I'm a survivor
I'm not gon give up
I'm not gon stop
I'm gon work harder
I'm a survivor
I'm gonna make it
I will survive
Keep on survivin'.
-- Destiny's Child
In my last column I wrote that I would be having surgery Tuesday. As of this writing -- last Wednesday -- I've had to postpone the procedure for several reasons. I won't go into detail, but it's due to the confluence of three stressful situations in my life, none of which is earth-shattering.
The key word is "stressful."
But it's OK. I'm regrouping and reformulating plans, and the surgery is going to have to wait a bit. I don't like it, but I have come to terms with the situation.
After the column ran, I received emails from readers offering prayers, positive thoughts and information. It warmed the cockles of my heart. Mere words can't convey my sweet and fuzzy feelings toward you.
I am a survivor and I won't give up. Thankfully I have an amazing support system and friends I love who love me back.
One of the things that I've read about over the last few years is how stress can impede the healing process. That's part of the reason I am not overly upset about putting off surgery until I have moved past these stressful times.
Being diabetic is already a problem when it comes to healing. I have to keep my blood glucose levels in check as much as possible. The diabetic neuropathy affects blood flow, which is part of the reason I have my Charcot condition and deformed foot bones. I honestly don't need anything else stacked against me when I undertake an intensive surgery and the healing process.
I ran across an article on the website of the National Library of Medicine of the National Institute of Health (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) titled "The Impact of Psychological Stress on Wound Healing: Methods and Mechanisims." It offered information about a study done at The Ohio State University by the departments of psychology and psychiatry that found evidence indicating psychological stress could inhibit wound healing.
Wounds heal in overlapping stages. It starts with the initial inflammatory stage right after the surgery or after we are wounded. Blood coagulates and we scab, then blood platelets activate and platelet-derived growth factors join the party. If all goes well, we begin to heal.
But a poor healing process can increase the risk for wound infections or complications, lengthen hospital stays, magnify patient discomfort and slow the return to everyday activities of life.
The study says that greater fear or distress before surgery has also been associated with poorer outcomes, including longer hospital stays, more post-operative complications and higher rates of rehospitalization.
Patients who experience high levels of depression or anxiety are more likely to have delayed healing.
Pain, a physical and psychological stressor, can also influence healing. Acute pain immediately after surgery and persistent pain following surgery were associated with slower healing, too.
The study also found that optimistic people tended to do better after surgery, but negative emotions contribute to slower healing.
Other causes of failure to heal well include marital discord, lack of good post-surgery support, bad anger management, academic examination stress, immobilization and social reorganization -- changes in one's social world.
Health-damaging behaviors can also present a problem when healing. They include alcohol and tobacco use, which often increase due to stress, a decrease in physical activity, sleep disturbances and poor diet choices.
On the other hand, physical exercise can reduce psychological distress and help with healing, as can social support. And if all else fails, they say, mood or anxiety medications may help.
Email me at:
ActiveStyle on 11/06/2017