that in my case, it is not over yet... but I can look back at so many blessings received and have hope - a lot of hope that pain can facilitate healing - and help me to become a stronger, better son, father, husband, provider, friend, listener, servant, leader, and person than ever before... maybe even better than I could have been if I would not have had these experiences?

I am actually anxious to "test out my new hip" every day when I wake up... and even though it can still hurt, I love the gift of life, and the hope that I can be better... and hopefully do something to bring others joy, peace, or at least help them so to not have to feel as much pain in their life.