Life is gradually
returning to normal since my total knee replacement at the end of January. The
advice from the knee replacement alumni has been to be diligent with the
physical therapy and I have to agree.
The stretching hurts but according to locker room philosophy, “no pain,
no gain.” I thought I would be ready to
begin my next interim by March 1, but it probably has been good that I have to wait
a bit longer. The time gives me opportunity
to analyze and synthesize.
In my interim training I
became acquainted with Family Systems Theory.
It is a theory developed by Dr. Murray Bowen in the 1960’s. It has been used by many family therapists since
then. One of his students was Rabbi
Edwin Friedman who was also a family therapist.
But, Friedman then adapted the theory for churches and synagogues. Within a congregation one begins to see how
one sub-system impacts all the other sub-systems. For example, if Ladies Aid is a toxic
organization, it will impact the Sunday school organization and the choir and
the support staff. I may be just a
beginner in using Family Systems Theory but I keep learning.
All of a sudden as I lay
in a hospital bed the theory became very real how one system impacts all the
others. It’s not about one family member against another family member nor
about church council vs youth ministry.
No, for me the realization came after surgery and how one body system
impinges upon another.
I went to the hospital
because I was going to have orthopedic surgery.
When I came out of surgery my right leg was bandaged up as I
anticipated. But, it was not isolated to
orthopedics. I also had an oxygen tube
in my nose to help me breathe better. I
had a catheter so that I could. . .well, you know. They kept asking if I had symptoms of
clotting. One nurse was testing my blood sugar every hour for the first
evening. A different nurse wanted to know when I passed gas (not a problem).
Presto! A light bulb flashed on. I am a living example of Family Systems
Theory. (I guess we all are for that
fact.) Because my skeletal system was
acutely disrupted, all the other body’s systems were also affected. Since the day of surgery I could have asked
every “ologist” in the clinic some sort of question about what is going on in
my system: endocrinology, hematology, psychology, gastroenterology,
tinkleology, belly buttonology. We indeed are one system made up of many parts. Didn’t Abraham Lincoln say, “When my feet
hurt, I hurt all over?”
Who would have ever
thought that the scar running down my right leg is my certificate of continuing
education in Family Systems Theory?
Can I take my hospital
bill as a tax deduction?
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