Healing Alone

As I move forward in my recovery from pancreatitis, I still find myself reflecting on aspects related to healing.  When I left the hospital, they armed me with a variety of prescriptions, a strict diet, and strong recommendations to rest.  Given the pain I experienced, I took their directions to heart.

Over the next week or two, my wife was phenomenal in making sure that I followed the doctors order to a tee.  Beyond that, however, she was a warm ear and an encouraging source when I struggled with the slowness of my recovery.  Quite simply, she was at the core of my recovery.

This reality got me thinking about situations where people do not have a significant other on hand, or even close friends to support their recovery.  Certainly people can heal by themselves, but it just seems so much more therapeutic when you have someone at your side in these times of healing.

In our communities there are a lot of people who are isolated and lonely.  Not only when they get sick, but even in the times of health, relationships matter.