By Jeff Baird, Sunrise Reiki Colorado
I have two artificial hips due to a car accident that we were in back in the 90’s. As my van hydroplaned during the sleet and snow storm, I extended both of my legs to try my best to stop our vehicle before ramming into the back of two people parked at a stoplight. At the time, I thought I walked away without a scratch. I may have walked away without a scratch, but the roughly 35-40 mph impact jammed my hips into a bone on bone position that brought with it pain like I had never experienced before.
For years, I woke up with excruciating bone on bone pain only worsened by the countless hangovers I barely survived due to the heavy self-medicating that went on for hours the night before. My first step out of bed was the toughest of the day as reality always hit home yet again. Only in my early 40’s at the time, but more than one doctor told me that I had the hips of an 80 year-old-man. My first total hip replacement was on the left side in October of 2002. The right one was replaced in January, 2005. I was living a pain-free life after those surgeries and haven’t had any issues until New Year’s Day 2023. Those painful echoes from the past literally brought me to my knees, barely able to walk up stairs. And, we have a lot of stairs in our home!
My internal wheels started grinding overtime and bringing me back to that dark, lonely place of suffering called pain. The unknown was eating my lunch as I started worrying about what could be around the corner for me. I couldn’t even hold my 2-year-old grandson without the pain reminding me who the boss really was. That’s the thing about pain…It moves in and takes over – if we allow it to. Before my two hip replacement surgeries, I started writing a book called, “What a Pain!” But, when the pain left, so did the motivation to finish the book. I had no plans to finish the book but as I struggled to walk up a couple of stairs on New Year’s Day, that earlier time period and book idea was racing through my head as I worried and was angry – two things that I had learned to leave behind years ago, thanks to Reiki.
The unknown can be a daunting foe as we speculate and overthink what the future might have in store for us. When we’re in pain, that future doesn’t seem very promising as we struggle just to make it through the day. I scheduled a doctor’s visit in mid-January to find out what was causing the intense pain around my right hip. Thankfully, both hips looked as good as new on the X-Rays. I have some calcification issues and a couple of discs that aren’t happy with the arthritis and inflammation that surrounds them. My doctor told me I could have pulled something and aggravated my right hip by doing something as simple as shoveling snow. We’ve had plenty of snow, so that is certainly a possibility. A sense of relief washed over me as I left the doctor’s office, with a better understanding of what was once the frightening unknown. I’m working the plan and the pain level has gone from a solid 10+ to around 2.
After the doctor’s visit, I increased the amount of time that I spent each morning and evening with self-Reiki. I cannot tell you how much this has helped me. I have a new hop in my step and I seem to walk around with a smile 24/7 as I learned yet again why living in gratitude brings so much joy and hope. In addition to partnering with Reiki to strengthen me physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, I have been sending Reiki to the next day. The days since that visit to the doctor have been some of the best I have ever experienced. I told my co-workers on Monday that I am in my happy place again. And, the results speak for themselves as evidenced by my many recent successes.Yesterday was one of the best days I have had in years, and today is shaping up nicely as well.
Thanks to Reiki, I have been able to help so many people and animals who were in pain. I firmly believe that the pain I have endured has heightened my level of empathy for others who are suffering. The sacred, healing energy always delivers for our highest good. Earlier this week, I sent Reiki to my past to heal those painful echoes from the past. This has allowed me to savor each moment even more, and look to the future with hope for each God-given day.