Staying busy to keep my mind off things

My surgery date is fast approaching and I've been pretty nervous about it. I made the mistake of watching a YouTube video on the procedure and basically, they slice your leg open just above and below the knee, take an electric saw and level off your bones, then take a drill and make a hole to receive the knee implant, hammer it in and then stitch you back up. It sounds extremely painful and I'm sure it will be, otherwise, they wouldn't prescribe Oxycodone as a pain reliever. 

To take my mind off of what's coming, I've been busy around the house finding one project then the other. A few days ago, my husband and I went to a local cemetery. (We walk there daily because it's quiet and safe.) On our last walk, we noticed a large pear tree. It was full of pears. Some had already fallen on the ground and birds had been eating them. I told him it was such a waste for all of the pears to go unused. I asked if he thought anyone would mind if we picked some and he said, "Surely not." So we did. 

When we got home, I counted the number of pears in our stash - there were 40, too many to eat before they ruined so I knew I'd have to do something with the others. That's when I decided to make some pear relish. 

I spent all day washing the pears, peeling them, and cutting them up. They I had to cut the peppers and onions. After doing that, I sterilized the jars and got those ready then mixed up the rest of my recipe - the pears, onions, peppers, pickling spices, vinegar, sugar, etc., and put it on the stove to cook. When the mixture was done, I began to ladle it into jars. 

With the jars packed, lids in place, and rings finger tightened, I lowered them into my large stockpot full of boiling water. I'd had to come up with a "makeshift" canner since I gave my old one away years ago. The rack in the bottom of the stockpot was too small so I had to work at balancing the jars. I managed to get 7 in at a time. Each batch of jars had to process for 20 minutes. I had 24 jars to do so it took some time. 

When all the jars were done and I had them on the counter to set and seal, I realized my back was really hurting. Part of it was from Osteopenia (inherited from my mother), part was from standing all day, and part of it was from my jacked up knee. I asked my husband if he'd mind adjusting me. (Working for a chiropractor many years ago had given me knowledge and practical experience on spinal adjustments so I'd taught him how to do it on me.) Gladly he agreed to perform the adjustment. 

Pulling out our large bottle of DoTerra's Deep Blue, he slathered it on my back as I lay across the bed. His strong hands were quick to find the subluxations. I was out in 3 places and when he popped them back in, I felt much better, though still exhausted. 

We decided to watch a documentary on TV and relax while eating dinner. That's when I realized, I'm getting to old for this stuff. 

I used to can all sorts of things with no pain or discomfort, but now that I'm much older, it's a chore to do something like that all day long. 

Canning definitely took my mind of the surgery, but ended up making my back hurt! As we sat and watched the show, I enjoyed a heating pad against my spine.  

I hope the people I gift the relish to will enjoy it. I'm sure they won't have a clue how much time and energy went into it, and that's okay. Every time I open a jar, I'll remember why I decided to make it in the first place - to take my mind off of the extreme pain I was about to experience, but hopefully, I'll heal quickly and be able to do things I haven't been able to enjoy in some time. 

It's important to always look for the positive in the negative. This is a lesson God's had me learning since the first of the year. If we always dwell on the negatives, we'll go deeper and deeper into a pit that eventually will lead to a pity party. I don't want to be that person. I'd rather shift my focus and think about the good things that will come from the surgery, so I've made a list: 

1. I'll be able to walk without constant swelling and pain. 

2. I'll be able to do more hiking - something I enjoy immensely. 

3. I'll be able to walk the cruise ship more easily in December than I did in January. 

4. I won't have to constantly wear an offloading knee brace to do normal, everyday tasks. 

Yes, it will take some time, a lot of physical therapy, and a lot of willpower, but I can do it! I have many friends and family members already praying for me and that's going to make all the difference. 

That old saying, "No pain, no gain," keeps sticking in my head, but even more so, the verse of Scripture found in Philippians 4:13 - "I can do all things through Christ Who gives me strength." He's going to be a whole lot more reliable than any brace, walker, crutch, or cane could ever be. And that gives me the confidence to move forward.