Tin Arting Through Recovery

 Of all the before-surgery unknowns,

What to expect during recovery was the biggest.

I didn’t know if I’d be in bed for three weeks or

If I’d be up and moving.

I didn’t know if I’d be in tremendous amounts of pain or

If the pain would go away quickly.

I didn’t know if I’d be lonely or

If the time away would be nourishing.

I didn’t know if I’d be bored or

If I’d settle into the healing process.

 

Thankfully, I’ve been able to strike a balance between the either/or’s,

And I’ve been able to live into the and’s.

I’ve been in bed AND up and moving around the house.

I’ve been in pain AND managed the pain.

I’ve been by myself AND the world has come to me via texts, cards, and visits.

I’ve been going at a slow pace AND I’ve kept my mind and body engaged.

I haven’t binge watched any shows or movies.

I haven’t read any books.

I haven’t been accomplishing a long to-do list.

But I have been doing tin art—

And it has been therapeutic for me.

 

I took a tin art class with Thomas The Tin Art Teacher on the Saturday before my surgery.

I wanted to make something symbolic of my surgery,

But I couldn’t bring myself to do it in a class full of people.

So I brought home the design and determined to make it when I felt better.

 

I tried my hand at some tin art with Heidi The Librarian on the Friday night after surgery.

It was too soon, though, so I had to stop halfway through.

A couple of days later, when I went back to the work I’d done,

I quickly realized how terrible it was.

But I wasn’t deterred. I finished it. And I entitled it, “The Drugged Double Quartet.”

Then Barb The Art Teacher came over and we made, “Monarch Butterfly.”

Then I got to the piece that I wanted to make in class: “The Sad, Little Uterus.”

I giggled my way through the piece and decided that I needed to give it to my doctor.

I decided, too, that if I was going to present her with a sad, little uterus,

Then I also needed to present her with “The Happy, Little Uterus.”

(I gave them both to her at my follow-up visit and she laughed and laughed.)

 

After making the uteri, I finished a small quilt square for a friend,

Then made “Welcome Home” for another friend,

Then made “Friendship” because the blackout poem inspired me,

Then made a star quilt square from a design my mom picked out,

Then made a collage-like quilt square from a tin that my mom’s best friend bought me,

And finally made a plank-like quilt square that my mom did the math and drew the pattern for.

 

I’ve worked when I’ve felt like working.

I’ve rested when I’ve felt like resting.

I’ve received approval from my doctor and Joe The Counselor

For resting while also staying engaged…

And, overall, I’ve had a good recovery.

 

I’m anxious about returning to the real-world next week.

I have a feeling that I’ll be tired and that it’ll be super easy to over-exert myself.

But I’m thankful for all the thoughts, prayers, well-wishes, and love that have been sent my way.

 

May we not normalize surgery,

But may we normalize the rest, care, concern, and empathy that I have received through the process.

 

Amen.