three week scar

Soon there will be nothing to see, my hair is growing SO FAST.  

a BIG tuesday

big tuesday take one

First - this marks three weeks.  Three weeks after my surgery and here I am.  I have good hours and bad hours and then good days and bad days.  But I sure am doing better then I ever imagined I would be doing.  People have told me that the recovery is slow and that if I was able to make it to my end of the driveway and back each day - i would be doing good.  Then reminded me that if I got ahead of myself and walked around the block, the next day I would pay for it.  I do understand that concept.  It happens.

While each person in my family has been dealing with my surgery and my recovery differently - right now it is Ryan that needs a little time and attention.  For about a month Ryan has been acting out in the morning and not wanting to get ready for school and go to school.  This is my 5 year old that would wake up with the alarm - jump to the floor, get dressed, brush her teeth, ready for the day and come to wake me up since i had pushed snooze.  So,  quite a drastic difference that started just a week or two before my surgery. (when we kind of started talking about the count down of what was going to happen around here)

So, with the help of John, some of my friends (that have gentle ways with her) and then Mrs. King, her teacher we thought that maybe I should come in to kindergarten so that I could show Ryan that I was OK.   I took some extra time on Monday to save up some energy and then woke up Tuesday and went in to the kindergarten classroom.  I did no helping Mrs. King- but I was able to sit with Ryan on the carpet and hold hands for a couple hours and be there with her.  It was so nice to be out and about and at school with the kids.  I think Ryan was REALLY excited to have me there.  What a great morning.

look at Ryan there on the blue line in the back - she was so happy

big tuesday take two

The cookie exchange was the same day so I got home at 11ish and knew i had to rest so I would be able to go back up to school for festivities.  I was excited to see people I hadn't seen in weeks (and I love cookies)   We had made cookies the night before to bring (and I had help from the entire family)  So there I was... hours later spotted in line stocking up on goodies.  While friends were telling me I should be home in bed.  (mmwwaahhh)  I am in bed now... with my cookies.

cooooooookies.

Being WELL fed

Alice and Kathryn set up a site for us online called Lotsahelping hands.  http://www.lotsahelpinghands.com/  

It is a way that friends and family can come together and help out (bring meals, offering rides/etc)  I am so fortunate to have such a support group of family, friends and neighbors willing to help.  We have three meals a week being cooked and brought to us thru January.  (I am getting spoiled)   We eat either in the dining room (there is more space and it is easier to get to and clean up) OR we eat on our TV trays on special occasions like Sunday nights durning Amazing Race.  This was left over night.  Ryan had chicken and rice soup, Mia nachos and me -Tortilla bake (i didn't want to share the last square)

i love how the wood paneling and the TV trays make this look so authentic 1977 to me.
(maybe this is more late 60s - but my first meals on tv trays here late 70's)

went to the movies in my PJ's

we actually saw Tangled (which is the cutest Disney movie in a long time)   John thought maybe I wasn't up for it, but i told him as long as I could wear my PJs and relax in the comfy chair (and eat LOTS of buttered popcorn, i was fine)

just from the Hamster commercial in the previews.

showering solo - 16 days out.

For documentation sake I just wanted to post that I am now able to shower solo.  I had been using a shower chair in the girls bathroom with a hand sprayer and help from John and and then Ryan.  Sixteen days after surgery and I am showering in the big shower with the shower chair for backup (which i haven't had to use)  Of course - no photo needed to back up this post (as I usually do)

sleep texting

John has been out of town for the week and I have been leaning on my friends this week to help me out. My mom had stayed with me Wednesday and then left around 130.  It was time for me to rest before the girls got home and by the time the girls got home I was still tired.  I got the girls a snack and headed back upstairs to relax with the girls.  The girls were watching the Rudolph special I had recorded from the other night and I dozed off again.  It was around dinner time last night and Alice texted me.  I remember hearing the text... and i remember it being difficult for me to text back.  i was THAT tired.  After realizing it was dark out and that John would be home from the airport anytime I did get up and slowly wander downstairs.  Mia helped me bring in our dinner (chicken soup from the Adamsons) and we got it on the stove to heat it up.  Just then Alice came in.  After reading my incoherent texts I think she thought that either over-dosed in some valuim or was clearly just not in charge of dinner.  Alice came to the rescue again.  She made some rice, she served us up and washed down all my (kitchen) surfaces. Then went back to her house to fix her family dinner.  She really has been doing double duty. 

live from Cabo

John had work to do this week - a trip to Cabo to shoot for 3 days.  While he was gone I had so many people help me out.  On Monday, Molly came to stay and help.  On Tuesday, Alice came to stay and help and on Wednesday my mom was there to help.  I was really doing pretty OK, the help was more for the girls. Getting them up and out in the morning and then fed, homework and to bed at night.  While John was gone we got to do a few video chats.... man, I could relax for a bit by the ocean.  oh that John, he is lucky.