Tuesday, September 16, 2014

After the Surgery...

September 16, 2014
I wrote these blogs and then promptly forgot about them and I'm finally getting around to posting them now! 

August 16, 2014:
I’m Home!! The surgery went really well. I was in surgery for almost 5 hours and the surgeon came out to tell David that at my C2 vertebrae, my spinal cord was almost completely pinched off. He was extremely confident that surgery would alleviate all of my symptoms and was very pleased with how the surgery had gone. I spent one night in the Neuro-ICU where I had a closed off room with one entire wall made of glass for the nurses to keep an eye on me. I don’t remember too much about that first night but I am told that I provided some great entertainment now and again. David says that at one point, I decided I was too warm and the obvious solution to me was to remove my clothes. I’m very grateful that David was there to stop me from disrobing in front of the very kind MALE nurse caring for me and anyone else who might have been passing by the glass wall. I spent the next two days in a normal hospital room and worked on walking like a drunk person. I felt very much like a ping pong ball bouncing off of my dad and then into David and then back into my dad as I attempted walking down a hospital hallway with their assistance. I was released from the hospital with 15 staples up the back of my neck and we were on our way home! One of the best moments of my life was seeing my kids again. Emilia ran to me and gave me the longest hug and was thrilled to see me. “You came home mommy! Daddy, you and mommy came home! You’re home!!”  I have to note here that I was really concerned about leaving the kids. I haven’t left either of them for that long and I was worried that at Oskar’s young age, he would be upset with me for leaving him. Maybe pretty silly to worry about but, I worried nonetheless. To my greatest joy, Oskar saw me and grinned. He gave me the biggest smile I’ve ever seen and wanted nothing more than to sit in my lap and cuddle. I’m so grateful for my family. My parents came and stayed a few days to help with the kids and then we relocated to David’s parent’s house where my amazing mother-in-law has been caring for the kiddos and letting me rest and recover. Here’s to recovering!

August 22, 2014:
We’ve just past the two weeks post-op mark! YAY!!!! Washing my hair felt like the best gift of my life! It was an extra long shower and I may have washed my hair three times just for good measure. I go in for a final checkup with the surgeon in Salt Lake on the 9th. I’m still moving really slowly but I am capable of walking a semi-straight line unassisted, and am able to help a little more with the kids. Still no lifting, pulling, pushing, or straining in any way but seeing so much improvement. NO MIGRAINES SINCE THE SURGERY!!!! Headaches from the tension in those muscles that were cut through and soreness, yes, but not a single migraine! I am still resting A LOT but I am trying to contribute to daily activities as much as my body will allow. We have been the recipients of so much service from loved ones, friends, and the ward family. My gratitude is immeasurable to those who have helped and will continue to help us. David starts back to school this Monday so we’ll be staying with my in-laws during the week so I have help with the kids while David is at work until I am cleared at my check up in Salt Lake to resume my life! I imagine I will still have to gradually ease into all of the chores but I am thrilled to think I will be doing this without migraines, ears ringing, blacking out, or any number of other symptoms this surgery has alleviated. Thank you all for your love and support and your prayers. I have felt the love and support and I know that my surgery went so well because of your prayers and fasting.

September 10,2014:
While I’ve had only two migraines in the last month, I’ve been having pretty constant and intense headaches. I was so worried that the surgery hadn’t worked and that all of my family had given so much, and it had been for nothing. Yesterday, I had my first post-op appointment with the surgeon and he said that everything checked out and that I was healing nicely. When he felt along the incision on my neck I was able to pinpoint two very tender areas. He said they were nerves that were trying to heal and that they were causing the headaches I’d been having. He gave me a cortisone shot at both tender spots on my neck and said they would help with the headaches and also help those nerves heal faster. Sure enough about an hour later I am so happy to say that I didn’t have a headache of any kind. The surgery worked! The surgeon also cleared me to gradually start getting back to my life! All I can say is thank you for your prayers, service, and fasting. I feel so blessed.
2 comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Married!

