With all the excitement of the election primary and then a run off, I failed to reveal that my husband won his election. He is currently working on many issues and ideas that were a part of his campaign proposals. He is very busy learning the role and preparing for a smooth transition into the Sheriff's role.
Stay tuned for more updates on our new adventures and our crazy ride on the roller coaster called life.
I posted this shortly after surgery and wanted to share my story of surgery recovery with you.
Enjoy!
This morning I made my way outside to water my flowers and that fete in itself wore me out. I’m very weak and that is something this girl isn’t used to at all. Usually I’m going 110 mph 24/7, but I hit a wall with this small task. The situation with my neck has set me back further than I thought it would - I suppose I thought I’d bounce right back.
I’m normally a go-getter who takes care of everything and everyone. But, not this time. I’m on the other end of this spectrum and I’m trying to adjust to this new position; It’s hard. Glenn keeps telling me I have to slow down, let pain be my guide and other tidbits of advice. But, I’m hard headed and think I’m invincible. Now, though, God has shown me this is definitely not the case at all. He’s put me in my place a time or two since I’ve been home and basically shown me that I am NOT invincible, I DO need to slow down and let my body heal itself. Patience is a true virtue and something I don’t have enough of, but It appears I’m going to have to be during this process.
When I became worn out this morning, Glenn quickly guided me to the living room to sit to enjoy the life thriving outside our picture windows and brought me a cup of coffee as he continued getting ready for his day at work. He’d pop in and out just checking on me and making sure I was okay and not going to pass out again, like I had a couple of days before. (Most of that experience is a blur to me.) I reassured him I was okay each time, so he continued his routine.
This slow down allowed me time to reflect and think in the quiet. I was able to ponder situations that occurred in that house many years before, when Glenn’s mom was there during her many medical situations. After her many urgent medical procedures, heart surgeries, and so forth, how did she feel? How did she heal? Did she realize how serious her situation was? Did she cry? Was she scared? Could I have done more to be there for her? I will always question if I could have done more because of all she did for us without question.
I say all that to say this; we all live only once, we only have one chance to live our lives to the fullest, to enjoy it, to embrace it, to embrace others, to make the right decisions in life, to do the RIGHT things in life. Each decision takes you on a different path in life and each decision is your own. One wrong decision and the end to your story of life is changed completely. You can make it right again, but you have to be aware of this and seek a better solution to get back on track.
I encourage each of you, if you aren’t in a good relationship-GET OUT! But, make a clean break, don’t be petty. Leave the drama to TV. It’s not worth the drama. Be the mature, Godly person and just step away from the situation. If you aren’t in a good friendship-end it cordially and be upfront about why. Find your inner happy person that you were, or are, and get back to being that person. Be YOU, not who everyone else wants you to be. If you aren’t true to yourself, you can’t be true to everyone else.
This surgery, as you can tell, has really helped me to realign what is important in my life. I have very little time on this Earth to make a difference and it’s time for a positive turn to help others, help my family and friends, but first I’m looking at myself in the mirror and asking God to help me to find my true self. Only then I can begin to help not only myself, but others He brings into my life.
I had asked my neurosurgeon, Dr. Evans if they could take pictures of the surgery. I’m weird like that because I’m curious as to what happens to my body. They, of course, said they couldn’t photograph it for me. So when he came to check on me the next day, I asked him to explain in detail what he had done.
Dr. Evans said that it was a very serious surgery to fix some very serious problems. My spinal column and a large bone spur were against my spinal cord in places, so he had to literally saw the bone away, relieve pressure between vertebrae and do other in-depth procedures. Talk about some Godly interventional wisdom and guidance of his hands! One wrong move and I could have been paralyzed forever. He said one very serious spot that had been causing a lot of my arm pain and weakness was a spur that was right against the nerves at the C6-C7 junction. While he was sawing away the spur from the nerve, my arm would twitch and jump on the table. The nerve had been so impeded by the spur that it was transferring the vibration of the instruments through the bone and stimulating the nerves. He also said that the nerves had been so restricted before that the sudden release of the pressure also caused some of the reaction. He added two titanium plates and screwed them down once all the repair work was done then closed the incision inside with stitches and glue on the outside.
I don’t remember much when I was coming out of the anesthesia, I’m sure I said some funny things and I had a very severe sore throat. Both the intubation and the act of accessing the spine through the front of my neck, requiring them to push my esophagus and everything else aside contributed to the irritation, soreness and swelling. Forgive me, Brother Andrew and whoever else that was in the room, for what I might have said in that post-operative, drug induced hazed.
Going into any surgery, I have a fear of not waking up; this time was no exception. I guess since I did wake up, God must not be not done with me yet. So, since you all know how emotional I was, and am and now that I’m resetting to a new more positive path in my life, you all can keep me in check. Because we all stumble. It’s just having the right people around you to wipe away the tears and pick you back up with encouragement to continue on your way.
