Hey there. Sorry I didn't post last night...I pretty much slept all day so it wasn't worth talking about anyway. As for today, here's what went down.
I woke up with some pretty crazy pain on my right side. I decided to have mom help me turn on my left side, which is an undertaking in and of itself. Basically I have to be shifted using a sheet underneath me that's pulled to one side or the other. Then I logroll my spine so that it's in perfect alignment as I turn to one side. Tons of pillows have to be stuffed behind my back so that I don't accidentally roll and twist my spine in the middle of the night. Before surgery I loved sleeping on my sides...now I hate it lol. Anywho, I eventually got up and got dressed. Today was my first day of wearing real, normal clothes! Instead of the usual sweatpants and sweatshirt, I decided to actually look somewhat presentable. Around 11 o'clock a friend arrived to spend the day with me. I got to show him around Gretchen's house, well, hobble around her house. We ate some super yummy fortels pizza for lunch. Mmmm buffalo chicken. I'm glad I finally got my appetite back. Just hung out, played with the kiddos, and chilled for a bit. I even got to sit on a couch! That is, with a LOT of help from others. We'll see how long it takes before I can do it on my own.
Sarah got to come over and see me one last time before she moves back to Oxford. I'm going to miss her <3 It was great seeing her and spending time with my bestie since 4th grade. Lynne came over too! She brought Leila and we all had a great time. Lynne always has a way to make me smile and forget about pain. Long story short, I had an amazing day with some pretty incredible people. I even got to walk into the living room! Doesn't sound like a big deal, but it felt soooo good to walk around on that squishy carpet. The friends stayed for a while then headed home.
I accidentally fell asleep while trying to rest my back. Woke up and ate some dinner. Chilled in the family room with everyone while I tried out the new wheelchair. Tomorrow I'm going to see Skip at the Cardinals Winter Warm Up/ Speaking of which, I better get some rest. I shall update more tomorrow. :)
As for little tidbits of information for those of you about to undergo the surgery, here are my daily tips:
You will have pain in your hips. Pressure weighs down on them and sometimes your hips will hurt worse than your spine or incision.
There will be numbness around the incision, and even further below. It's normal, but let me tell you it feels strange. It's somewhat freaky when your nerves in the lower half of your body are going crazy.
Washing your hair is not allowed for 2 weeks post op. This basically means that you are going to feel gross and icky, but don't worry. You're not the first, and no one else cares but yourself.
Sometimes you can actually feel the hardware placed in your back. Last night I was walking around and could feel the rods shift occasionally as I moved. You'll get used to it.
Once the incision starts to heal, it starts itching. Note to self: don't scratch it. :)
Anywho goodnight! Sleep well!
My Spine
My Spine
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Terrific Thursday
So I actually slept all through the night last night while laying on my back. Good thing because I needed rest? Yes. Bad thing because I woke up incredibly stiff? Yes. Basically, I'm supposed to change my sleeping position throughout the night to make sure my spine doesn't lock up. However, I've found that sleeping on either side is ridiculously uncomfortable. Which is weird, because pre-op I always slept on my side. I guess I'm just scared that my spine will twist or turn while I'm on my side. I tend to always think of the worst possible thing that could happen, though. For example, I could lay on my side too long with a twisted spine and turn into a human twizzler as my spine solidifies. My pessimism gets the best of me at times. However, I'm slowly thinking more clearly with a level head about the situation. I know I get that strength from Him who promised to never leave me. :)
Today I woke up, said bye to the kiddos as they went to school, ate a bagel, then laid back down for a bit. Ended up falling asleep...That tends to happen quite often lol. Ate some lunch while sitting in the chair and talking to dad. Made a stupid mistake and got up out of the chair incorrectly. For those of you reading this who are having the surgery in the future, you must use only your legs and arms to stand up from a seated position. The doctors call it "exploding with your legs" so that you don't arch your back, pull up with the wrong muscles, or jerk your back into a spasm. Well, I unfortunately didn't push with my legs enough and it felt like some muscle separated from the hardware in my back. I tried walking it off, hobbling around a bit, but it didn't help much. So what did I do? I took some more meds and fell asleep lol.
