Country Chatter

My broken ankle is not healing properly. Well actually it has not healed at all. This is difficult news after five long months of supposed recovery after breaking my ankle on Mother’s Day; surgery to insert screws, weeks in a non-weight bearing cast, wheelchair, crutches, walker, walking boot, months of therapy and trying to be very, very careful. I followed the doctor’s orders precisely.

When an x-ray was done after the cast came off, the doctor commented that it hasn’t totally healed yet. He put me in a walking boot. A follow-up appointment and x-ray still revealed the same diagnosis. At the last appointment he ordered a CT scan to see better what was happening. The news was not what I wanted to hear.

My ankle has not healed. It is hard to believe and frankly, rather discouraging. He said there are three reasons this can happen.

• Sloppy surgery. He said this is not the case. He did the surgery well and the x-rays and CT scan show the screws properly placed and tight. It looks just as it is supposed to.
• The use of drugs, smoking, alcohol, walking on foot during early stage of no weightbearing and taking over the counter anti-inflammatory drugs (Advil) which prohibits bone growth. I did none of the above! The first part of the list has no place in my life and I was very, very careful to not let my foot touch the floor. He had warned me about Advil so I knew not to take that.
• Genetics and biology of the body.

The options:

We are first trying a hefty calcium and Vitamin D routine along with wearing a bone stimulator three hours a day to see if it jump starts bone healing. The stimulator promotes blood flow to the affected area which encourages healing.

It this regiment doesn’t work, then it may be necessary to redo the original surgery. He didn’t give all the details but mentioned bone graft and inserting stem cells. My mind was racing and anxiously I asked a question, “Does this mean you rebreak my ankle”? He said, “No, the ankle has not healed, there is nothing to rebreak”. That was rather stunning to me. Not healed? Not healed at all? How am I walking? His answer, “Because there are screws in the bone.” Gene said, “I guess that is like using screws to hold boards together to build a strong barn.” Don’t you just love the practical thinking of my country man!

Fortunately my ankle does not hurt, there is no pain. It was tender when the doctor felt it. There is still a bruised looking area above the screws. But it does make me feel very vulnerable to be walking on an unhealed ankle held together with two screws!

In my daily devotions this week I read Jeremiah 32. Jeremiah was in a tough situation. He was in prison for speaking judgment and warning from God to King Zedekiah. God had told Jeremiah that Hanamel, his uncle’s son, was going to come to the prison and offer him his field as Jeremiah had the first right to buy it as the next kinsman-redeemer to keep the land in the family line of Benjamin. Jeremiah had been prophesying gloom and doom, as the people had turned away from God and were worshipping idols along with many other very wicked practices. God had told him that if the people did not repent they would be taken captive by the king of Babylon but his life would be spared. In seventy years, the people would once again return home to possess the land and build houses and plant vineyards. This seemed like a very difficult and impossible situation. But then Jeremiah reminded himself of the God he knew and said, “Ah, Lord God! You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for you.” Those words resonated with me.

It was not long until Hanamel arrived at the prison with the request and Jeremiah knew without a doubt that God had spoken clearly to him. Jeremiah knew that he knew that if God by his power could create the earth and heavens, there was nothing, no detail in his life, that was impossible.

I went to see my Pastor last week and told him what I was dealing with. He asked if they could have special prayer for me on Sunday. I said yes, in fact, I would like to be anointed. This is a biblical (spiritual) practice that is laid out in James 5:14. “If anyone is sick (suffering), they should call for the elders of the church and let them pray over him, anointing him in the name of the Lord”.

This is a very special time of laying your need before the Lord, asking for his healing, and letting the church join you in prayer and support. This past week I realized it is so easy to go to the doctor when we have a problem and just trust them to heal us. Yes I had said a few prayers, but basically I had relied on the doctor and his skills and expertise. I am not demeaning his role at all but ultimately God is the healer. So now I am asking God more intentionally to heal me. I will admit I can hardly bear the thought of having to go through the past five months again. Does this guarantee healing? No, this is not a magic formula for healing but it does align myself with God’s will and power. And it is asking God in a very specific way for divine healing. I say with Jeremiah “nothing is too difficult for God”. I know this is a small thing for God and I am praying for his divine intervention. Nothing, nothing is too difficult for God!

My ankle story: When Life Throws A Curveball