God Helps Those Who Help Themselves

God Helps Those Who Help Themselves

I fondly recall the popular aphorisms my father often quoted to ingrain lessons in us. “Nip the evil in the bud,” “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise,” “Never stop learning” and so on. The one that came recently to the mind is, “God helps those who help themselves.” This is because I’ve been putting as much effort in healing myself as my healthcare workers did and are doing. 

How much effort you, as a patient, put in the pre-operative and post-operative doctors’ recommendations makes hell of a difference in your complete recovery. The exercises to prepare for the surgery, physical therapy exercises, taking prescribed medications timely including painkillers, nutritious food and plenty of sleep must become essential part of your day. 

For me, first week after the surgery the incision itself was painful. The second and the third week it was the excruciating pain from my body trying to make friends with the new “knee.” Physical Therapy sessions are grueling but they have to be done. I have to go through the “torture” to help my body accept the new section of the limb. As I “help myself” I remind myself that the discomfort is hard to tolerate but is fleeting, that “this too shall pass.” 

In five days it will be a month since the surgery. I started to write the rough drafts of these short pieces in the third week when I was still taking pain pills; the final drafts were written when I’ve almost weaned from them. As my fingers write these final words about my convalescence, I’m filled with gratitude for their dexterity; for my ability to see and comprehend; for my mind to function normally even when I was ingesting strong painkillers. 

must always be grateful for the people who took care of me—whether it is my intimate inner circle, the circle of my friends and extended family or expanding circle of others whom I came in touch with for various reasons, I extend my heartfelt thanks. However the Oscar for giving care with deep love, devotion and dedication goes to. . . drum roll. . . my husband Manoj!