A Dance to Forget

There are so many types of dances. There’s the Jitterbug, the Fox Trot, the Charleston, the Rumba, and line dancing, to name few.

Over the years, I’ve created my own dance. Most dancing begins with music. 

My dance begins with favorable circumstances after a partial recovery from an illness, injury, disease, or surgery.

For example, on a particular day after a surgery, there came a time when I was feeling well enough to take a day trip. So that’s exactly what we did.

Upon our arrival home, I suggested we run some errands. We did that as well.

Back from our errands, I wanted to do some chores.

My wife recognized my dance. She said: “You’re not doing anything else right now, except to sit on the couch and rest.”

Thus I was prevented from the dance I’ve created for myself. This dance involves one step forward, then three steps backwards.

I perform this dance each and every time I begin to recover from anything, be that an illness, surgery, injury, or disease.

I call this dance “The Old Four Step.” 

As I get older I’ve noticed my steps backwards are longer in length, and frequently involve pain.

This makes me wonder why “The Old Four Step" is my go to dance?

It's as though I haven't learned the intensity of misery from "The Old Four Step" makes it a dance I should avoid like the plague.

One of the worst examples I’ve ever heard was a man who following prostate surgery was told not to lift anything over 5lbs.

Feeling great after his prostate surgery, he decided to shovel snow off his driveway. 

The weight of the snow caused the newly rewired plumbing to disconnect permanently. Now he must endure a catheter for the rest of his life! A tragic consequence of doing the “The Old Four Step.”

There are some dances to remember, and some to forget. “The Old Four Step” is a dance to forget.

What about you? Do you have a “recovery dance” that takes you further away from your recovery?

Rick Redner and his wife Brenda Redner wrote two award winning books. The first:

I Left My Prostate in San Francisco-Where's Yours?

provides men and couples with information and support before, during and after prostate surgery.

Their second book was written for couples living with erectile dysfunction. After living with erectile dysfunction for four years, Rick chose penile implant surgery. The couple share how implant surgery changed their lives and relationship.

The title of their second book is:

Everything You Never Wanted to Know About Erectile Dysfunction and Penile Implants.