When the kiddos came home we ate some Bandana's for dinner. Yum! I'm finally getting an appetite back, so food makes me happy now lol. Afterwards I tried walking some more and checking my email to see if there are any updates on my job search process. As I am typing this, I'm thinking that it would be good to make a list of random things that people may not think about when preparing for scoliosis surgery. If this operation is not in your future, you may cease reading at this point if you so desire hehe.
1. You may not remember very much of your hospital stay. Be prepared to be swollen, achy, sore, and generally uncomfortable for the first few days. Family and friends may come to visit, but you may not be in the best state of mind to converse with them. They don't mind if you randomly fall asleep and forget you came. :)
2. This one is for the girls who are about to undergo surgery. Forewarning for any males who are about to read this...haha. The stress of the surgery may cause you to start menstruating. Even if you just stopped, aren't scheduled to have one for a few weeks, or even are past menopause, the trauma of the surgery causes your body to start this process for some reason. It was completely random and I was totally caught off guard. Thought I would warn you just in case. :)
3. Make sure you have the right char to sit in when you get back home. It is SO uncomfortable to sit in almost any chair. Everyone's preferences are different, but make sure you have some place to sit that you can endure being there for longer than five minutes.
4. If you are incredibly modest (like I was before surgery), you will lose that. You have no choice but to be completely at the mercy of the hospital staff. Don't worry, they are so considerate and calming and know just what to say to make you feel comfortable. However, it is still ridiculously embarrassing/unnerving when you have no control over who sees what. Just breathe, relax, and understand that if I can get over it, you can too. :)
5. Be patient with your body. You are not going to be the same after surgery, so don't expect to return to life as expected. You will hurt, you will get sad, tasks are more difficult, you lose some independence. But guess what? It's only temporary. You will get better, you will heal, and you will have a better quality of life once this has all passed. I know I was meant to have this surgery for a reason, and I hope the pain brings me closer to the strength I have in Christ. It's humbling to see how frail we really are, and how endless and infinite and wonderfully patient our God is to carry us through life's "ugh" moments.
I suppose that's all of the tips I am going to share tonight. I'm going to go brush my teeth and get ready for bed. Sleep well everyone! :)
Today I woke up, said bye to the kiddos as they went to school, ate a bagel, then laid back down for a bit. Ended up falling asleep...That tends to happen quite often lol. Ate some lunch while sitting in the chair and talking to dad. Made a stupid mistake and got up out of the chair incorrectly. For those of you reading this who are having the surgery in the future, you must use only your legs and arms to stand up from a seated position. The doctors call it "exploding with your legs" so that you don't arch your back, pull up with the wrong muscles, or jerk your back into a spasm. Well, I unfortunately didn't push with my legs enough and it felt like some muscle separated from the hardware in my back. I tried walking it off, hobbling around a bit, but it didn't help much. So what did I do? I took some more meds and fell asleep lol.
When the kiddos came home we ate some Bandana's for dinner. Yum! I'm finally getting an appetite back, so food makes me happy now lol. Afterwards I tried walking some more and checking my email to see if there are any updates on my job search process. As I am typing this, I'm thinking that it would be good to make a list of random things that people may not think about when preparing for scoliosis surgery. If this operation is not in your future, you may cease reading at this point if you so desire hehe.
1. You may not remember very much of your hospital stay. Be prepared to be swollen, achy, sore, and generally uncomfortable for the first few days. Family and friends may come to visit, but you may not be in the best state of mind to converse with them. They don't mind if you randomly fall asleep and forget you came. :)
2. This one is for the girls who are about to undergo surgery. Forewarning for any males who are about to read this...haha. The stress of the surgery may cause you to start menstruating. Even if you just stopped, aren't scheduled to have one for a few weeks, or even are past menopause, the trauma of the surgery causes your body to start this process for some reason. It was completely random and I was totally caught off guard. Thought I would warn you just in case. :)
3. Make sure you have the right char to sit in when you get back home. It is SO uncomfortable to sit in almost any chair. Everyone's preferences are different, but make sure you have some place to sit that you can endure being there for longer than five minutes.
