Joy Comes with the Morning
May 31, 2023 by admin
Filed under Faith, Faith Articles
| By Christina Puntigam |
| Earlier this year, I was diagnosed with a dermoid ovarian cyst. It required surgery to have it removed and it turns out that it was the size of a small melon when they took it out. I patiently and politely sat through six weeks of recovery. I wasn’t allowed to pick up my daughter during that time, there was little if any house work that I could do. |
| The majority of my days were spent sitting on the couch, learning how to knit and reading. I was so thankful when I was given a clean bill of health and could do whatever I wanted to again. About a week or so after receiving clearance, I took a trip with my daughter, so that my hubby could get some studying done. The first day of my trip, there was a little pain in my side, thinking that I had just over done it that day; I took some ibuprofen and shook it off. During my two weeks away, the pain was relatively mild, I just assumed that it was because I was getting back into things and it was normal.
Upon returning home, I woke up late one night and rubbed my belly and felt a lump, very similar to the one that I found when the cyst was diagnosed. The next morning I called the doctor. She saw me and scheduled an ultrasound. The ultrasound told me that I had another cyst and this one was already the size of a small orange. The doctor assured me that it was a different type of cyst and this one had developed due to a bruising on my ovary. The worse news was that I had to go back to a restricted life for six to eight weeks. I was devastated. I almost wished that I could just have another surgery. During the following six weeks, I said, “No” to a lot of things I really wanted to say yes to. I went to a retreat where there was canoeing, horseback riding, zip lines, high ropes, all things that I loved but I couldn’t participate. I couldn’t play the games I wanted to with the final arrival of spring. I could not pick up my daughter or be silly with my husband. I had to keep an eye on things. I felt like I was a prisoner on our couch. The six weeks finally ended and I went in for the ultrasound to see what all my sacrifice had done. I was so disappointed. It had only reduced in size. I wanted it to go away completely. My disappointment left the door open for Satan. The first thing he said to me was “Look you’re not even good at being lazy.” I felt like I had failed miserably, that all my sacrifice was for nothing. I came home and whined. It was in that whining to my husband that God reminded me that I am not saved by works, but by His grace. It wouldn’t have mattered how much work I did to save myself, God is the one that saves me time and time again. I believed and had faith that all that I had done was not in vain. My doctor called the next morning and told me that she was very pleased in the progress of the reduction and that I could resume my life. Praise the Lord! His plan was for a few weeks of doing without so that I can have a lifetime of rejoicing with Him. |
