Cone Wisdom

Though cumbersome and frustrating, the cone keeps him safe.

Our dog, Sandy, had surgery a couple of days ago. He had a couple of hopefully, benign tumors removed. He has stitches and so our veterinarian sent him home with a surgical collar, otherwise known as the dreaded cone.

He’s downright pitiful in it. It’s bulky. He runs into the walls and has a hard time taking the stairs. He’s depressed and I think he’s even embarrassed. I suspect, though I can’t prove it, that our other dog makes fun of him when we’re not looking.

It’s almost painful to watch how awkward he is walking around in it.

But, he can eat with it on, and he can drink water, and he has no trouble begging from the table with it on. He can even run around outside and do his business.

And here’s the most important thing about the dreaded cone: It keeps him safe while he heals. He had surgery a few years back and the young veterinarian in charge for the day, decided he didn’t need a cone. It was a Friday. Sandy promptly ripped out his stitches over the weekend. We had to take him back and have them redone and the more experienced veterinarian, sent him home with a cone.

If Sandy is allowed to chew on his stitches, which is his tendency, he will injure himself. He can cause an infection. He will take longer to heal. So, those of us who love him and know what’s best for him, have put that cone around his head to protect him.

Keep in mind, from his standpoint, he wants it gone. He’s uncomfortable and frustrated. I know that it’s only for a week or so, but as far as he’s concerned, it’s his new normal and he doesn’t like it. Of course, he was perfectly happy with the tumors staying where they were too. They weren’t bothering him. Why should they go?

The veterinarian felt like the tumors could be dangerous down the road, so he removed them.

As I’ve watched my sweet dog stumble around, kind of dazed and confused, I have really wished I could explain it all to him. I’d like to tell him how much I love him and that I’m just trying to keep him as healthy as possible.

When I think about it, I feel like God often reacts to us, his children, in the same way.

There are times when He removes things from our lives, things that can cause us harm, but that we don’t necessarily see as harmful. Then, He sometimes puts up road blocks in our paths to keep us from trying to fix things ourselves, like Sandy gnawing on his stitches.

We sometimes find ourselves stuck in one place. We can’t go forward and we can’t go backward, but instead of giving into stress and frustration, perhaps we should acknowledge that just maybe, we have been brought to a place of healing and when we are rested and healed, God will unblock the path.

Sandy’s cone reminds me that healing takes some time. It also reminds me that we often don’t know what’s best for us, but just like I can trust my vet for Sandy’s care, we can trust God for ours.

Perhaps today, you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