4. If you are incredibly modest (like I was before surgery), you will lose that. You have no choice but to be completely at the mercy of the hospital staff. Don't worry, they are so considerate and calming and know just what to say to make you feel comfortable. However, it is still ridiculously embarrassing/unnerving when you have no control over who sees what. Just breathe, relax, and understand that if I can get over it, you can too. :)
5. Be patient with your body. You are not going to be the same after surgery, so don't expect to return to life as expected. You will hurt, you will get sad, tasks are more difficult, you lose some independence. But guess what? It's only temporary. You will get better, you will heal, and you will have a better quality of life once this has all passed. I know I was meant to have this surgery for a reason, and I hope the pain brings me closer to the strength I have in Christ. It's humbling to see how frail we really are, and how endless and infinite and wonderfully patient our God is to carry us through life's "ugh" moments.
I suppose that's all of the tips I am going to share tonight. I'm going to go brush my teeth and get ready for bed. Sleep well everyone! :)
Pretty good day
Hello there. I am writing to you while laying in bed with my laptop propped up on a contraption mom thought up and dad constructed. It's basically an altered tray table that is tilted at the perfect angle for me to use my laptop in bed. My parents are pretty sharp folks if I do say so myself. :p
So, here's my update on what happened at the hospital. I woke up Tuesday morning, got dressed, and headed to the hospital. We parked in the south parking lot, grabbed the bare essentials, and headed to Barnes. When we got there, we went up an escalator and walked through a tunnel with bright white lights twinkling like stars above us. Pretty cool. We walked in, waited in line for the doors to open at 5:30, and then got into the waiting room. Gretchen was on her way, so Dad went out to wait for her while Mom and I got a buzzer and family nametags. We grabbed a seat and waited for Gretch. Eventually they called my number, Dad and I walked back to fill out some final paper work, and they told me to go sit back down and wait. During this time I taught Mom how to use my phone to update my facebook status. I was called up again to get a wristband and a folder to hand to whoever took me upstairs. They called us and we rode in the elevator up to the pre-op rooms. I got into my gown, pants, and hat as nurses got things ready. Laying down on a bed, I waited until it was time to take me back. Gretch, Mom, Dad, and I tried to make light of the situation until the ball got rolling. A really nice anesthesiologist came to talk with me about what would be going on. They hooked me up to a few liquids, asked if I had any questions, and put in the sedation medicine. The last thing I remember is Gretchen saying bye to me as the wheeled me away.
Basically most of the hospital stay was a blur to me. I remember sleeping constantly, always having a super dry mouth, and clicking my pain pump button quite often. At first, I could medicate myself every ten minutes. As the days wore on, it went from 10 to 20 to 30 minutes before I was weaned off. I had a ton of super sweet visitors, who I appreciate more than words could say. Thank you Lynne, Amber, Mandy H., Mandy W., Tyler, Sarah, Dawn, and Gretchen for bringing a smile to my face as I was recuperating. I will always remember your kindness. :) And those of you who weren't able to make it, I know that you were with me in spirit and I love you so much for thinking of me. There was quite a bit of pain, lots of tears, plenty of apprehension, but endless support. The morning after my surgery, Dr. Bridwell came in at 6:30 to have me sit on the edge of the bed and stand up. He had me march in place while he checked my incision. This became a morning routine. Throughout the day/night I would have my vitals checked by the nursing staff. I could also call them at any time if I needed help with being turned over on my side or needing anything at all. Barnes really does have amazing service and loving people to work with. I did some physical therapy by walking down the hall and back. After a while, I walked around the hallway track. Then I went to the PT room and walked up and down three steps. Since the only physical therapy I can do throughout this whole process is walk, I did plenty of it. I also had to sit in the chair beside my bed and build up endurance. It doesn't seem like siting in a chair would be hard, but it can be pretty rough the first few times. Throughout the entire experience (and still to this day) my parents have been the most incredible people ever, helping me with ANYTHING and EVERYTHING I need. I owe them big time. I went from having totally a swollen face with puffy Angelina Jolie lips (as Mom called them) to looking pretty much back to normal. Minus the whole not being able to shower thing....lol. Tomorrow I'll update more on my hospital experience, but I'll give you a quick rundown of my day today (Jan. 12th).
