Downtime

Being ordered home for a month for recovery was about the last thing that my brain ever wanted to hear, and so I was determined to cut that time in half by being a good patient and doing everything just exactly as the doctor ordered. Almost everything anyhow. The get up and walk as much as possible part I truly had problems with mostly because of the severity of pain when I did get up to walk.
No matter, during my time at home (I did manage to make it two weeks instead of four) I had people who love me coming to visit. Some stayed for hours (You all know who you are), some stayed for just a few minutes, some dropped enough movies by to entertain me for days. Then the ones who couldn't stop by in person, sent flowers, cards, and food! Bless all of you who cooked too, because it was scrumptious and you kept it reasonably healthy. The Big Dawg was also thrilled to have food coming in.
During week number two, I decided to put the 'get up and walk' command to use as an excuse to get up and take some pictures of what was happening in my daily life. I saw tons of this face from Ellie.
She was so very concerned that 'mom' had something wrong and wanted so badly to be able to comfort me. Abi was content to lay by my feet and provide her support in that way, but poor Ellie nearly couldn't stand it. She tried to finagle herself to get in my lap any way she could, much to her disappointment when it was unsuccessful. By the middle and especially the end of week two, she could lay next to me with a pillow in between to ensure she wouldn't step on me. So from that point I got to see a lot of this pose. Obviously since the pillow is in the background, Big Dawg took this shot.                                      

 Then you've got all the flowers I got from everyone! They were so beautiful and cheery that it helped being stuck in more enjoyable. 

Somewhere during that same week I had the capability to toss an empty juice bottle to the floor for the girls to play with and the result was this. While this was a welcome change for them, neither of them understood exactly why I was home all day but couldn't really have anything to do with them, or play, or snuggle. This meant that at night, the Big Dawg had his work cut out for him trying to catch them up. Thankfully he absolutely loves them and didn't mind one bit sitting down doing nothing but hold them.
At the end of the second week, I was allowed to go outside again for the first time and thoroughly enjoyed a beautiful, sunny Spring day. I captured some more really nice shots of the flowers I got and will include them below.

Thanks again to everyone who stopped by, called, came to hang out, brought food, and prayed for my recovery. Without each and every one of you I know it would have been a much harder path to walk for myself and especially for the Big Dawg. (he would have starved)

Catching up

Obviously the last few months have been a little more than hectic and sadly blogging has been one of the many neglected aspects of my life. One would think that with time at home under doctor's orders I would have had plenty of time to write and tell everyone all the things going on in the world as I knew it. Alas, a good portion of narcotic pain relievers kept me from thinking too much about anything. Needless to say, there's quite a bit of catching up to do. Without further adieu: Some pics of the world of the hospital pre and post op. If you're interested in all the gory details about the stay that I had and the tornadoes that occurred that same day, I'll share what I can.

FIL hanging out with James in the waiting room

Big Dawg and another man from church each had their 'girls' in surgery

A few hours post surgery and post tornadoes I finally got to have broth to "eat"

Reduced to just drinking it

Breakfast in the hospital :)

Indiscretions of the Leggoland mind

The title here has very little to do with the actual post forthcoming, but it sounded cool in my head so deal with it.

Most of you probably already know some of the things that have been occurring in my life the last few months, some of you know a lot of it, and two of you know everything. But did any of you know that this has actually been something I've dealt with for a number of years? Gotcha! It's true though.

God bless the Bigdawg who has stood by and watched me be in pain, and suffered through the horrendous hormone medications and their side effects!! He's a trooper for sure and I'm so glad that he is who is walking this path with me (though there are days I'm sure when he would tell you he wished he'd pushed me off the path). Thankfully this path is nearing it's end hopefully once and for all very soon. Ten days, ten days is what I keep saying today.

Ten days until I don't have to take these crazy hormones anymore. Ten days until I won't contemplate very seriously injuring the woman at the grocery store who took the absolute very last free parking space. Ten days until my coworkers and boss can breathe easy and not wonder which mood they will encounter this morning. Ten days until I will wake up and realize that I've got no idea what day it is, or where exactly I am. Then eleven days until I realize I am back at home, and confined there for the next 2-4 weeks. The Bigdawg has been coordinating with the Scoutmaster who will babysit me on which days and for how long they will be there. It's a phenomenon in it's own right to think that I have to have a baby-sitter for myself.

I don't really care at all who baby-sits me, I won't know much different the first couple of days at least. After that, all I can say is don't attempt to convince me to do anything I've said no to, because no is my final answer and even in my drug induced state of mind, and possibly especially in that state of mind, I will not compromise. Ask the Bigdawg..he will tell you. It's never been a secret that I'm stubborn, and I don't hide it from anyone, but I am generally fine with compromise. Apparently on medication, compromise is not a word in my vocabulary. Pray for the people who are stuck having me stare at them while I'm home. Maybe I'll sleep, a lot.

What I do really care about is the fact that this should result in me not having to be poked, prodded, weighed, measured, questioned, shuffled from one office to another, filling out endless forms about all the questions they have already asked me, only to be asked again in person. I still have the bruises on my arm from the latest round of poking and prodding. Heaven knows our dear Lord has had to hear me more in the last few months than I'm sure he's wanted to. Chances are that if He were like us, He'd have told me to get over it already and shut-up.

So, here I am, ten days and counting. Wonder what kind of trouble I can get into between now and then?

(I should have titled this ten days...but I like the original better)