Married!
May 23, 2009

We're engaged!

Dave and I had mentioned getting married and we knew that's what we wanted however I was not expecting to have him propose until the spring semester had started and to not be getting married until the beginning of the fall semester.
Dave had other ideas.
December 12 was the last day that Dave and I had before I headed back to New Mexico for Winter Break. For my Christmas Present Dave had told me that he was taking me up North to walk around Temple Square with all of its Christmas lights, and to the church history museum, to see the new Joseph Smith movie, and to take me to dinner anywhere I wanted to eat. He also gave me a gift card to one of my favorite stores, Deseret Book which he also planned to let me roam through while we were up North.
Others had mentioned the possibility of him proposing but I brushed it off knowing that he didn't want to get engaged this semester. I knew I was right when the week of the trip, Jake and a date (Emily Dutson), planned to join us for the trip.
The day we had set to leave, I was a stressed out mess. I had packing to do, and a final to finish. Dave, Jake, and Emily all arrived at my apartment while I was still in my Pajamas finishing the last of my work. I very quickly showered and got dressed (thank goodness my roommates had already picked out my clothing for the occasion). We left town and I slowly de-stressed as we continued the drive. By the time we made it to Salt Lake we were all starving. We stopped and got the soup and sandwich at the Nauvoo Cafe, which was absolutely amazing and incredibly delicous. We then found the times for the Joseph Smith Movie and left to walk through the Church History Museum. On the way there Dave and I realized that his camera had no batteries so Jake and Emily walked through the museum and Dave and I went to buy the batteries. We all made it back in time for the beginning of the Joseph Smith Movie. It was a fantastic movie which also had me crying by the end of it. When the movie finished the lights were all on at Temple Square so we decided to walk around. As we walked Dave began tossing his keys in the air. He dropped them and I stopped to wait for him while he picked them up. It took me a few seconds to realize that he was proposing to me! I said yes and he slipped a beautiful ring on my finger.

Engaged!

Engaged!
I know this picture isn't the best quality but this is right after Dave proposed to me and was putting the ring on my finger!

How We Met/First Date

Dave and I first met when he and his best friend Jacob Thomas ( a fellow resident on Castilleja Dorm like myself) decided to decorate Duke Dance's apartment before he returned home from his honeymoon. At the time they claimed that they needed help knowing how to decorate it and therefore were looking for the help of a few girls. They roamed the hallways until they found a room of about 6 girls (including myself). We agreed to help and set up a time for later in the week. Later that week we all met up and made a trip to Walmart to get the needed decorations. While there Dave and I ended up separated from the rest of the group. Dave and I talked while we looked for the right decorations...he asked what brought me to Snow and I answered honestly. "The Lord. This is where he wanted me and there is no other explanation for it." He claims this impressed him...and I think I believe him. The next Friday, I had the apartment to myself for one hour before my next class. I had just succeeded in splattering miracle whip all over after dropping the bottle on the floor when someone knocked on the door. Lo and Behold it was Dave. He came and we talked for the next hour. He invited me and my roommate Marsha to go on a hike the next day. I thought carefully and decided it would be fun. I was almost late for my next class which I just happened to have with Jake. Jake and I started talking and the plans changed so that we ended up turning the night into a double date and doing the hike that night rather than the next day. Sadly enough I am not much of a hiker and I gave a little over halfway through the hike. Dave, ever the gentleman stopped with me and we again talked for the next hour while Jake and Marsha finished the hike and came back to us. The men had brought with the makings for a sandwich which we all ate while watching the sunset. Afterwards we headed back to the car and went back to Duke Dance's apartment to watch the Emperor's New Groove and Mountains of Ephraim (most of you won't know this one..it's a home video Dave and Jake made before their mission) and enjoying a bowl of ice cream. Before ending the night Marsha and I invited them to join us for the rodeo in Manti the next night. They agreed and that concluded our first date!