Recovery - Slower than expected, but making progress

So the plan for the week was to work from home Monday, Wednesday, Friday and go into the office for a few hours Tuesday and Thursday....well, that office thing has been pretty much a BUST so far!!  I have been able to get some work done at home, which is nice, but the systems couldn't have been moving any slower on Monday with ole Hurricane Sandy on the East coast.  Our systems were running so slow and not to mention that I'm running it through my home computer and have limited access to the stuff I need.  But at least I'm able to get some things done here.  Keith also drove me to vote, I got back home and worked some more while he took Ryleigh to gymnastics. We both went to take Rance to fencing and then enjoyed a quick sushi dinner at Uni and then ended back up at Rance's fencing academy to watch him the last 20 minutes or so of class.

The day actually went pretty well...right up until bedtime.  Remember, I am still sleeping in my bed (the recliner).  But typically, I lay down with the kids for a few minutes right before they go to sleep.  We have some of our best laughs at that time and I won't go in to many details on that, but some great conversations, expressions, learning experiences and belly-aching laughing that I absolutely LOVE!!!  Well, basically, Ryleigh and I were laying in her bed and I told her I had to show her my cousin, Kyle's Halloween costume.  He had dressed up as a bottle of Honey Boo Boo Child's "Special Go Go" Juice - he totally cracks me up!!  So as I showed it to her from my phone in her bed she starts imitating her, "My special juice is gonna make me WIIIIIINNNNNNN!"  LOL  We couldn't stop laughing and of course, I had to make a video of it and send it over to Kyle.  So we kept watching it and we kept laughing and all of a sudden I started HURTING!!!  Like major pain on my left side and I hadn't felt pain in almost a week at that time.  It hurt!!!  I went down and asked Keith to lay with her since I just couldn't do it.  Still just can't lay flat back very comfortably.

So as I go down stairs just to check the area where I was hurting, I'm thinking that maybe I'm beginning to retain fluid as that was the same side that they had to insert the second drain tube in a week or so prior.  The skin seemed a little soft/ mushy in that area to me so I was definitely concerned.  So Tuesday morning I called into the doctor and luckily he was going to be in the office all day...YAY!!!!  What are the chances???  I drove myself all the way to the Med Center!!!  Yeah, it was a different experieence as I really hadn't driven since surgery, but I'd been off my pain meds for right at a week and only taking one valium at bedtime.  I was actually driving the speed limit, so you could say it might have HELPED the situation!!  LOL  I was so very thankful to find out that NO fluid buildup at all.  Just normal healing process!!  They said it was my internal sutures...that, by the way, are attached to my ribcage...sounds LOVELY; huh??  They just told me that as I'm healing and starting to be a little more active I may reach a certain way or do something that pulls until everything settles and heals.  They suggested some Ibuprofen to help with the inflammation, so I've add that to the nighttime medicine routine.  I can't thank you all enough for the prayers that day!!!  I was really nervous about possible infection.  Actually had a great time at Dr. Boutros' office that day sharing with them about how the pain came about and showed them Ryleigh's video...we were all laughing.  He is such a great doctor and never makes me feel like he's rushed to get out to see the next patient.  He commented, "You're a totally different person today than the day we met!"  HA!!!  Ya Think???  I'm sure I looked like a deer in headlights that day...just trying to figure out what my options were, but he even that day was so great at explaining everything, answering all my questions, and never rushing me whatsoever!!!