Today (Jan. 12th), I had somewhat of a rough night. I tried shifting positions and sleeping on each of my sides so as to not get bed sores. Well, I think I'm getting some on my heels. They wake me up every night from throbbing. Anywho, I eventually got a bit of sleep off and on, and woke up at 9:30. Took my meds, ate some honeydew for breakfast, and walked. That's what I do all day every day...walk. If I'm not walking, I'm either resting in bed, trying to build up sitting stamina in a chair, or taking pills. 'Tis my life at the moment haha. But it could be so much worse. Today was actually a pretty good day pain-wise. I of course had some bad hours, but I had some good periods of relief which was super great. Lynne came over and brought Leila. The kids always love seeing the two L's. Brightens their day, as well as mine. I am so blessed that God has put such incredible people in my life that make each burden lighter. We had chicken for dinner and enjoyed some yummy chocolate chip cookies Mark made. Today was the first day I really had any appetite, so I was definitely excited to eat some tasty food. I took a nap after Lynne left, and then did some stuff for job applications. Fun fun! Hopefully by August I will have my own classroom. One day at a time...
I hope through blogging about this I can bring hope and help to people who are about to undergo stressful surgeries in their lives. I found peace and comfort while reading about other people's experiences, so I want to provide that same ease for others. However, every bit of my strength comes from above. I made it through a major surgery with flying colors, and that is only by the grace of God. He is good and faithful, and cares for the sheep of his pasture. We may not always see it, and life may suck hardcore at times, but there is always a plan. Always. I'll update tomorrow <3
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
So, here's my update on what happened at the hospital. I woke up Tuesday morning, got dressed, and headed to the hospital. We parked in the south parking lot, grabbed the bare essentials, and headed to Barnes. When we got there, we went up an escalator and walked through a tunnel with bright white lights twinkling like stars above us. Pretty cool. We walked in, waited in line for the doors to open at 5:30, and then got into the waiting room. Gretchen was on her way, so Dad went out to wait for her while Mom and I got a buzzer and family nametags. We grabbed a seat and waited for Gretch. Eventually they called my number, Dad and I walked back to fill out some final paper work, and they told me to go sit back down and wait. During this time I taught Mom how to use my phone to update my facebook status. I was called up again to get a wristband and a folder to hand to whoever took me upstairs. They called us and we rode in the elevator up to the pre-op rooms. I got into my gown, pants, and hat as nurses got things ready. Laying down on a bed, I waited until it was time to take me back. Gretch, Mom, Dad, and I tried to make light of the situation until the ball got rolling. A really nice anesthesiologist came to talk with me about what would be going on. They hooked me up to a few liquids, asked if I had any questions, and put in the sedation medicine. The last thing I remember is Gretchen saying bye to me as the wheeled me away.
