HERNIA

(This picture was taken 4 days after my surgery- I was starting to feel alive again. This is where I spent each day and night while I recovered.)

UGGGG! Father's Day I had this pain. I tried really hard just to make the day a nice day for Curtis, but I did not feel good. My stomach hurt really bad. On Monday I decided that I better go to the doctor. He told me that I had an umbilical hernia. He actually tried to push it back in, but it was so painful. They set me up to see a surgeon. The appointment would be on Thursday. After no sleep on Sunday, and then again no sleep on Monday (I had to sit up- I was in horrible pain if I laid down. It is not fun to sleep sitting up) Tuesday I still was in pain and thought there was no way I could wait until Thursday just to see the surgeon and then they would schedule me a time to get it fixed. Who knows when that would be. I decided to just go to the ER. Maybe they could do something to help me. The doctor there was bound and determined to push it back in and then I could still go to my appointment on Thursday. They gave me a lot of pain medication and then he tried. I though he was going to kill me. It hurt so bad. I finally screamed and turned so that he couldn't push on it any more. I was in tears it hurt so bad. He finally realized that I needed surgery. They got me in later that afternoon.

I thought that after they fixed it, I would feel so much better. I had a big awakening. It was so painful. I didn't realize all the things you use your stomach muscles for. My great friend Emily and her husband Ivan took my kids for the day and kept them until we returned home in the evening. It was so helpful and was so nice to not have to worry about them. Emily even paid me a visit in the hospital since she was working there that day. -Thanks Emily, you were so sweet to offer me so much help.

The next day Curtis drove the girls to meet up with their grandma who was so willing to help us out. She watched them the rest of the week so that I could recover. I am so grateful for her help. It would have been so hard because Lizzy is too young to understand. I knew that they would be so much happier having fun at grandmas then being here at home worrying about me. Their grandma and aunts spoiled them with swimming, fun zone, shopping, and lots of cousins.

I had great friends come and bring lunches, dinners, books, flowers, and offered to help in any way if we needed- including shopping for Lexie who needed to get stuff for girls camp. It is really hard to be so needy. I appreciate those kind things so much. It was a very humbling experience for me.

It is now one day short of a week since the surgery. I am feeling so much better. I still have to take it easy as my stomach lets me know when I am over doing it, but I finally feel like I can get through this.

I am so grateful for all my family and friends who helped us during this time.