"Awaiting the arrival"

I sit here waiting for the floors to dry and contemplating the arrival of my children and grandchildren for Christmas.

As I think about all the excitement that will fill this house I can't help but think about the excitement on that night years ago. The night when our Savior was born. I can only imagine how the shepherd boys felt as they gazed upon the babe in the manger.

My heart is just so full of joy because of the idea of my grandchildren being here this year, but the joy in my heart for my Savior is just bursting. Where would I be this day without His love, the gift of His grace in my life? What a perfect gift He is.

So dear ones, as you unwrap your gifts, as you hug your grandchildren and children this Christmas, keep in your hearts the greatest gift we have, our precious Jesus who was born on Christmas and who ultimately died to save us and give us everlasting life.


Merry Christmas to you all. From our house to yours may you be filled with His love!

We are so blessed!

The day before Thanksgiving after working all night, Lee walked into my house early in the morning (before I woke up) and put a turkey in the roaster and started cooking. I woke up to the smell of turkey. I came out to the kitchen and there he was making pies and preparing a full dinner. His wife had to work on Thanksgiving and he said he was going to cook Thanksgiving dinner at our house. He said he wanted to cook for me because I am always doing for others. When he said that I had no idea he was going to have a special project at work requiring him to work all night.

He insisted on doing it anyway. After he got things going, I told him to go lie down and take a nap. He went to lie down and just about that time in walked Trinity and Tara. He got up immediately. I couldn't believe it. Back to work he went. He would not let me lift a finger. Roger was working that day and by the time he got home dinner was ready and it was delicious.

Here I was recovering and my sweet son came over and cooked us all a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner. It was wonderful!

If that wasn't good enough he left lots of leftovers and two pies.

The next day which was Thanksgiving Bonnie and Larry Spoon invited us over for another Thanksgiving dinner. Yikes...we will have to diet for weeks to take off all that wonderful food we ate.

December 1st

This is one of the hardest days of the year for me. I know it is for my family. Every passing year it gets easier, however the ache in my heart always remains.
Please give your loved ones a hug today, let them know how very much you care and love them.

The saying, "in a blink of an eye your life can change" is not just an idol saying. Our family knows how true that is.

Love deeply and express your love everyday. Don't just go through the day going through the motions. Let your loved ones know how much they mean to you each and every day.

I love each and everyone of you!

Sue

Surgeon's Follow up Visit

I went back for my follow up visit and met with the nurse practioner first. It was rather comical. I intended to give them heck about having two sets of discharge orders but I had so much fun with the nurse practioner that I ended up not doing it. I started off saying you need to be more clear on what you mean, these discharge orders are too confusing. She said what do you mean. I said on this one it said to call for a 2 week follow up and then on this one is says to call for a 6 week follow up. I called for the 2 week one and they acted like I was nuts and told me they would have the nurse call me. When she finally did, she told me the only way they have a 2 week follow us is if you have staples and she asked me if I had staples. To which I said, how would I know I can't see back there. We made a 6 week appointment and I told her I would ask the home health nurse to look and see. The nurse practioner said what do you mean two sets of discharge papers. I showed them to her. She said how did you get these? I said, I have no idea they were with my papers when I was discharged. She said this is from completely different Dr's from another practice. I said I have a private room and how would I get these if someone hadn't given them to me. I said well it also has Dr Young's name on it. She said that is because they are in the Harold Young Neurological Center. They aren't part of his practice.

I said oh, well I just did what was on both papers. Like on this paper it talked about driving and on Dr Youngs it didn't. So this one said when you were up and moving a good bit you could drive. So I have been. She said WHAT, you have been driving? Don't tell Dr. Young that if he doesn't mention it. I said then I don't suppose I should mention I have been going into work to catch up a bit. She said NO, he would have your head. I said he won't have my head, it wasn't my fault I had two sets of discharge papers!

Needless to say when Dr Young came in we discussed how I was doing and then discussed the fact I could start driving just a little bit. (I haven't driven since, I have been very good, taking it real easy). I asked about work. He told me I could start back to work on Dec. 1 but only for 3 hrs. a day. I told him I was going to retire. He was very pleased. He told me all I needed was to fall on the ice this winter. He told me it would be a good year before the bones fused and I was to be extreemly careful. I told him I would do my best.

The photo you see is one of two the nurse practioner gave me. This is a side view so you are seeing one half of the screws and posts put in. They also put cadaver bones in to fuse with mine. Roger tried to get the second one in but can't seem to be able to get more than one in. So that is where I am and I am being very good, now....hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Well it's official!

I got a call tonite, and the head of the Staff Parish Relations Committee has received my letter and the committee met following worship today to discuss the next steps. If this does not make sense to you it will when I explain.

After much thinking and discussion the decision was made... I am going to retire! I will become a stay at home house wife. Well, I am not so sure about the "stay at home" part. After almost 15 years at the church as administrative assistant, I will be retiring. I will go back to work until then as soon as I am allowed to by the surgeon and I will be training whomever they hire .