Basically most of the hospital stay was a blur to me. I remember sleeping constantly, always having a super dry mouth, and clicking my pain pump button quite often. At first, I could medicate myself every ten minutes. As the days wore on, it went from 10 to 20 to 30 minutes before I was weaned off. I had a ton of super sweet visitors, who I appreciate more than words could say. Thank you Lynne, Amber, Mandy H., Mandy W., Tyler, Sarah, Dawn, and Gretchen for bringing a smile to my face as I was recuperating. I will always remember your kindness. :) And those of you who weren't able to make it, I know that you were with me in spirit and I love you so much for thinking of me. There was quite a bit of pain, lots of tears, plenty of apprehension, but endless support. The morning after my surgery, Dr. Bridwell came in at 6:30 to have me sit on the edge of the bed and stand up. He had me march in place while he checked my incision. This became a morning routine. Throughout the day/night I would have my vitals checked by the nursing staff. I could also call them at any time if I needed help with being turned over on my side or needing anything at all. Barnes really does have amazing service and loving people to work with. I did some physical therapy by walking down the hall and back. After a while, I walked around the hallway track. Then I went to the PT room and walked up and down three steps. Since the only physical therapy I can do throughout this whole process is walk, I did plenty of it. I also had to sit in the chair beside my bed and build up endurance. It doesn't seem like siting in a chair would be hard, but it can be pretty rough the first few times. Throughout the entire experience (and still to this day) my parents have been the most incredible people ever, helping me with ANYTHING and EVERYTHING I need. I owe them big time. I went from having totally a swollen face with puffy Angelina Jolie lips (as Mom called them) to looking pretty much back to normal. Minus the whole not being able to shower thing....lol. Tomorrow I'll update more on my hospital experience, but I'll give you a quick rundown of my day today (Jan. 12th).
Today (Jan. 12th), I had somewhat of a rough night. I tried shifting positions and sleeping on each of my sides so as to not get bed sores. Well, I think I'm getting some on my heels. They wake me up every night from throbbing. Anywho, I eventually got a bit of sleep off and on, and woke up at 9:30. Took my meds, ate some honeydew for breakfast, and walked. That's what I do all day every day...walk. If I'm not walking, I'm either resting in bed, trying to build up sitting stamina in a chair, or taking pills. 'Tis my life at the moment haha. But it could be so much worse. Today was actually a pretty good day pain-wise. I of course had some bad hours, but I had some good periods of relief which was super great. Lynne came over and brought Leila. The kids always love seeing the two L's. Brightens their day, as well as mine. I am so blessed that God has put such incredible people in my life that make each burden lighter. We had chicken for dinner and enjoyed some yummy chocolate chip cookies Mark made. Today was the first day I really had any appetite, so I was definitely excited to eat some tasty food. I took a nap after Lynne left, and then did some stuff for job applications. Fun fun! Hopefully by August I will have my own classroom. One day at a time...
I hope through blogging about this I can bring hope and help to people who are about to undergo stressful surgeries in their lives. I found peace and comfort while reading about other people's experiences, so I want to provide that same ease for others. However, every bit of my strength comes from above. I made it through a major surgery with flying colors, and that is only by the grace of God. He is good and faithful, and cares for the sheep of his pasture. We may not always see it, and life may suck hardcore at times, but there is always a plan. Always. I'll update tomorrow <3
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
One Week Post-operation
hey guys. im sorry i havent updated my blog in a while. i don't remember a whole lot about my hospital stay, so im sure my posts wold have been gibberish anyway. im sitting in a chair by the computer but my endurance hasn't built up very much so ill give a quick overview then im gonna go back to bed. my current state: woozy, achy, tense, and trying to stay positive. i keep telling myself to breathe slowly and release all of the tension. otherwise i get muscle spasms. im at my sisters house, since she and her husband are nice enough to let me live in a hospital bed in their living room. my surgery was one week ago today, so as the days wear on ill post pics and tell people what the surgical experience is like. ill also keep people updated on what healing is like. i know that i am safe in His arms and it will all work out as planned. sometimes pain is necessary to grow and mature into what you need to be. love you guys. you are the best <3
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Morning of surgery
Hey there. I didn't have time to update my blog yesterday, but here's a short overview. Mom, Dad, and I woke up and headed to the hospital. We arrived at 7 and walked through an empty waiting room to Dr. Bridwell's office. It was the quietest/emptiest I've ever seen the place! We talked with Dr. Bridwell and Bernie, discussing final assessments for what would be going down. I met the guy who will be on one side of me during the operation, so that was interesting. We went from there to get my central line placed. I wasn't too scared because I wasn't expecting much. Haha I was wrong. Mom and I went back, and the guy placed an IV in my right hand. He prepped me to go into the "operating" room, where they had me change tables to lay on one with an xray machine above it. My hair was put in a cap, some guy painted me with a whole bunch of orange soap, and then gave me a sedative. I remember feeling lots of pressure, the occasional bit of pain, and the sting from the pain medication they injected three times. The guy watched on the machine as he put the line inside a huge vein leading to my heart. They stitched me up and that was that. Well, I was wheeled back to the "recovery" room, where I thought it would be okay to get in a wheelchair and leave. I was wrong. I asked for water since I couldn't have it the night before, and I think that made me sick. Dad left the room so I could get changed, and I almost passed out. I caught it in time before I fell. Long story short, I got super nauseous, lost all color in my face, had to be put back in a room to chill out, and was given two doses of the nausea medication they give to chemo patients. About thirty minutes later (I think?) I was ready to go. I then went to talk with the anesthesiology department about my health history. Suuuuper nice lady (that's sarcasm) talked with me and had no sense of humor. So much for me making jokes about being out of shape...Guess she just wasn't having it. So then we were done! Left the Center for Advanced Medicine, went to Panera, and ate some chicken soup broth and tea. It was tasty! We got some to take home for dinner.
