Post-surgery thoughts

I am 5 days post surgery.

Random thoughts:

1) I have no idea how people are addicted to pain medication.  Honestly, I don't.  I am not making fun here.  I did really well on my pain meds until late Wednesday and then my stomach started giving me fits.  I have been so close to barfing so many times. Ugh.  Luckily, I had some nausea meds left over from my last bout with kidney stones.  Of course, I did not remember that until late tonight, but at least I don't feel like I am going to yak at the moment!

2)  I have the greatest mom ever!  She had just gotten home from a trip to Georgia on Sunday night and she turned around and came down here on Monday morning to take care of me and the kids.  I am so thankful that she blends right in at our house.  She knows our schedules (or lack there of), she read a TON of books to the kids so we could still get school done while I was down for a few days, and she loves on the kids as much as they will let her.  :)

3)  I have awesome kids!  My big kids have really stepped up (even more than usual) this week and helped out.  I am blessed as a mom!

4)  My husband is pretty great too!  Somehow he always manages to stay very even keeled even when our world is tilting just a bit.

5)  I had surgery on my other arm when I was 4 and 5 years old (a story for a different day) and it's amazing how your body remembers those same 'pain'  feelings.  My shoulder felt eerily similar to those surgeries I had when I was 4 and 5 years old.

6) It really stresses me out when I have to rely on other people to help me with the simplest things (i.e. hooking my bra strap).

7) I couldn't feel my right arm for about 12 hours.  That is a very bizarre feeling. I felt like I had a lead appendage.

8)  I had an allergic reaction to the tape they used on the bandage to cover my shoulder.  I was begging after the first day to have it taken off.  Brian took off the bandage and I had to put Benadryl cream on it for several days.  It's still inflamed and red, but not itching as much.  It's great having sensitive skin.  :(

9) I am blessed to live in a country that has easy access to healthcare.  My surgeon is super nice.  All of the nurses and surgery techs I encountered were very kind also.  My physical therapist is a peach!

I truly hope this surgery fixes the pain issues with my shoulder.  I am already able to lift the baby again so for that I am truly thankful.  Certain movements still cause me some pain, but I am on the mend. Thank you for all of the prayers!

This weekend we will celebrate our risen Son!  We have family and friends joining us.  Again, so many blessings in my life. Happy Easter to you all!

Beautiful Flowers and 'Mama' Shoulder

Beautiful daffodils!  These were some of the first flowers that bloomed in our yard this year.

They are on the table in a glass of water because Graysen picked them for me! :)

They are beautiful, but they need to stay in the yard.  'But they are so pretty, mommy!'

This week I am having surgery on my shoulder.  Sigh.  I do want my shoulder to feel better, but I am not a fan of being at the hospital or having surgery (this is probably fair to say for most people). I also don't like having to rely on others to take care of me.  I am the mom, I take of everyone else.  I have been dealing with this shoulder for almost 2 years.  I have already tried physical therapy and cortisone shots.  My official diagnosis is 'mama shoulder'.  Seventeen years of lugging babies around takes a toll on your body.  

Okay, maybe it's not the official diagnosis, but it's probably pretty close.  :)  

We celebrated 2 birthdays in March.  Ethan turned 14!  Still hard for this mama to believe her little boy is now driving!  Ethan chose to go to The Village Inn for his birthday meal.

Ella Grace turned 9!  She has such a servant heart even at 9 years old. 

She picked Texas Roadhouse for her birthday meal!

Both birthday days were great celebrations of these special blessings in our life!

Yes, Mother, 5 magic beans!

What a great weekend we had watching Ethan starring as Jack in the local children's theater production of 'Jack and the Beanstalk'.  All of the kids in the production did a wonderful job.  Several of our neighborhood kids were also in the play!  What an amazing time for them all.  Amazingly, I was not nervous about watching him (normally I would be a wreck).

As his mom I was proud that he had the lead.  It was only his second time auditioning for a play.  But even more important to me are the strides that I have seen my 'baby boy' make in the last few years.  He has totally stepped out of his own comfort zone and done things we NEVER would have imagined him doing.  When he was younger he would be stifled by his own anxiety, and thus trying new things rarely happened.  He always shied away from being on a stage.  Social aspects have always been the hardest for him.

I guess, in short, after years of encouraging him to try new things he trusted himself enough to 'jump' and he excelled!  As a parent that is wonderful to see.  We take the good with the bad when parenting.  Sometimes when you are in the trenches and the bad is so overwhelming you are not sure those good times are ever going to come.  So when there is a victory it makes you feel like the hard work can pay off.  We are so proud of the young man he is becoming!

Next stop on the theater trail.....tech crew for Alice in Wonderland!

This is Jack!

 This is the beanstalk!

Signing autographs after the show

           The neighborhood gang!

Ethan and Ethan(neighborhood pal)-also the Magic Harp and Milky White!