Gut Check



Luke 9:62

Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

My surgeon pulled the tubing out of my gut last Monday. The picture above is what I had in me. 

Silly me, I had called him a couple of days before, sharing with him that I was concerned that the stitching had broken and was I at-risk of the tubing coming out? He assured me I was fine. Little did I know this was because this tubing was like two and a half feet long. Inside my gut! It was draining my innards into what I called a "pus grenade"...a plastic/rubber clear container that had to be emptied every couple of hours (what the dude is squeezing).

The surgeon pulled the tubing once and it came half-way out. It shocked me and hurt like hell. I thought it was over. Then he pulled it again, and I screamed "H... Crap!" I screamed like a baby. At least another foot. Reminded me of the film "Alien." Not sure how this squares with my high pain tolerance. It literally felt like he was pulling my intestines out and it looked that way too.

I am really glad he didn't tell me how long it was and how much it was going to hurt. He just matter of factly yanked with no hesitation. No mercy. He is a business-like Asian chap who has only smiled once in my interaction with him...after I screamed like a girl of course and was laughing about it in the waiting room afterwards. He is no comedian....but an excellent surgeon. I am not sure I'd want Patch Adams cutting up my gut.

It is interesting that often the best way to deal with pain is just to pull it out. It hurts a lot but then it is over versus slowly and agonizingly going an inch at a time. One certain way to have a lot of pain is trying to avoid it. Things just get worse and worse until it is handled. Don't hesitate. Do you have something difficult or nasty to do. Pray? Then, do it. And don't look back.   

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