We went to Webster, where I got some final transcripts to scan for applications. Saw Tracey and that was nice. :) Showed dad the random poster I'm on in Webster Hall. He found it funny. Then we went back to my apartment for a bit. Mom and Dad took a short nap while I hugged Macie. Then Dad got up, he and I dropped Macie off at the kennel (Country Acres), and I went to see Sarah. We met at Starbucks and it was super nice of her to buy me some tea since I could have clear-ish liquids for the rest of the night. I love her. She's such an amazing friend and I have no idea what my life would be like without her. Dad came back to pick me up and we went to Dierbergs to pick up press-n-seal for my shower. Came home, sealed me up with glad wrap and tape (two layers), then showered. Talked with a super nice friend for quite some time to chill while I ate jello and drank Gatorade. Then bed!
We're getting ready to walk out the door. I don't know if I can update before I go back for surgery. Here's the basics:
God is there for me today, but more importantly always. He loves me, will never leave me, and gave his Son so that I can sit here with full confidence that my life was ransomed. I am His. :) "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9
We went to Webster, where I got some final transcripts to scan for applications. Saw Tracey and that was nice. :) Showed dad the random poster I'm on in Webster Hall. He found it funny. Then we went back to my apartment for a bit. Mom and Dad took a short nap while I hugged Macie. Then Dad got up, he and I dropped Macie off at the kennel (Country Acres), and I went to see Sarah. We met at Starbucks and it was super nice of her to buy me some tea since I could have clear-ish liquids for the rest of the night. I love her. She's such an amazing friend and I have no idea what my life would be like without her. Dad came back to pick me up and we went to Dierbergs to pick up press-n-seal for my shower. Came home, sealed me up with glad wrap and tape (two layers), then showered. Talked with a super nice friend for quite some time to chill while I ate jello and drank Gatorade. Then bed!
We're getting ready to walk out the door. I don't know if I can update before I go back for surgery. Here's the basics:
God is there for me today, but more importantly always. He loves me, will never leave me, and gave his Son so that I can sit here with full confidence that my life was ransomed. I am His. :) "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9
Monday, January 3, 2011
Brushing my teeth at 3:23 AM
So I'm sitting here (as you can tell by the title) brushing my teeth at 3:23 AM. Just took my last shower and I'm getting some final things in order before I go in tomorrow morning...rather in 3 1/2 hours...to get my central line placed. I haven't updated my blog the past two days, so I figured I would give a short synopsis of what has gone down.
Saturday (January 1st): Woke up, went to lunch at First Watch with Lynne and Amber. We had a yummy meal, then headed to West County Mall. After some shopping, we went to DSW shoes to try and find Amber some cute boots. That girl has got the most adorable shoes. Sadly, we drove through Sunset Hills and saw some of the tornado damage...wow... We then went to Texas Roadhouse for a tasty dinner. I had a blast just sitting and chatting with two of my favorite ladies, enjoying delicious food and putting stressful things out of my mind. After TX Roadhouse, we went back to my apartment. Amber and I changed clothes and got ready to go dancing. Although I may not seem like a stellar mover and shaker, I love going somewhere to enjoy music, dance, and have fun with my friends. Since I won't be able to move very much in the coming months, I figured I should make the most of it. We had a blast and saw a couple of my friends from Webster. I missed Frank and Angie! Amber and I came back home and hit the sack.