I am looking forward to catching up on things around the house during the bad weather and doing more volunteer work when the weather breaks. That is one thing I will be glad about...not having to go out in the ice and snow and chance falling. I will have longer to recuperate. I am doing super, don't get me wrong, I am up even doing shopping for the holidays. It is good for me to be up moving. It is sitting for any legnth of time that is hard. I go back to the surgeon on the 20th for my 5 week check up.

Roger and I are both happy about this decision. I should be retired no later than Dec. 18th just in time for Christmas.

Love and hugs to all.

It's All Over

Well on October 16th I had my surgery. As I have been told it went well. I wouldn't know as I was not conscious. Tee hee hee.

When I came out of surgery, apparently I was given two types of pain medications intravenously. However, I apparently I had an adverse reaction. I lost a couple of days. There were several people that came to visit that I have no recollection they were there. The Dr. said I gave them quite a scare. They had to give me some sort of medication to counteract the medications to wake me up. Oh well, I didn't know any of this went on. I am sorry the family had to be put through all this. I heard quite a few funny stories like Kristy saying that every question she asked me on the phone I would a answer, "I am just going with the flow." She thought it was so funny. No matter what she asked that was my answer.

Now seriously. It is two weeks today since the surgery. I am able to walk without any assistance of any kind. However if I were to go out of the house I would be most likely advised to use my rolling walker. My RN released me today and said she could not believe my progress. I am still under the care of a Home Health PT and until I am released from her I am not allowed to go out of the house except for Dr appointments or occasionally church. Which I have yet to attempt. I have not been taught how to get into the car yet without twisting. I am not allowed to bend, twist or stoop. So I am trying to figure out how I would accomplish doing that task.

I did get to go down the steps to the family room yesterday. Going down is a lot easier than coming back up I quickly learned. I must admit I am going a bit stir crazy being on this one floor of the house. There is only so much walking you can do on this one floor. I am grateful the surgery is behind me. And I do see improvements in my legs and in my bladder issues. I am anxious for my incision to heal and to see how my back truly feels once I get use to all the metal in there. I will say it doesn't hurt any more than before surgery even now so it can only get better and I look forward to that.

I go back to the surgeon on the 20th and then we will find out then what my next step is as far as work etc. That seems so far away....Keep me in your prayers,and Roger for that matter. I am not allowed to do anything..no housework, nothing! It all falls on his shoulders. He is a saint. He doesn't complain but I know it has to be getting old.

Well I will keep you posted. Luv

The Time Has Come! Sigh...

Well yesterday was the trip to Richmond...it was a very long...painful trip. My friend Millie was gracious enough to drive me as Roger had this really big job he just couldn't get away from. As it turns out it was just as well.

We got to the Surgeon's office and sat for 2 hours past our appointment time of 3:20pm before we saw the Dr's physical presence. They came in and tested my legs. And were astounded at what they saw. Not only now is my bladder involved but now my right leg is very weak. I realized something was going on with it, but could not describe exactly what it was. After a few simple tests it wae obvious,that very soon if I didn't have surgery, I would not be able to drive. (that is the leg you use to drive with) Hey I could drive with my left leg..just joking.

I knew I had to have the surgery, that had been decided back home by my Dr's and P.T. and Specialist I had to go see about my bladder issues. So I came to set the surgery, which last time I was there and he wanted me to think about it he said would most likely be a month out from when I made the decision to have it. Well guess what? He was really concerned now...and to my shock, my surgery is scheduled for Friday...yes next Friday! Millie said my mouth looked like it was going to hit the floor. He said we can't put this off. He told me I would come back to Richmond on Thursday and do pre op and spend the night there in the "Hospitality House" and surgery would be on Friday.He does not want me making the long trip back home again. He will call on Monday to confirm this. I am still in shock. I have so much to get done before this so many things to rearrange. I am just not even comprehending it right now.

This weekend is so busy and I guess that is good. Millie said she was Praising the Lord as just to look at me it is so obvious that I am in misery and it was so apparent when they did the testing on my legs that the right leg had no reaction. I knew my right leg felt funny, just figured it was from where my knee had been operated on and after affects or the cold weather or something. Just kinda "heavy" feeling and kinda draggy.

With so much to do and so little time, I guess I won't have time to think much about it. No, I don't know how long I will be in the hospital or any of the details, I will find that out I guess on Monday or maybe not til Thursday. I know it is a loooog recovery and he told me a big surgery. He showed me what he will be putting inside me looks like scaffolding and hey it is blue my favorite color...he will be doing 3 or more discs and they will also do clean up between the discs. He said at least 6 pins also. So that is what I know and next Friday is the day but I will be going down on Thursday and spending the night and having the surgery on Friday. Luv and hugs...