I really don’t like the word recovery. It carries a negative connotation about failure somehow. File recovery on a computer. A recovering addict. Recovery of lost… whatever. Then of course there is recovery from surgery, which I am happily nearing the end of. Not that my recovery has been bad at all. Everything has gone as well as it could.
This of course was accomplished with the help of my friends and loved ones. Once I was home I mostly slept that first day. They gave me some great pain medication so the pain was no trouble at all. The side effect of the pain medicine was what I can only describe as fuzziness. I was always dizzy, over anxious, and tired. They had me off my thyroid replacement too which was hard on my energy levels. Top all of that with the instructions from my doctor to not shower for a week, and you can easily see that I was a mess. (I could bath, just not shower. I had to keep my bandages dry.
Saturday night my mom and sister Krystin arrived which cheered my heart! I was nervous about their arrival so right before they arrived I went on my first out of the house excursion and had Karl take me to Fantastic Sams to get my hair washed. They were hungry and none of us felt much like cooking so we took a quick trip to our favorite little sushi place, Damai.
Mom and Krystin looking really cute.
Krystin, maybe having a hard time with the chop sticks.
The next few days were a blur. We saw Tia and Kev, watched a lot of TV and slept. Monday was my post operation appointment and I met with a nurse practitioner at my surgeon’s office. She gave me the green light on showers! With the condition that I cover the bandage somehow. It is a long story with a bread bag and duct tape which I won’t record here. The next day they called me and said that my pathology report came back negative (which means no cancer! 🙂 ) and that my calcium levels were good (which means that Dr. Riddle did a good job not hitting my para thyroid while he was in my neck!) This all meant that I could start taking my thyroid medicine again! Which turned out to make all the difference in my energy levels. With my whits about me, sort of anyway, I got to some thinking.
Things at work a rough right now, California budget cuts are effecting my company that is treating a bunch of California funded students. There have been layoffs and on top of it all I am not getting any time off around Christmas or new years. I decided that while I had my mom in town, I was going to have a little bit of Christmas.
So Wednesday the 10th, was un-Christmas. I woke up early and drug Karl into my mom’s bedroom. I read The Littlest Angel to us as is my families Christmas day tradition. We sent Karl off to work and went to work ourselves.
We decorated the house for Christmas!
Krysta, my Provo family, came over and lent a hand.
Mom and me in our Santa hats.
After the decorations were up mom made us some Christmas toffee, as is Christmas tradition in our family too.
ohh, yum!!!
After everything was cleaned up we drove out to Sandy to see my Grandma and Grandpa. Like we would do if we lived near them growing up. We had lunch a visited for a while.
Christmas in the Fall!
We got back into town just in time for Karl to meet us at home. We put ornaments on the tree and lights in the window. For dinner we went to Chinese hot pot, Fa ra ra ra ra, ra ra ra ra! Then came home and opened a few presents. Thanks Mom!
One more day with mom, and then she was gone. I am so blessed to have a mom who would come and stay with me! I love her so much! Thank you mom!!
The day to take off the bandages finally came!
I know. SICK! I wanted them off SO badly. They itched, and made me so sad.
After a long hot shower and lots of soaking, they finally started coming off!
EEWWW!
My skin was really irritated.
Side profile:
So now that I am on my energy levels are much better, my bandages are off all I am left with is an odd fuzzy memory of a hospital stay, and a puffy pink scar on my neck. Recovery accomplished.
Oh Allie, you are so amazing! You rock at everything, including recovery! I'm so sad that we couldn't be there to celebrate Un-Christmas with you… It looked like fun. I'm glad you're feeling better though, and I miss you terribly. Also, that toffee looks coma-inducingly terrific.
oh my goodness, you have parties and celebrations even during recovery! Pips I have to say you guys really know how to live, you know? And I'm so glad you're family came out, and so glad you had un-christmas, and that you're healing, and I just love you. thats all.
i'm so glad you are doing well. and that you have such a sweet family and husband :] happy early christmas, and cheers to getting better!! ♥
Hurray for recovery! The good news is, we are pretty close and you can come here for Christmas – and New Years! Uncle Greg is on call for all of the above, so we are staying put and would love to have your company!
We're glad that your recovery went well, but we're SUPER DEPRESSED that you won't get to visit during Christmas. Nick couldn't stop crying. Hopefully we'll see your face sometime SOON. xo