Sunday (January 3rd): Amber and I woke up, got dressed, and met Alex and Brett for a minute. Exchanged gifts, then Amber and I randomly met Lynne at Milagro. We enjoyed some more yummy food and laughed about the random happenings in our lives lately. After lunch, Amber and I met up with Gretchen at 141 and 44 to pick up Elly. We took her down to the Arch and bought tickets to go up in the tram. Elly held on pretty tight as we climbed up and up and up. She was a pretty brave girl. We looked out the windows, saw Busch Stadium, talked about Illinois being right across the river, and met some nice people from New York. Eventually we came back down and visited the gift shop. This was Elly's favorite part. She bought presents for her parents and brother, refusing to buy herself anything. I love that girl! We then went back to my apartment, said goodbye to Amber, and headed to Gretchen's. My wonderful sister was nice enough to take me, Elly, and Wilson to the Melting Pot. Enjoying a filling four-course meal together was one of the best times I've had in a while. Isn't it crazy how family and friends can make the most daunting situations seem like a piece of cake? I know that I have a huge support system and I can never fully express how grateful I am for that. After finishing off the dessert fondue, we went back to Gretchen's. Mandy Hanson stopped by with her speciality spine cupcakes. That girl is amazing. I miss her and feel so blessed that she is a part of my life, and has been for the last four years. We hung out, played some Headbanz (card game) with the kiddos, and decided to head back to my apartment. I had a pretty great conversation with a good friend, discussing the events ahead and talking about how to stay positive instead of whining about it. I am so appreciative of his strength and support, and hope that he (as well as all of my friends) knows how much it means to me. I then took a shower, blew my hair dry, and here I sit. It is now 3:39 AM and I have to get up pretty soon. I'm not super tired but I know I will be in the morning. I couldn't eat or drink anything after midnight, so I'm going to try to sleep and not think about how badly I want water. But you know what? God provides. I am asking for his strength even in silly little situations like this, not being able to have a drink of water when I want one. It's teaching me that He is good and His grace is sufficient for my problems, tiny or huge. Too many people on this Earth are thirsty and don't get anything to drink. I can handle it for less than a day. That's all for tonight (this morning?) and I'll update later on. Love y'all!
Saturday (January 1st): Woke up, went to lunch at First Watch with Lynne and Amber. We had a yummy meal, then headed to West County Mall. After some shopping, we went to DSW shoes to try and find Amber some cute boots. That girl has got the most adorable shoes. Sadly, we drove through Sunset Hills and saw some of the tornado damage...wow... We then went to Texas Roadhouse for a tasty dinner. I had a blast just sitting and chatting with two of my favorite ladies, enjoying delicious food and putting stressful things out of my mind. After TX Roadhouse, we went back to my apartment. Amber and I changed clothes and got ready to go dancing. Although I may not seem like a stellar mover and shaker, I love going somewhere to enjoy music, dance, and have fun with my friends. Since I won't be able to move very much in the coming months, I figured I should make the most of it. We had a blast and saw a couple of my friends from Webster. I missed Frank and Angie! Amber and I came back home and hit the sack.
