By Steve Stricker

Columnist

Today I am eight wonderful days into my 40-day Lenten journey in the peaceful, quiet, prayerful desert until Easter. And I’m finally out the other side of those two back-to-back major surgeries on my heart all within one month. Healing is going well, I feel good with more energy, out from under that anvil of stuff and procedures for almost the entire 2024 year, and both docs said my life expectancy is 20+ years – WHEW!

As nurse Christine was disconnecting me from all kinds of wires and things to that “Pole of Life” in ICU and from stuff stuck in me everywhere on Wednesday morning, February 19 after Dr. Thomas Lyn successfully connected that wayward third lead of my new pacemaker to the back of my heart the day before, thankfully released me, told her that although I was somewhat beat up mentally, physically, was so very thankful that everything was replaced, connected, working as it should, that all of this had been rather exciting and interesting.

She looked at me as though maybe she should reconnect a few of those wires.  I explained that I was so impressed with cardiologists Dr. Mark Campbell, Dr. Thomas Lyn, their staff, all Baptist awesome medical professionals, met so many new friends who I laughed and prayed with, along with my family and prayer friends who rallied to support me. 

Especially interesting was Thursday morning, January 24, when Dr. Campbell replaced my pacemaker, I was not fully sedated so could hear all the medical chatter and even talked with Dr. Mark as he operated on me.  Unreal.

My hero mom, Gert and older sisters, Mary Ann, Pat, and Paula were all RN’s.  Gert would come home from the hospital and while we were eating, described all the gore that had gone on that day so associated food with all that, blood doesn’t bother me, and often thought I should have been an MD instead of Ph.D. 

Lent has come at a perfect time this year as I need to pause from all that, temporarily stop, slow down in order to rest, reflect, catch my breath and regroup from all the “noise” of things such as real-life noise, food, beloved bourbon (all alcohol) that I give up to get closer to God.

Without those things feeding our superficial “needs” and stripped bare so to speak, we become very aware as how much we need God. Some people can’t handle silence because they can hear the demons yelling from within, but silence is golden – an empty church, just you and God – priceless, healing.

As a result, after a few days of adjusting, I sleep better, have more energy, will lose 5-10 pounds, save a bunch of money, prayer life already deep, deepens, liver and kidneys fully recover, I eat better, and by Easter it will take me several days to even want a sip of my cherished bourbon…well, maybe several hours…. I once tried giving up coffee for Lent – no way!

So very humbly thankful to everyone in front of and beyond the scenes who had a part in this medical “adventure” to include my St. John’s Catholic Church family, Fr. Joe Tonos, all of you, biological family, and especially – my Lord and God. 

Thank You. Have a swell Lent, y’all and GO BASEBALL REBELS!!

 

Steve lives in Oxford and has his PhD in Educational Psychology (Counseling) from Ole Miss.