Take Out Your Own Gall Bladder? How You Gonna Spleen That?

Posted on June 13, 2016 Updated on January 16, 2017

Totally stupid pun in the title of this article, I know. What can I say… that’s how I operate.  {{{ Rimshot }}}

Starting over, again.  It’s been the topic here lately.  Maybe you’re one of those super disciplined and incredibly lucky people who have never had to walk down the road of “starting over, again.” If you are, then just know the rest of us hate you.  We don’t wish you ill (ok, some of us might wish you a little bit of ill), but it will be hard for you to understand the mental, emotional, physical and spiritual struggles the rest of us go through when we do have those events in our lives that cause us to have to, well, start over again.

So back to the really bad pun in the headline.  There are lots of things we can do for ourselves physically.  We can clip our toenails.  We can use a Flobee and cut our own hair. We can pop our zits, wash our face and brush our teeth.  Important stuff.  But what about when venture too far into the realm of doing something for ourselves that maybe we should have left to the professionals?  For instance, have you ever removed your own ingrown toenail?  I have… and it hurt big time!  What about removing a skin tag or a mole? No?  Minor elective surgery, like removing your wisdom teeth or a boob job… ever considered those as a self-help project?  Probably not… or at least I hope not.

My little brother just had a serious surgery with a chunk of his colon being removed.  I’m happy to report that he’s going to be OK (thank you Jesus and the staff of Baptist hospital).  But consider this.  My brother became aware of a tumor in his colon.  How much sense would it have made for him to keep that information to himself, and refuse to seek out any kind of help?  It would have been foolish!  Instead, they consulted a myriad of physicians and went through a battery of tests, culminating in a team of people working on his body to help move him towards health.

Painful? Yes.  A little humiliating?  If you don’t know the answer to that, then you’ve obviously never had to wear a hospital gown.  Scary.  Beyond belief.  But necessary, even vital to his survival?  Of course it was!

Starting over, again.  It can be the same way.  There are instances where taking that task on yourself might be OK.  Getting back into a routine of exercise, or changing your rest patterns.  Other more sensitive or dynamic issues might require some moderate input or accountability from others.  Losing weight could become a serious health issue need for you, and the assistance and encouragement of some people you trust might just be the ticket. But for some of you, your marriage may be on the verge of collapse, or you find your personal and/or business finances on the edge of financial bankruptcy.  It’s time to send out the alert, run the flag up the pole and request support from the best of resources you can find!  Stubbornness can isolate you to point of extinction; pride can push you completely over the edge.  Don’t be that guy or that girl.  Ask for help if you need.  Ask for help if you don’t need it.  Just ask for help.

And if that doesn’t work… then follow the wisdom of this old adage…  and we’ll talk a little more about it tomorrow…