...just because it's hard is not a valid excuse.

The yellow post-it note on my mirror this week says "just because it's hard is not a valid excuse". We are six weeks into my latest recovery. Overall, the recovery from the back-to-back surgeries I had in December has been one of the easiest we've had to date. I was strong, I bounced back pretty quickly, and my wounds sealed up beautifully. But the past two weeks have been pure hell.
Why is that? Who knows.
...Because it's brain surgery? 
...Because I had two brain surgeries in less than a week?
...Because I had a seizure in recovery and they put me on medication that makes me feel terrible?
...Because I'm just exhausted from pushing so hard? 
...Because (contrary to popular belief) I am NOT Superwoman? 
Yes.
​All of that. 

It's really hard not to dwell on the fact that something might be wrong. It's almost impossible to be in this much continuous pain so soon after surgery, and not wonder if this revision is not going to hold for longer than a couple of months. But ultimately, I have no control over any of that. Sometimes all you can do is just get through the shit, one day at a time. Sometimes, one hour at a time. You just have to trust what you know, and stay the course. I've been working, and this week I was able to get to work every day. I've been putting in my rehabilitation time, and this week I made it to the gym twice. I'm resting when I need to rest, eating the best I can, and doing everything I can to right the ship.

And at the end of the day, that's all I can do. If I do everything I can, and my body still decides it doesn't want this shunt, I'll know I left nothing in the tank. Stay in the arena, my friends.
​Sometimes the arena is where the magic happens. 

#relentlesspursuit

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