4.11.24

We sang that hymn in church on Sunday and I couldn’t help but think how true those words were! I can’t tell you how thankful I am that I am not walking this journey alone. Even if I didn’t have my army of prayer warriors I still have Jesus.

Easter Sunday

Last Wednesday I got whatever stomach bug some of my kiddos had.. Thankfully it only lasted the day. But it was pretty miserable from 3am-6pm. (I threw up until noon. And had a pretty nasty headache most of the day). I think it was the first time I’ve been sick since I found out I had cancer! How crazy is that!?!

We have been busy, busy, busy! On Saturday I got super ambitious and deep cleaned the entire house. Well just the main level, I didn’t get to the basement. I think I went from 9am to 9pm. It was a long day! But it felt good to have that all done before my surgery. Aaron got the garden tilled up too. I’ve wanted a garden for awhile but kept saying we’ll have one when we move out in the country (I just didn’t want to go through the work of putting one in here and then leaving in a year.) It’s looking like we’ll be city folks for awhile so we decided to just go for it. 🙂 I’m excited. I think the kids are too.

A little reward for working all day 😉

Phase 1 complete!

Tuesday was my birthday. It was a nice quiet day. Aaron and the kids spoiled me. And my parents came up so they could be here for my surgery on Wednesday. We went out to eat at Lucette’s. Wood fire pizza. Yum. Here’s to my last year in my 30’s!

Kade and Ev bought me flowers and a coffee!

My aunt and uncle sent up some homemade cinnamon rolls!

My surgery was bumped from 10:30 to 8:30 and I didn’t mind that one bit because I couldn’t have anything to eat or drink after 10:30pm.

Everything went really well! They told Aaron it was textbook. No scar tissue to deal with or anything like that. We weren’t sure if there would be from my previous surgeries. I was a little slow to wake up but I think that’s kind of normal for me. I was able to go home the same day, which was the plan from the beginning. But, I had to be able to walk and go to the bathroom and I think either be able to eat or not be throwing up (something like that). I was super tired and dizzy after this procedure. More so than any of the other ones I’ve had. It took me awhile to get up and moving just because I felt so light headed. Once we left the hospital we made our traditional Culver’s stop for some food. The tiredness and dizziness would come and go the drive between the hospital and Culver’s (roughly 3 mi) did me in and I had to just sit and rest because I felt so dizzy. It was crazy. We decided to get the food and just eat in the car incase I got sick. Thankfully I didn’t! But I was only able to eat half my burger and a few french fries. When we got home I crashed on the couch. I could barely keep my eyes open. I had been joking with Aaron since my surgery got bumped up maybe I would be good to go to church that night. I think being super tired and so light headed was God’s way of saying: Stay home and rest. 😉 Which I did. Seriously I think I slept the rest of the afternoon/evening away.

The IV in the thumb was a little painful… Even after it was in if I moved my hand it felt all bruised and achy!

I was number: 1282

I had some of the sweetest nurses! My memory is a little foggy from the anesthesia but I’m pretty sure she said she’d be praying for me as I recovered. 🙂

My pokes

my battle wounds

Mom and I went for a short walk.

Pain wise it hasn’t been too bad. My muscles feel a little achy. My stomach feels a little crampy. I think it’s from the air they fill you up with to do surgery. It feels like the cramps you get after you have a baby when your uterus is shrinking back down to normal. Which is funny to me since I don’t have my uterus any more. I don’t really notice my incisions unless I bump them. Most of my “pain” is the cramps I feel from the air. I’d rate it at like a 2 or 3. Enough to know it’s there but not enough to stop me from doing things. haha. Right now I just alternate between Ibuprofen and Tylenol. They called in a narcotic for me but I don’t know that I’ll need it. Which is good because I don’t like how they knock me out. I’d rather just deal with the pain.

Here’s a fun fact for you: This is the first surgery I’ve had where I can use my arms to get up. All my other surgeries (the mastectomy, my DIEP flap, and then the revision) I was told not to use my arms when I got up. When I was getting out of bed at the hospital I asked if I could use my arms she was like YES we want you to use your arms. Haha 🙂

I’m feeling pretty good today. Way more like my peppy self! I plan to keep up with the short walks to help with blood flow and I don’t know but I’m going to guess that will help with getting the trapped air out of my system as well. I have my follow up scheduled next month. Hopefully then I’ll get the green light to do more.

The rest of the words to the song I quoted above.

Our Great Savior

1 Jesus! What a Friend for sinners!
Jesus! Lover of my soul;
friends may fail me, foes assail me;
He, my Savior, makes me whole.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Hallelujah! What a Friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end.

2 Jesus! What a Strength in weakness!
Let me hide myself in Him;
tempted, tried, and sometimes failing,
He, my Strength, my vict'ry wins.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Hallelujah! What a Friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving;
He is with me to the end.

3 Jesus! What a Help in sorrow!
While the billows o'er me roll,
even when my heart is breaking,
He, my Comfort, helps my soul.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Hallelujah! What a Friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving;
He is with me to the end.

You can listen to it HERE

Thank you for your continued prayers! We serve a Mighty God!