Life After Surgery

Getting ready for church Sunday I tried on three different pairs of pants because surprisingly, pants I couldn’t get into comfortably four weeks ago are now slouching on me. I wanna give myself a high five I’m so happy! It really feels good to see that hard work does pay off! I’ve been eating better and doing a lot of exercising and I'm happy to say that I don’t just look better, I feel better, and stronger!

The best thing about my recuperation has been being able to exercise regularly without pain, and without having to take a three hour nap after 30 measly minutes of exercise. That was life before the surgery. I’m still unable to pick up my two year-old nephew without having pain that requires taking two Advil. He’s only two years old, but about 40 pounds, and guess lifting heavy things is the only regular thing I’m not able to do yet. But, it’s only been two months since the surgery and the doctors said it may take up to six months for the fibroids to completely shrink. So that means not lifting anything heavy for now, including my adorable nephew, for another four more months.

Before what I like to call “fibroid hell” began, I always took my health, stamina, and quite frankly, my uterus for granted. Had I known this was going to happen, I would have tried harder to find a husband and have some little rascals of my own! But I've made peace with the fact that I may not ever have children. I've always been open to adoption, and as a person of faith, I believe that if it's in God's plan for me to have children, I'll have them. And if it's not in the plan, I'll still have more than 10 beautiful nieces and nephews that bring me a lot of joy.

Having the surgery, being close to turning 40, and especially losing my father last year has reminded me that I really can't take life for granted, and to make the best of every moment. In our crazy busy, always on-the-move lives, we too often forget that we don't have forever to make an impact in this world, and I want to make my mark. I intend to make the best of my time while I'm here, and I'm starting today.

Sick but Still Breathin'

After a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday last week, I woke up Monday morning with my throat feeling like it's on fire, a hellish sinus headache, and now I've lost my voice and sound like Kermit the Frog. So I thought, since I can't do anything else, I'll blog.

If you haven't been following my blog, it's been a tough year. My father passed in March, and in June, to pour salt in the wound I got let go of a very promising temp assignment that I thought would become a permanent. It wasn't until the end of August that I got another gig through my staffing agency, and that gig ends December 31st.

But here's the cherry on top people. A few weeks ago I discovered I have a uterine fibroid the size of a grapefruit which has brought serious discomfort and extreme tiredness, among other things. So, along with all this, I wake up from a great week to be sick as a dog. This would be ok if I had sick leave. But I don't, and so I will be losing a substantial amount of money this week from not working. But what can I do? Nothing short of lobbying to change the name of the "common cold" to "common hell." Because that's what I've been in for 4 days. Hell.

But I've decided this: Yeah, I may be unemployed soon, and I may feel (and look) like hell. But what can I do but wait it out? Wait it out and be glad it's not something worse - like strep throat which is what I originally thought I had. So I'm gonna take the advice I once gave to an ex-boyfriend who really had nothing to complain about. "'Be happy you're alive. Some people didn't wake up today."

Since my father's death I really understand the significance of that statement. So even though I'm feeling sick as a dog, can't leave the house, can't do nothing, and have watched too many cable Christmas movies - I'm gonna eat my chicken soup and deal with it. Cause at least I got up this morning. And even though he's not here with me, I know my father would want me to be thankful for that.