I have been asked quite a few times "Dr. Martin, why is it that I feel so sad after my takedown surgery? Aren't I supposed to be happy? Is this normal?" My answer...Yes, it is completely normal. I wondered the same thing after my takedown. When I went in for my surgery, I felt so relieved. I thought "Finally I'm going to be done. I can get on with my life, be happy again, and not think about this anymore." About a month later, I started feeling sad and angry and I didn't know why. I finally realized that I was feeling this way because of all of the trauma I had been through in the last year. I mean, being incredibly ill, spending more time in the hospital than out, having three major surgeries, and losing an organ is a lot to deal with! I realized that I was in what I call my "mourning period" and that I just needed to give myself time to deal with everything that I had been through.
So for those of you who may be experiencing the same emotions after your surgeries...you are not alone. You are not crazy for feeling this way. It will get better. Give yourself time to deal with what you have been through. If you feel it would help to talk to someone about what you are going through, do so. Find a support group in your area or a therapist who gets what you are going through. Just remember that this is part of the process and that you will be happy and able to live life again. Sometimes it just takes a little longer than expected.
