Looking at the Ceiling

For over 50 years my right knee has given me fits – primarily as a result of a slung baseball bat down the sideline where several of us were waiting for our opportunity to practice our batting skills. Then, several years later on vacation at Lookout Mountain and Rock City Garden, Tennessee, a twist in the rear seat and my patella popped out of joint and I spent weeks unable to walk normally. It was a blast learning to use crutches!

This knee has bothered me for years,
but every doctor said there was nothing that surgery would fix.

Then, on vacation late last year, my knee locked up and for a number of days I could hardly walk. It was difficult to enjoy the trip other than the fact it was downtime from a busy life.

Several doctor visits, multiple X-rays and even my first MRI, the orthopedic doctor tells me I have a meniscus tear in my right knee… right where that 52 year old memory tells me that bat hit my knee!

While staring at the ceiling during doctor visits, X-rays and MRI visits, waiting in the pre-op, surgery center, and postoperative room, or even laying on the couch with my knee above my heart with nothing to focus on but that blank ceiling above me, it got me to pondering. And this is where I’m at this morning, thinking about all those folks I’ve visited through the years who were in similar situations with conditions that are unique to their life. Hospital, doctor offices, extended care facilities, infusion centers, prisons, jails, and even at home with nothing to do but to lie on their back looking up.

No matter where you are
the view of the ceiling
is not a favorable view of anyone I know!

Think about it: “flat on the back” and the drudgery of seeing only a blank wall, and probably nothing to help distract from the pain, suffering, or their situations of life. Truly, I appreciate my family doctor in Alaska, or the dentist who understood from experience, perhaps, and they put posters on the ceiling so I would have something to look at should I find myself “flat on my back” in an exam room!

Now. In addition to everything else, I’m now immobile for several weeks, and I’m beginning to understand what others have gone through. It’s like “cabin fever”! (Which I have never suffered from!) Not so much being penned up, but more like your options are narrowed. You need a driver, special equipment, and other considerations I’ve not thought through as of yet.

When you visit someone in their room (see list above), please, take into consideration how you are interjecting YOURSELF into their life. Control the time you are there. Take into consideration that person and their needs and not yourself or your history of complaints, ailments or experiences. Pray for healing, comfort, and then exit the building!

Right before surgery, the anesthesiologist shared a “church” joke in those few minutes of interview. I suspect this is his bedside manner and he had a number of memorized jokes to share depending on the patient. One of these days I’ll share it with you, but it starts off like this: “The pope and a lawyer died on the same day and showed up at the pearly gates in front of St Peter….” (If you’ve heard this before, just chuckle with me!)

Today, it’s not that I’m stuck at home, at least not permanently. It’s more along the lines that my short term mobility requires options where I’m dependent on others. And these mobility options can create issues in and of themselves!

Here’s a couple of points to consider:

• Anyone that shows up becomes someone you must entertain even when you are not feeling up to it.
• The comfort of the attendee becomes the focus of the “stuck at home” one.
• The interuption in your personal schedule or needs changes based on the person who decides to interject themselves into your situation.

I’ve shown up to pray for someone and the number of folks visiting is almost like a family reunion…at least a small family. Everyone tries to crowd in, and all at the same time. The patient must learn patience! Or, drift off to sleep (SHHHH! Let’s all leave!) and stay that way until the moment everyone vamooses! As a minister or friend, I’ve striven to keep my appearance to 10 minutes or less, unless the patient needs me for more than I’ve considered. That’s when you “drop 10 and punt” and help give all care and comfort you can!

This brings me to a ministry thought. There are hundreds of folks in your area right now that yearn to have someone bring them a distraction from that ceiling they’ve stared a hole through. You want something to do? Reach out to them. That’s your ministry! You have the instructions from Jesus to start your ministry right now!

Then the King will say to those on His right hand,
‘Come, you blessed of My Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
for I was hungry and you gave Me food;
I was thirsty and you gave Me drink;
I was a stranger and you took Me in;
I was naked and you clothed Me;
I was sick and you visited Me;
I was in prison and you came to Me.’
Then the righteous will answer Him, saying,
‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?
When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?
Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’
And the King will answer and say to them,
‘Assuredly, I say to you,
inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren,
you did it to Me.‘
(Matthew 25:34-40 NKJV)

Let me close my thought with these simple words.

To all of those I’ve visited
and not considered you more than myself,
please forgive me.
To all I’ve not visited
because I was trying to consider your needs more,
and you needed more than I realized,
please forgive me.