What the heck did you do, mommy? How can I help? Coti sensed something was amiss when he saw me hopping around. Now, he comforts me as only he knows how.
Took a Vicodin at 11pm last night because the throbbing began. Not only was the incision felt throughout my body, but the nerves in my leg pulsated. Without truly falling asleep, I decided to get up and attempt to crutch my way to the kitchen and eat something. I also popped another Vicodin at 4am. Now, the pain is really starting. Thankfully, I slept until 8am, and as much as I wanted to sleep, I needed to be with Tatum. This morning, I am really experiencing the full brunt of this injury, physically. WOWZA!
Humbled. Thankful. Confused. Many different emotions flood my mind, but the most important one is my love for Tatum, my mom and Coti. Family and togetherness…These things are what matter, and I don’t think I ever have known this concept until now.
As my eyes opened this morning at 5:50am, I was reminded of all the advice I had read the evening before on various blogs. You should absolutely believe everything you read on the internet. (*wince*) Yes. I received the full gamut of advice scattered from the blogosphere, so you can imagine when my eyes opened this morning, I was ready for EVERY……..NOTHING! It’s like getting ready for a baby to arrive! For every piece of advice, there’s two-hundred points which refute or alter what has been given. I figured, let’s be prepared for the worst; that way, I’ll be ready, eh?
As I showered and dressed for the day ahead, fashionning my lovely BOOT and crutches, I imagined what was to come…no more hobbling around on two feet for a while, and….the woes continued. Poor me. (get over it already!). Denise rang at 6:15am, so I kissed my dear mom goodbye (Tater and Coti were still sleeping) and headed out the door in my sock. (I forgot to put my right shoe on.) We arrived 2 hours early, and they prepped me. That basically means I wait until I get my anesthesia. They did dress me in this cute purple outfit with matching Bair Paw socks. Not bad for $2200 (*wince wince*) Dear Denise waited until I was under, and then went back home. They gave me the various warnings of what I may experience (i.e. nausea, constipation, sickness, general fussiness (ok, they didn’t say that). Dr. McDreamy came in to answer all of my questions. Although I wanted to ask him if he was doing anything after the surgery, like massage my foot (:-) ) I decided that was not an option. He assured me to make sure I move around and not lay in bed too much. If I am to lay down, my foot must be elevated. 8:45 surgery begins (supposedly).
10:30am, I see the clock and wonder….”am I alive?” Kelly, my “are you awake and do you feel your toes” nurse, was lovely and fetched me 2 cups of ice chips. Delicious! Denise came, and off we went to the pharmacy for my PAIN MEDS (if I should need them), antibiotics, and Tylenol. BUT FIRST, “Starbucks drive-thru????” Coffee was not the recommended drink for after the surgery, but supposedly my IV gave me 1 1/2 Big Gulps of water so I figured I was hydrated. I was feeling GOOD!
Home at 12:30. Coti ran to kiss me, and Tater was swinging and ready to give me a SMILE!
GETTING AROUND: Return to the SCOOTER discussion here: This is my saving grace. I decided, upon McDreamy’s recommendation, to rent a Roll-A-Bout so I could get around the house faster and hold Tatum in my Bjorn. Now, this is the secret weapon. Today, I have basically been hands free to do what I need to do like fix food, clean up, use the facilities (:-), etc….. The crutches are super for when I am out of the house or need to walk up the stairs, but this thing is BRILLIANT!!!
So, now, I am resting in my mother’s delicious cozy bed, elevated leg and pillow-propped head. Heaven. I have enjoyed feeding and playing with Tatum, snuggling with Coti, solving the crossword puzzle with mom, looking for a way to rent San Francisco for tonight’s entertainment, and of course, blogging/writing/emailing/texting/communicating!
The LEG! Plus…see my Bair Paw sock; (a parting gift from the hospital)
Overly humbled, I will make the best of this situation, as I have seen God’s hand in this. This journey will not be wasted, for I know I have much to learn, and hopefully, I can pass on some wisdom in the process.
My Achilles Tendon is torn. Yep, Dr. Wassluski, aka, Dr. McDreamy (my my..he’s a cutie!), will be sewing my muscle back together! Apparently, he wants me moving around as soon as possible, so in my cast, I’ll be using my crutches for the first two weeks. Then, I return to the office for a follow-up to replace the cast with some other contraption. Upon those two weeks (after 4), I get to don this lovely $250 boot. You only get one, so this is some pricey shoe! I’ll be such a fashion plate and hopefully will start a trend.
