(Julius Caesar: Notable Quotes)
First let me preface this all by saying… Julius Caesar may have fallen at the hands of Brutus…. But here in my real-life, Brutus fell at the hands of the Divine Physician… Jesus Christ. Praise the Lamb forevermore.
It has taken me awhile to update due to resting and rejuvenation. My surgery to remove the rather large kidney stone [2”x4”] in my left kidney (so named Brutus) took place on December 12th. Surgery began at 1:30pm and was to last 3-4 hours. Over 8 hours later, they wheeled me into the recovery room. It seems that each step was more complicated than previously thought. Roy said that both of my doctors looked pretty tired and haggard when they emerged to talk to the family… the last family in the waiting room by the way. Such troopers, and prayer warriors too!
The doctors explained the tedious procedures to the family and then told them that Brutus was now gone, along with the tube that had been in my back for 7+ weeks!! They did say a new drain tube was in my abdomen, but that would be removed before I left the hospital. Brutus was so hard in texture that they had to do other maneuvers to release him. I guess my body thought it was in the masonry business when constructing it. They gave me a picture of it, and it is on the mantle for the time being, reminding me of the goodness of God, and His infinite grace and miracle working power.
I remember ‘coming to’ in the recovery room and hearing the nurses calling out times every now and then and I thought that they were all crazy because they were saying it was now 11:30pm. I was finally taken to my room at 12:30am. I do not remember much of the next 12 hours other than my husband was right there with me. He had his own bed and slept there the first night to watch over me.
Recovery in the hospital was not as easy as it was the first time. I was not permitted to get up and walk for the first few days. I did not like that. I was tethered by these feet and ankle pumps that went off every few minutes to keep the blood pumping in my legs. I wanted to get moving and get out of there. Instead I had to learn some patience and listen to the nurses and doctors, and of course, they were correct. My first walk was tough, I will not even joke with that. I only went about 20 steps with a walker and a Physical Therapist holding onto me, and I thought that all of my innards shifted and I wasn’t going to make it back to the bed. I did. Each time I was allowed to walk, I tried to go a little further. By the time I was able to take my first walk with Roy (to show off) I was able to travel a whole half of my hall. By the next day I did a whole loop with him (then slept for 2 hours..haha). My goal was to get home to my recliner. I love my old recliner. In fact, I am typing from it right now.
I had a couple of not so good days in the hospital this time. I had no appetite and smells made me absolutely nauseated. Other than immediate family, I requested no visitors due to I never knew when my head would be in a bucket. Still to this day, I cannot stand the smell or taste of coffee (I know… really) or most sweets. This has helped in losing almost 20lbs though. Haha.
I was also having challenges with keeping my oxygen level up to normal so I had to wear that annoying nose thing all the time. Thanks to you prayer warriors, that was overcome in short notice! I did need the extra oxygen to help clear the 8 hours of gasses that were pumped into me during the surgery. I did not recognize myself the first few days either, well let me clarify, they would not give me a mirror to see myself, but I could tell by looking at my giant legs and arms and distended abdomen that I was not looking too pretty. Hahaha. It took several days for all that to dissipate.
Surgery was on a Monday and finally by Friday afternoon, I was allowed to come home… to my recliner. Glory! I slept for the next week, while taking time to walk around the house and try to eat little bits. I also believe having my whole family home (all 3 kids were home for the holiday week) helped me more than anything else. I have been spoiled rotten by all of them!
The doctors promised me my appetite would return at some point, and it has little by little. By Christmas Day, I was able to eat the variety of foods. Still no coffee though! I hope Starbucks does not go out of business… and my Keurig is missing me desperately at this point. I need to buy some tea K-cups for that.
So now it is December 28th… my 53rd birthday, and I am feeling great. I am still on the mend for the next 3 weeks, but I am getting stronger each day. In a few weeks I will be allowed to begin rebuilding my core muscles. This week I get to up my walking and will attempt some outdoor walks the rest of the week along with one of the girls or Roy. Caleb had to return to Stillwater tonight to work for a few days.
Let me leave you with a wonderful scripture, and thank you again for being a prayer warrior for and with me.
"You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on you, Because he trusts in You'" (Isaiah 26:3).
Signed....
A Muse of the Remnant
On March 6th I return to Dr. G's for full x-rays to make sure I have passed all the kidney stone debris that I can, then we will set up for the next (and final) lithotripsy! Woo hoo! I must say that this procedure is much easier to recover from than full blown surgery. For some reason my mind had not wrapped around the fact that I would still be passing 'stones' of various sizes after the procedure. When it started about 3 days later, I almost panicked... then read back up on it all and took a pain pill and let it happen (like I had a choice. hahahaha). I did save a few... kinda like trophies. hahaha.
A few days later I received a call to report to the doc immediately. Somehow, through the past 3 procedures, my body was attacked with a superbug virus that my body just could not fight off by itself. I then was told to come in for 5 straight days for 2 shots of an antibiotic that is usually used only via IV. But for me, they would dilute it with lidocaine and then give me the shots so that I would not have to have a hep lock and IV all week. Those shots hurt! Thank Goodness for the lidocaine. I cannot even imagine the shots without it. One in each hip each day for 5 days. But it is just one of those things on my road to recovery. By the second day of shots, I was already able to eat food again. Today, I am feeling so much better. God is so faithful.
