Helga
Lucinda West
My Story
The name Helga means holy or blessed, and in a way, I was blessed to slip into a cancellation slot with the physical therapist while I was already in the building. Her time is in high demand and we were having trouble synchronizing our schedules. That’s not why I call her Helga. I did not feel blessed by the time she finished with me. Helga is the wife of Hagar the Horrible in the once popular cartoon strips. Helga is the founder of the Hufflepuff house in the Harry Potter series. Helga is the name I assign to women who inflict pain instead of pleasure.
While shrewdly playing nature sounds with the faint calls of various songbirds, Helga’s office reminded me not of a Swedish spa, but of a Hungarian masseuse’s torture chamber who assaults every thread of your muscles leaving you bruised and in dire need of a sedative. I was not looking forward to this, and it did not feel relaxing as the music pretended. I am all too familiar with the expression “no pain no gain,” however I wished I could make it disappear without visiting Helga.
Although this story is shared with tongue in cheek, this is the reality. One day as I sat on Helga’s table it hit me pretty hard. I was different. I had a scar where my breast once lived, and the scar extended under my armpit where I lost all my axillary lymph nodes. I would forever need to exercise differently, stretch the scar, do daily self-massages for lymphatic drainage, and wear a compression sleeve to prevent swelling. I was overwhelmed with the realization that my body would never be the same, and I broke down and cried.
How I Got Through It
There is an important lesson here. I knew I had to accept my “new normal,” and ascertain what that meant for my future health. Once I finished treatment I was reluctant to attend physical therapy, as it was just one more thing on my plate. I discovered it is easier to try and ignore reality than to deal with it. But this attitude does not move us forward. Once I made the commitment to go, I learned that physical therapy—as well as other integrated therapies—could be very beneficial in taking me to the next step in the healing process.
Harry Potter fans recognize that Helga Hufflepuff’s school values hard work and patience. Their motto: “Those patient Hufflepuffs are true and unafraid of toil.” That shibboleth also applies to physical therapy, so my therapist is rightly nicknamed. It takes dedication and discipline to overcome the long-term effects of major surgery. I had to put off the temptation to ignore what my body was telling me, and do whatever it took to restore my health.
Even greater than Harry Potter are the words from the Apostle Paul: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18 ESV). This is but a momentary trial, and I knew the benefits would be well worth the time spent.
Action Items
Are you having difficulty with range of motion, or pain from your surgical site? You might consider scheduling an appointment with a physical therapist. Take a moment now to call and ask your doctor if this is right for you. Be prepared to work for your health! We would love to hear about your experiences with physical therapy in the comment section that follows. If you have not yet had surgery or are not a candidate for physical therapy, look into the various therapies offered at your clinic and write about them in the comments below.
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