Monday 5 December 2016

Post-Surgery Reflections on a Couple of Common Sayings

My Dad had brain surgery exactly one week ago. As Tara predicted in her post titled "Home", following my Dad's discharge from the hospital, things around here have been quite similar to how they were in the week before the surgery - a lot of sitting around, the same prescriptions every few hours (although in decreased doses), and me making lunch everyday (yippee!). At this time, we continue to wait for the pathology results.  

Since my Dad's surgery, I've been reflecting a lot on the application of a couple common sayings. 


The first is that you can't judge a book by its cover. 


Concerning this saying, I can't stop thinking about the fact that, during my Dad's surgery, Dr. O'Kelly and others actually saw my Dad's brain. However, as the saying goes, my Dad's brain cannot be judged by its cover. 


I'm quite sure that, as far as brains go, my Dad's brain looked rather unremarkable. However, looking past its outward appearance, my Dad's brain is anything but. Rather, his brain is tremendously creative, insightful, wise, funny, humble and kind. 


While I may not have actually seen my Dad's brain, I've spent my life reading its story and as we've said before in this blog, it is such a good one. 


The second saying that I've been thinking a lot about is that, in contrast to the first, a picture is worth a thousand words. 


Concerning this saying, as a result of my Dad's surgery, my Dad now has an incision across the top of his head, starting at his right ear and ending approximately two and a half inches away from his left ear. At present, the incision is covered by 23 staples (no one guessed correctly!). As the saying goes, this incision is worth a thousand words. 


When I see my Dad's incision, I see so much more than the fact that he underwent brain surgery. I see that he is brave, courageous and trusting. 


More symbolically, I see so much more than staples covering the incision. I see my Mom, Tara, Derek, Kase, Ben, Erin, Matthew, my Grandma Rita, my aunts, my uncles, my cousins, and our friends supporting and reinforcing my Dad during this time, each one made stronger by the others surrounding it. 


You can't judge a book (or in this case, a brain) by its cover, but a picture (or in this case, an incision) is worth a thousand words.   


          - Leanne

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