Well I didn't make it by the office to work that day, but I did stop by after my doctor appointment to pick up a few more things I needed, get some questions answered on some of the things I was working on and to see how they started using my office as a storage area...HAHAHA...just joking!!  Bruce, thought I was too giddy and shouldn't be driving...LOL  I told him it's just because I hadn't been around people for a while, but I was actually driving okay (as long as I was going straight).LOL  Those darn curves were a little tricky, but I got better at it :o)  I was just in a great mood due to the GREAT news from the doctor's office :-)

Wednesday went pretty good and I was able to get a lot more work done as the systems were running a little better today.  It does get pretty boring though...I do miss not having my momma around.  I kind of got used to her being around those first few weeks.  That was really nice!!!  Now it's just me, but I did get a quick break with a friend across the street during lunchtime.  She was babysitting for another neighbor and I went over and we got to chat for a few minutes.  And, of course, I love those babies.  I got to pass down Ryleigh's very first gymnastics hoodie to her oldest (2 year old) daughter.  It was just too dang cute!!!  My little Ryleigh is actually growing...WOO HOO!!!

Of course, it's Halloween day and I'm thinking the kids are going to be all wound up when they get home, but it actually worked out great!!  Ryleigh still had gymnastics, but they cut it short and they got out at 6:30.  I drove her to gym that day and, of course, she was freaking out!!!  "Mom, you're NOT supposed to be driving!!"  OMG!!!  People, I CAN DRIVE!!  It was pretty funny though.  Well, she actually went home with one of her gym buddies and got to trick or treat with her in the Champions area, while Rance hung out with his buddies in our neighborhood.  We passed out candy until it was all gone, which was right about the time Keith had to leave to pick up Ryleigh, which was at the same time gym usually ends so it worked out great!!  They were all happy and I didn't have to walk any kids around the neighborhood and I didn't have to listen to any arguing...YAY, ME!!!!

Rance and his neighborhood 'boyz' morphed out!!  He's in all black!

Ryleigh and Mandi 'MOO' Campbell, her gymnastics buddy!!  They could pass for sisters, well in that first picture anyway...LOL

So today is Thursday, my wonderful husband's birthday!!! Happy Birthday, Baby!!   I really wish I could have planned something for him this year.  I had the intentions, but as we all know...things don't always work out to OUR PLANNING!!!  He did get a real dinner today as today was the first day I actually cooked anything (well besides scrambled eggs the other morning), but it was a crock pot meal...the best ones!!  His gift...well, he got that a little early.  He'd been asking (well, needing) a new coffee pot as his had pretty much gone kaput!!!!  Monday morning he stood in the kitchen talking about how he had such a hard time making coffee Sunday morning because of his coffee pot.  So as he's talking and preparing  to make a pot of coffee, he hits the on/off switch and "NOTHING" happens.  Ryleigh (she's the only one awake at the time) just looks at me with this 'look'.  He keeps hitting the button and NOTHING happens.  So I go upstairs to wake up Rance and tell him what's going on and that it looks like we've got to break out the gift a little sooner than expected.  So he and Ryleigh presented daddy with his new Keurig Platinum coffee maker....and yes, he LOVES it!!!  And I've enjoyed it too :-)  I have definitely been blessed with the most wonderful and supportive husband!!!  He's been so good through all this, but I can't tell you how much it killed me to see him so "hurt" when we got my original diagnosis.  He was hanging on to so much hope, although, I already knew I had basically been diagnosed even before the biopsy results.  That day will forever be embedded in my mind...he just looked as though he had been totally kicked in the gut!!  The news definitely hit him the hardest out of all of us that was there (me, my mom, my sister and Keith).  But, if the tables were turned, I'm sure I would be the same way!!!!  So on this day, the first day of November it definitely makes me thankful and blessed for so many great memories!!  Not just with my wonderful family, but with friends: old and new.  A video had been made last year for my 40th birthday and I never did share it and I've decided to share it so you guys can share my SMILES with me.  It truly makes me smile all over!!! 

I'm pretty technologically challenged at times so I hope it works!!  You might have to actually just click on the link if you choose to watch it, but I will warn you...it's 40 years wrapped up into about 11 minutes :o)  I especially love the picture that's of me and Rance from about two years ago after I did my first Warrior Dash - it says "WARRIOR"!!!  NO DOUBT!!!

 

Love and Belief!!!

 

Dana