In August of 2022, I published a post titled “The Purpose of Our Trials.”

With reference to Philippians 1:29, I wrote the following:

“It is through suffering – and our attitudes towards it – that we enter into fellowship with Jesus. Keep in mind that this does not simply reference the persecution and ridicule the Bible tells us Christians will face for their faith. This suffering includes the death of loved ones, poverty, hunger, sickness, etc. – suffering that can lead some to question God’s very existence.

And it is not the suffering itself that is the critical behavior here. It is how we respond to that suffering, for one’s ability to maintain his or her Christ-centeredness in the face of torment glorifies God by demonstrating unwavering trust in Him.”

This past year, God blessed me with a test of my fidelity to these words.

Some of you are aware of the health challenges stemming from my hip replacement surgery on April 2, 2024. For those who are not, I offer some elaboration below. I do so not to garner sympathy or glorify myself in any way – only to give perspective to this message. I will, of course, glorify God for these trials – and my amazing wife who I burdened with caring for me, and whose relentless love restored me. So, in brief (though it may not seem so):

Surgeries 1-3

Three months following successful shoulder replacement surgery in Colorado (1/4/24), I had my arthritic left hip replaced (4/2/24), again in Denver by the same orthopedic group that did my shoulder and knee replacements. Yes, I’ve been the recipient of all the bionic man references.

I returned home to NC ten days later (4/12). While toweling off after a Saturday morning shower (4/13), an ugly pus began to ooze from my incision. I sent the video to my surgeon who instructed me to immediately get to the hospital emergency room. I did so and a staph infection was quickly confirmed. An emergency “washout” was performed the next morning and I spent the next four days in the hospital on IV antibiotics.

The attending physician in NC strongly encouraged me to return to Denver for follow up treatment by the team performing the original surgery. So after checking out of Advent Hospital in Hendersonville on the morning of April 17, my wife and I boarded a plane to Denver that same afternoon. Two days later, a second washout was performed and infected components of my new hip were replaced. Again, I remained in the hospital for five days receiving antibiotics – and was released on April 26 to return home to NC and begin a six-week, twice-daily regimen of antibiotics that were self-administered via a “PICC” line (Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter) – a tube inserted into my upper arm and threaded into a large vein near my heart.

Blood Clots & the WSOP

For six weeks, all was good. Unfortunately, as I neared the completion of the regimen, my arm began to swell – the result of a blood clot triggered by the PICC line. This was more worrisome to the doctors than to me and I was put on another twice-daily routine of self-injected anticoagulants. Apparently my antibiotics precluded the use of oral blood thinners so I got to stick myself twice a day. Not a big deal.

Once again, things seemed to be on track. The PICC line was removed, my antibiotics were now taken orally, and the injections were tolerable. The timing was perfect for my annual trip to Las Vegas for the World Series of Poker. Although the prior three months had been less than fun, all was now right with the world as I was on my way to my favorite event of the year.

I flew to Las Vegas on June 8. As I walked repeatedly between the WSOP and my hotel, a discomfort and stiffness began to grow in my hip. By 6/19, the discomfort had become agony and any movement was excruciating. On Monday June 24, I was on a flight to Denver for evaluation and treatment…and pain meds.

Surgery #4

I could not complete Tuesday’s scheduled MRI as I was unable to sufficiently straighten my leg to fit in the machine. I checked into the hospital that night with my fourth surgery now scheduled for Friday. On Wednesday, my hip joint was partially drained in the hope that some relief would be provided. I can’t say it really helped. The appearance of the drained fluid was ambiguous as to whether or not the infection had returned. So the surgeon opened me up once again two days later (6/28), uncertain as to what he would find.

Where the first three surgeries were executed with an anterior (less invasive) approach, the fourth required a posterior incision – larger, more muscle tissue cut, longer and more painful recovery. However, this approach was necessary to remove my new and potentially infected artificial hip, and implant a temporary antibiotic cement hip spacer. The doctor believed this to be the most prudent approach to ensure the infection would be entirely remedied. Thus, a fifth surgery would be required to replace the temporary cement spacer with a permanent (hopefully) artificial joint.

What the doctor did find was a couple of significant hematomas that were the likely cause of my excruciating hip pain. Those were drained and I had some modest amount of immediate relief. (As this is already too long, I will leave out the part about the nasty impact the pain medication had on my digestive system and the ugliness of how it was remedied.)

The hematomas, of course, resulted from a series of unfortunate and unlikely sequential circumstances: an infection (itself about a 1% possibility) that required a PICC line; a PICC line that caused a blood clot; a blood clot that required anticoagulants; anticoagulants that prompted the hematomas.

The Fifth and Final

Following another six-week regimen of thrice-daily antibiotics (this time through a Broviac catheter inserted in my chest), the cement hip spacer was removed on October 10 and replaced by a permanent artificial hip. Of course, it was not seamless as hurricane Helene complicated our travel to Denver. Without power/water/connectivity at home, a dog sitter was no longer an option. Instead, we had to drive to Colorado, dog in tow – and do so in a roundabout manner as direct routes were closed. But Helene is a whole other story. This one is long enough already.

Blessed

Now healing, I am looking to 2025 with optimism and blessedness. But I have also sought meaning in the trials God set in front of me. Never did I believe that I was being punished. Disciplined perhaps, but not punished. I, of course, deserve punishment far worse than anything I went through in 2024. We all do.

I prefer to consider these trials to be both a test and a refinement of my faith. As noted in scripture:

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” James 1:2-3

I believe this is a major part of God’s plan for me – to build perseverance for tasks and trials yet to come. I indeed consider it “pure joy” that He knows me and has plans for me.

“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12

In closing, I pray that I have followed Christ’s example in confronting the trials set before me, though I have endured nothing to compare the persecution and crucifixion He withstood on my behalf. In so doing, perhaps I have served His purpose in some way. I pray that my trust has glorified Him.

It must also be noted that there are many that have participated in my medical journey in 2024. This includes not only the physicians and nurses that I came to know quite well after multiple episodes under their care – but those that have relentlessly prayed for my recovery. I have been blessed by them all, but none more so than my faithful wife, Monica, who had to endure every surgery, every doctor visit, every injection, every road trip and so much more – all while taking on solo responsibilities for managing the household.

Of all blessings the Lord has bestowed upon me, she is at the top of the list.