After 6 weeks, boot on, I start PT, then after 8, I can start to exercise WITH my foot! YAHOO! In the meantime, I hope to keep my core strong and my upper body strength in tact. I know with crutches, I’ll be able to pounce around and stay strong.
Today, in my lovely boot and attempted crutch maneuvering, I “prepared!” Mom and I strategized about how to FIRST handle Tatum. My goal is/was to hold her as much as possible since I cannot carry her. While my mom gets her bottle ready, I can hold her, then when she returns with the bottle, I can feed her and hold her more! Mission accomplished. The changing….well, now that gets to happen via mom. Unless……. IDEA! A scooter! (To Be Continued.)
We also cleaned the house, went grocery shopping, affixed mobiles to various sleeping fixtures for Tater, made phone calls, cancelled appointments, paid bills, organized the needs for my day (i.e. set out clothes/fixed meals/aligned vitamins… you know..anal retentive things!) OH….and we also prayed prayed prayed. Lights were out at 10pm!
Tomorrow awaits. My dear friend, Denise will take me to my surgical location since my mom has to stay with Tater Tot.
P.S. The word has spread that this surgery is occurring. WOW! I cannot believe how many people have come out of the woodwork to express their prayers and their offers to help my mom and me. Tatum and Coti will have so much attention…I shall not fret. This accident has proved to be such an opportunity to see God work in such amazing ways. I’m blessed to have wonderful support.
Today, in my Bible Reading on YouVersion, I read Exodus 15-17. Although, I have read these passages numerous times, and not to mention a whole movie was made about the parting of the Red Sea, this time it struck me: We go from gratitude to grumbling often in our lives. God then provides so much grace.
Case in point: Miriam sings: “Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.” (21) They were all filled with such thankfulness for God’s provision of escape and the destruction of the Egyptian followers. THEN the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” (25) Moses cried to the Lord and He made the water sweet. He provides even after we complain.
It did not take long for them to FORGET God’s miracle of the Red Sea parting. Upon even providing water, He makes for them “a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, saying, If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.”
It’s not rocket science…We forget WHO is our HEALER!; We forget WHO is our PROVIDER!> In fact, he provides manna for JUST THE DAY, and yet they still try to hoard and save for the following day. The manna becomes worm-infested and inedible. They had no FAITH.
What a lesson. God provides an incredible blessing in my life: TATUM! Yet, sometimes, I grumble and complain. May I remember the blessing of her presence when she cries non-stop. May I remember having FAITH in HIM when I don’t know what to do. His grace is sufficient for all that occurs.
It was my calf muscle! I was coming down from a step and I heard a horrific pop/snaaaap/crrrrraaackkkk (not necessarily in that order) noise. It felt like someone punched me in the back of the leg. Trying to stand up, I fell down because I could not put ANY weight on my leg. This is when I knew I had perhaps torn my calf muscle. The first thing that popped in my head was HOW WILL I TAKE CARE OF TATUM!? A big wake-up call of the dependence this little girl has on me. I can’t be out right now!
Tearfully, I immediately called my mother, and questioned what to do next. Of course, I had to get myself to a Dr. but WHO!? Healthnet did not help much, but I checked the list and started calling THE LIST. This was not at all fruitful. February 19th is not going to help me today. So, finally, I called the Arizona Sports Medicine Clinic. Yahoo! Tomorrow I shall hopefully have a diagnosis.
Apparently there are three grades of injuries. Grade 1 is just a strain. Grade 2 is a small tear, and Grade 3 is a full tear. I have no bruising, but I cannot walk or stand on my toes. So, now I wait….wait for some answers. In the meantime, I RICE and hope Tatum can be patient with me.
Ok, so I think I’m getting officially old; perhaps it’s because I am a mother now, or perhaps it’s because I teach kids. Yesterday, the Super Bowl half time show was less than appealing. What has happened to our society? Why is it that entertainment these days has to push the sexual envelope?
I know that the Super Bowl has viewers who are KIDS. Do they need to see scantily clad woman gyrating their hips and (oh, were they singing? I don’t think people noticed that part.)
Dennis Prager talked about the degradation of the arts, and it’s not just in the movies. I worry about the values which are being communicated to our kids.
What the heck did you do, mommy? How can I help? Coti sensed something was amiss when he saw me hopping around. Now, he comforts me as only he knows how.
