Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. ~James 5:16
I have my long-planned gum surgery this past Monday. It is not the procedure that concerns me, but the fear that I will be plagued by pain for days after. That's precisely why I ask you at the time, my friends, for prayers and for understanding why I opt to take a brief blogging break.
Before the appointment, I follow the dental surgeon's instructions: Start your antibiotics the day before; eat a hearty meal as close to the time of surgery as possible, and take the prescribed pain reliever. Check, check, check! My husband, Danny, drives me to the office and drops me off as the surgery is estimated to last about two hours. I'm a bit nervous, but once the nitrous oxide does its thing, I can begin to relax.
Believe it or not, the time flies by as the periodontist and her assistant get right to work. Of course, I feel nothing because of the Novocain, but I still can't stop thinking about how my jaw will feel once that dosage wears off.
I'm anticipating the worst . . .
But the worst never materializes.
Instead of searing pain, there is only a residual soreness, not enough to warrant any further medication to alleviate it. I'm over-the-moon ecstatic!
And I can't stop thanking and praising God. He has answered my prayers and the prayers of so many of you out there in Blogland. After all the dire warnings regarding this surgery's aftermath, this is, indeed, a miracle.
Are there any other issues that could bug me for the 10 days until my routine follow-up? Sure! No hot beverages (thank you, Lord, for iced coffee!), only soft foods (think cottage cheese and smoothies), and no chewing or brushing on the stitched side of my mouth. But these are minor inconveniences that pale in light of the fear of pain I dread for so many weeks.
That is one thorn God has most graciously removed.
And I am blessed beyond measure.
Amen!
Praise and thanks be to God; time and again.
ReplyDeleteGod bless, Martha.
You can say that again, Victor!
DeleteLove and blessings!
Our fears rarely measure up to the reality. I remember dentist visits when I was a child - terrified I'd have a cavity. It wasn't that cavity, but the novocaine shot that went with filling it.
ReplyDeleteI had that same trepidation as a child, Glynn. Fortunately, the fear of having a cavity made me all the more conscientious about brushing my teeth. The need for deep gum cleaning, it's posited, is because I have osteoporosis. I won't get the other side worked on until the first of next year.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Dearest Martha Jane,
ReplyDeleteDon't know where you got that information that periodontal (gum) surgery had such a painful aftermath. Our best friend has been a lifelong pediatric dentist and did work very closely with a periodontist. Healing after gum surgery is almost always uneventful.
Glad you did not live up to your 'fear phobia'.
Hugs,
Mariette
You know, Mariette, that fear was induced by my reading of the instructions from the periodontist and the fact that my pain prescription was both a huge dosage and a lot of pills. I'm so glad that did not come to pass!
DeleteLove and blessings!
🤗
DeletePraise God for answered prayer! That is such wonderful news and gives me hope. I know I have some periodontal issues looming in my future, but had to take care of other things first. Now I don't have as much anxiety about what that could mean if I have to do that as well. Thank you! And Thank YOU Jesus!!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy that my results have made you more confident in having your periodontal issues resolved, Pamela. Yay! As I mentioned to Mariette above, it was all the info given me by the dentist that had me so nervous in the first place. I'm praising God for answering my prayers, and I'm looking forward to next Thursday for my follow up.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Indeed, praise God from whom all blessings flow! (Even in the form of smoothies.) Thank you so much for this update, Martha. Heal quickly!
ReplyDeleteSmoothies are a blessing - lol! Tomorrow, Myra, Danny is going to make me an afternoon snack smoothie with vanilla ice cream and coffee-flavored yogurt. I'm already looking forward to that, and I am healing each and every day, praise God!
DeleteLove and blessings!
I am absolutely hearing your heart, friend, as I'm recovering from my second major dental surgery this year! My periodontist is a gem and I am grateful that I'm able to see pain in perspective these days, knowing it is temporary and not freaking out into full fledged panic mode as has happened in the past.
ReplyDeleteGod is good to take our anxiety and replace it with a sense of peace and a proper perspective. I love that we can give our teeth to Him!
Here's to big ol' smiles!
;-}
I'm sorry that you've had to go through a similar procedure, Linda, but glad that you trust your periodontist, and it's helped you put pain in another perspective. Yes, when we pray, God can take our worry and concern, and turn it to peace and calm. My surgery for the other side of my mouth will be around the first of the year; I want to eat during the holidays!
DeleteLove and blessings!
What a wonderful answer to prayer!! Thanks for sharing your praise - I love reading these kind of posts!! Here's to a full recovery (and return to hot coffee)!:)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Jennifer! Yes, it will be so pleasant to have a hot cup of coffee or tea, but right now, I'm just grateful that the Lord answered my prayers.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Oh, that's such good news, Martha--I'm praising God with you!
ReplyDeleteTo praise God for all His blessings is what we should do always and everywhere, Nancy. Thanks for joining me in that praise!
DeleteLove and blessings!
Praise God that it’s done and you are healing well! I totally understand the trepidation around dental work.
ReplyDeleteSending hugs and continued prayers for full healing (and crunchy food!).
❤️
Oh, yes, crunchy food, Beckie! Lead me not into temptation on that front, at least right now. :) I don't think any of us look forward to having dental work done, but I'm so grateful this has been a proverbial walk in the park. Praising the Lord for His mercy.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Oh, Martha, so thankful you had a great experience and answered prayer in no severe pain and recovering well. Praise the Lord!
ReplyDeletePraise the Lord, indeed, Karen! Believe me, I'm so thankful for the outcome, I can't stop rejoicing.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Yes, you received a wonderful blessing. What an awesome God we worship. I'm so glad you are not in terrible pain. May you continue to heal in a painless state. Hugs and blessings.
ReplyDeleteOur God is awesome, indeed, Nells! I'm healing more and more with each passing day.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Martha, such wonderful news! Praise God forevermore!
ReplyDeleteAmen, Cheryl! May we all praise God in every circumstance.
DeleteLove and blessings!
This is fantastic news to read Martha. I'm glad God was able to ease your pain and bring you a spirit of joy. But then again, that is the way He is.
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly how God works, Bill. Yes, I simply cannot stop being grateful for His mercy.
DeleteLove and blessings!
I'm so glad, Martha. Praising God with you. Love and blessings to you!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Trudy!
DeleteLove and blessings!
I sometimes wonder why we anticipate the worst and not the best!?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, praise the Lord that it is over and done with.
I know, Marja. My anticipation of the worst was because of the pre-procedure literature I was given by the dentist. Guess I shouldn't have read it - lol!
DeleteLove and blessings!
fear always enlarges and distorts the reality. So glad things went better than expected for you!
ReplyDeleteYes, fear does exactly that, Jean. We really shouldn't let it, but being human has its drawbacks.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Deus é com você e tudo dará certo minha querida amiga.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, God is with us, Luiz, and things have turned out so much better than I ever thought it could.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Praying your full and fast recovery Ms. Martha. Have some of that upcoming for me also. God's blessings sweet friend; and I can't wait to see more photos of you, Mr. Danny, and that beautiful smile of yours.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, J. D.! I'll be more than happy to pray for you as you go through upcoming surgery, my friend. Yes, I'm so grateful to be healing so fast and so well.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Praying all has gone well with your dental surgery. I don't like having to see the dentist or my Derm dr. but it is all part of staying healthy. I am praying for you always.
ReplyDeleteYes, Anne, it did go so much better than I expected; I'm getting the stiches out tomorrow, and I can't wait!
DeleteLove and blessings!