Sunday (January 3rd): Amber and I woke up, got dressed, and met Alex and Brett for a minute. Exchanged gifts, then Amber and I randomly met Lynne at Milagro. We enjoyed some more yummy food and laughed about the random happenings in our lives lately. After lunch, Amber and I met up with Gretchen at 141 and 44 to pick up Elly. We took her down to the Arch and bought tickets to go up in the tram. Elly held on pretty tight as we climbed up and up and up. She was a pretty brave girl. We looked out the windows, saw Busch Stadium, talked about Illinois being right across the river, and met some nice people from New York. Eventually we came back down and visited the gift shop. This was Elly's favorite part. She bought presents for her parents and brother, refusing to buy herself anything. I love that girl! We then went back to my apartment, said goodbye to Amber, and headed to Gretchen's. My wonderful sister was nice enough to take me, Elly, and Wilson to the Melting Pot. Enjoying a filling four-course meal together was one of the best times I've had in a while. Isn't it crazy how family and friends can make the most daunting situations seem like a piece of cake? I know that I have a huge support system and I can never fully express how grateful I am for that. After finishing off the dessert fondue, we went back to Gretchen's. Mandy Hanson stopped by with her speciality spine cupcakes. That girl is amazing. I miss her and feel so blessed that she is a part of my life, and has been for the last four years. We hung out, played some Headbanz (card game) with the kiddos, and decided to head back to my apartment. I had a pretty great conversation with a good friend, discussing the events ahead and talking about how to stay positive instead of whining about it. I am so appreciative of his strength and support, and hope that he (as well as all of my friends) knows how much it means to me. I then took a shower, blew my hair dry, and here I sit. It is now 3:39 AM and I have to get up pretty soon. I'm not super tired but I know I will be in the morning. I couldn't eat or drink anything after midnight, so I'm going to try to sleep and not think about how badly I want water. But you know what? God provides. I am asking for his strength even in silly little situations like this, not being able to have a drink of water when I want one. It's teaching me that He is good and His grace is sufficient for my problems, tiny or huge. Too many people on this Earth are thirsty and don't get anything to drink. I can handle it for less than a day. That's all for tonight (this morning?) and I'll update later on. Love y'all!
Saturday, January 1, 2011
New Years Eve
As the alarm clock went off this morning, I was sad that it was New Years Eve. It meant that Ryan would be flying back to Hawaii. Spending almost a month together was a blast, and I enjoyed getting to see him for such an extended period of time. I'm lucky to have such a great brother, and I know he'll be with me in spirit throughout the surgery process. He eventually made it back to Honolulu safely! :)
After dropping him off at the airport, my parents and I got some breakfast at Denny's. Then we headed back toward Gretchen's house. Stopping in at Target for some contact solution, Mom and I were inside when the tornado sirens started going off. The loud speaker announced that there was a tornado warning and that we all had to go to the back of the store. Standing in the checkout line, we finished paying and went out to the car. We drove quickly back to Gretchen's and went down in the basement. It didn't rain very long, but we had about 10 minutes worth of strong winds. Went back upstairs and Wilson and I hung out on the couch for a bit. Gretchen had dropped Elly off at a friend's house earlier and went to pick her up. Thankfully there was no damage to Gretchen's house, or Elly's friends. Later found out that the storm had hit the Ballwin municipal golf course and Sunset Hills. Seeing pictures of the destruction made me realize how lucky we were that nobody was killed in the St. Louis area. My prayers go out to the families who lost their homes.
I headed over to Creve Cour and met up with Emily for coffee around 3. It was so great to see her after working with her last summer. She is so positive and uplifting, and I am happy we met through MSA. There have been so many friends I've seen the last few days, and it makes me so thankful for them. After hanging out with Emily, I headed back toward my house. I decided that I would try and go through Sunset Hills, but obviously that was not an option. I did see some houses that were affected, with collapsed garages and torn off roofs. I am so thankful that everyone I know is safe and doing alright after today's storms.
I went to Blockbuster to pick out some chick flicks for my friends and I, then went back to my apartment. Thankfully my apartment had power, and I got the place ready. Aileen, Meri, and Lynne came over to celebrate New Years Eve! We ate Rich and Charlies and started to watch Eat, Pray, Love. However, that was boring, so we changed movies. We ended up watching He's Just Not That Into You, and played with Leila the puppy. I had a blast seeing those ladies and watching Dick Clark ring in the new year. Backstreet Boys and NKOTB? No thank you... :p
Amber ended up coming up tonight instead of tomorrow morning. I am so lucky to have all of these girls as a support system. I love you ladies! :) Welcome 2011! I hope you're a fabulous year with lots of love all around.
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