"You know that a good, long session of weeping can often make you feel better, even if your circumstances have not changed one bit."
-- Lemony Snicket,
The Bad Beginning
It has been a month since I had surgery on my right foot. In this column, which is meant to help Arkansans understand what it's like to live with diabetes, I have written about breaking my fifth metatarsal, surgery in 2013 that installed a little screw to brace it, how that bone failed to heal and, finally, about an infection that moved into the bone, resulting in this recent surgery to remove it and my little toe.
It has been a roller-coaster ride, but I've gotten encouragement and solace from the emails and sweet letters I've received from readers. I've also been the recipient of many thoughtful acts by my co-workers. I appreciate them so much.
I owe a lot to my mother, but also to my two sweet sisters. Their help has given Mom a break from time to time, even though I really am a joy to be with. I've been blessed by a friend who made it possible for me to borrow a wheelchair and other equipment that makes my incapacity easier. And I'm thankful to another friend who loaned me a knee walker.
One of the things I have experienced during this time is crying jags. They tend to come on late in the evening, when I'm tired or worried about my healing and what the future holds. My mother will hold me and say that it's OK to cry. And it really does help release the stress I've stored up during the day.
I found an article on the website of Psychology Today by Dr. Judith Orloff, a best-selling author and psychiatrist. It's titled "The Health Benefits of Tears." In it she details the three types of weeping and their benefits.
Reflex tears allow our eyes to clear out noxious particles when they are irritated by things like smoke, exhaust or dust.
Continuous tears are produced regularly to keep our eyes lubricated. They include a chemical, lysozyme, that functions as an antibacterial and protects our eyes from infection.
Emotional tears, like those I shed, have special benefits. They contain stress hormones that are excreted from our body through crying. These tears can also stimulate the production of endorphins, the body's natural pain killer and feel-good hormone.
It is healthy to cry. It helps us release sadness and stress, resolve grief and process loss. Orloff says that what really constitutes a powerful man or woman is the strength or self awareness to cry. It is, she says, courageous to heal depression or other emotions with tears.
And thankfully we have the capacity to let the tears flow.
So the next time you feel sad, mad or just worn out from the world, have a big honking cry. You'll be glad you did.
MOMENT OF TRUTH
I had an appointment with my doctor at the wound care center Jan. 4. She took off the cast I'd worn since my surgery, cleaned my foot and pronounced that it seemed to be healing well. I hadn't had a followup with my surgeon yet, and I was a little bit anxious about that.
Wednesday it was time for that followup. I didn't sleep well the night before, and butterflies bounced around in my stomach as I sat in the waiting room.
Once in the exam room, a doctor's assistant came in and took a good long look. She said the foot was doing well, and there was no sign of infection. Relief coursed through my body. I was finally able to relax.
My foot is still healing, and I now am allowed to get it wet and put lotion on it. I can't walk on it for another couple of weeks, and I can't drive for a month, but it's a step in the right direction.
I have to wear my walking boot for protection, and honestly, I'm still nervous about accidentally putting weight on my foot or whacking it on a table leg or the bed frame. I'll get over that in time.
The main thing is that I'm still working hard to control my blood sugar for health and healing, and being sensible about what I eat. Regular exercise will be the next thing I add back, and believe it or not, I'm actually looking forward to that.
Email me at:
rboggs@arkansasonline.com
ActiveStyle on 01/18/2016