A Long Road

It has been a long time since I posted because I ended up having complications with my surgery.  I was in the hospital a total of 24 days.  When I finally came home I was incredibly weak.  I have now been home for 3 weeks and day by day I have gotten stronger.  Strong enough that I feel I can finally handle posting on my blog.

The original surgery was a wonder.  I went in thinking I was going to lose bowel and came out having nothing cut out.  It was a mess in there, but he was able to untangle the mess.  I had asked the Lord before I went in if He could spare me losing bowel.  He answered my prayer.  However, after surgery was when the troubles began.  On the day that I was supposed to go home I was ill.  I stayed an extra day.  I was home 4 days before I developed a painful blockage.

Both Mark and I were scared...a repeat of what happened in 2008 with my reconnection surgery.  But nothing happens the same way twice.  In 2008, I had a NG tube for only a couple days.  This time I had an NG tube for a couple of weeks.  During this time I could not eat.  And also during this time my doctor located the blockage on the CT scan and decided to go in surgically and remove it.  However, I had developed so much scar tissue, he could not safely get to the spot and so he closed me back up.

That 2nd surgery weakened me.  A day after the surgery my blood pressure dropped to a dangerous low and I woke up with nurses around me hanging lots of stuff on my IV pole.  I had become dehydrated and I ended up with a PIC line so that I could be fed through my artery.  I also received 2 units of blood which helped me come back to life.  After all that I developed an infection in my incision and developed abscesses.  One became so large that I had to get a wound vac.  At one point I became so depressed I had to be given a sedative and put to bed.

It was after that when my pastor showed up one afternoon and he brought another pastor with him and they laid hands on me and prayed.  It was after that I began to get better.  Finally they told me they could take the NG tube out and I could eat and drink again.  After a few days I was told it was time to go home.  I came home with a portable wound vac.  A nurse come twice a week to take care of my wounds which are healing great!  Soon I will be losing the vac and have more freedom.

During my hospital stay I had terrific nurses.  Many friends from church came to visit and support me.  My son, Brandon, called me from California and Eric came to visit me at the hospital.  We may not always understand why we have to go through such trials, but often times these trials not only affect us, they affect others.  God uses us to draw others closer to himself through our suffering...its just what He did with Jesus.

Counting Down

I did not feel like posting after Brandon left.  I was worried sick.  Finally my sister was able to spend  time with Brandon and after that I was able to calm down.  This past week I heard from friends in Cali who had connected with Brandon.  They are keeping an eye on him.  Brandon called me last week and told me he has a job and is rooming with an old neighbors of ours.  The Lord has shown us his love through our sweet friends and their concern for our son.

In other news, my surgery is coming.  On April 23rd I will be having major bowel surgery.  Last year this time I had a colonoscopy and the doctor found that there is a stricture in my colon.  He thinks that there is about a foot of colon that is folded back and forth on itself.  The last few months I have had increased problems and pain.  So I am very thankful that the Lord has opened the doors for this surgery.  Although Mark and I are very afraid, we have no choice in the matter as I really cannot keep on the way I am.  The surgery will take 2 to 3 hours and I will be in the hospital 3 to 5 days, all depending on how much work is done and how my body responds.

This week I have decided to enjoy my favorite foods (as tummy allows) before my bowel prep on Monday.  After surgery I will be on a bland diet till bowel heals.  Thinking about what foods I would like to enjoy helps to ease my fears.  Instead of sitting around being scared to death, I might as well enjoy life.

Birthday #52

This is the beautiful birthday cake Mark gave me for my 52nd birthday.  I am so blessed to have such a wonderful hubby.  He made turning 52 sweet!  Thank you Lord for my blessed husband!

Surgery

Finally have a surgery date...April 23rd.  Mark and I are moving forward and going to get my bowel fixed.  I am scared to death, but stepping out in faith.  In the last few months I have been able to gain some weight.  That is remarkable since I have not been able to gain much weight the past few years.  Please pray that the surgery will go remarkably well and that I will feel much better and gain health.  Thank you!

Nice Day

Today Mark and I got a bunch of furniture out of the house.  Two chairs and another desk left our house today, along with various odd and ends that were no longer needed.  It feels good to get things cleaned out.  After dropping the unwanted items off at our local thrift store we headed for Boulder.  We had lunch at our favorite restaurant called Breadworks.  Then we did some shopping.  I was able to pick up a lamp for my new desk for $20 and a chalk board (which will be hung over the desk mostly for decoration).  Once home I put both items with the desk and they all look great together.  Now all I need to find is a chair for the desk and it will pretty much be set to use.

Otherwise there is still plenty to do.  Brandon's bedroom needs to be painted and set up as a guest room.  And we need a new sofa and loveseat.  And there is also much more junk that needs to be sorted through.  We will just keep picking away at it all day by day..

Doldrums

The dictionary defines the word this way "unhappy listlessness" which I think describes me.  Listless means a lack of enthusiasm.  Yes, that is me, I have definitely had a lack of enthusiasm.  It has come to me that this is a time of resting given to me by the Lord.  I am struggling with it which I wish I was not.  I am learning that we cannot and should not hang on to the past.  That we have to let go and continue on with the Lord.

I am feeling better this week so I was able to get a few things done with the house.  We moved Brandon's desk out and took it over to the thrift store and then picked up from the same thrift store a new desk that I purchased.  Also moved some furniture around upstairs.  Moved out our old recliner that had seen many days with pets and children.  And we moved up the new leather recliner we bought in January.  I moved a lamp and accent table downstairs and set them up next to my new sitting chair.  Tomorrow Mark and I are going to be taking more things to the thrift store.  It feels refreshing to get the house looking good.

I can tell Mark is feeling much more relaxed at home these days.  All of this has come at a good time for him.  With the new position he has taken on at work there is a higher stress level.  It has been nice for him to come home to peace and pampering.  One day this week he worked from home which was great.  Since we have an office where he can work, I think he really enjoyed working from home.

I leave you with a bit of encouragement from Holley Gerth..."The goal is not perfection.  It's simply to be in an intimate relationship with Christ each day, embrace who He created us to be, and seek to fulfill the purpose He has for us."  This is what I am working on, but wondering a bit what my purpose is now (which I am sure empty nest moms all go through).  

Be My Valentine!

Thanks to the Lord I am slowly adjusting to my new life.  It feels good to have freedom and I am more relaxed.  I am keeping in touch with the boys.  They are both doing as well as can be for where they are at.  Mostly, I am over joyed to know that the Lord is definitely taking care of both of them.  It is so amazing!  I may not agree with all the choices they are making, etc., but the Lord is right there with them.  He is always able to establish hope in my  life when I, Miss Drama Queen, think there is none.

Right now I am struggling to overcome this virus that I have caught.  I'm in my 3rd week with it.  I start feeling better so I do stuff.  Then I get set back and have to rest.  Really looking forward to the day when I am well.  Otherwise I am enjoying church, Bible study and visiting with girlfriends.

I am also having fun with redecorating and rearranging the house.  Since my younger son no longer occupies the basement, the concentration of my redecorating is going on downstairs.  Its going slow, but I am having fun with it.  My redecorating plan includes visiting various thrift stores.  I have been blessed with good finds...praise the Lord!  One of the biggest blessed finds was a newly recovered chair for $55!  When I am feeling better I will have to take pictures.

Wishing all of my blog friends many blessings.  I hope to get back to blogging more regular and visit your blogs.  Know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.

   Happy Valentine's Day!