Resting in His Arms...

 Well, here I am after yet another surgery...my fourth in 2 and a half year's time. I am impatiently waiting for the pain to subside enough to be able to concentrate on the healing part. I'm not gonna lie...this really, really hurts. 

For those of you who don't know, I had ligament reconstruction in my right ankle. After literally 40 years of spraining my ankle over and over again, crutches, braces, casts, cortisone shots, my ankle was simply done. It got to the point that I was injuring my left "good" ankle trying to make up for the weak right one. So, surgery was my only option. 

I arrived at NHRMC at 5:15am to check-in and get ready for the surgery. It took them nearly an hour just to get checked in and in my room. After getting me all ready, the anesthesiologist came in to talk with me. I am apparently labeled as "difficult to intubate" and he looked worried. This did not boost my confidence, to say the least. He went back and forth between, "maybe we should just give you spinal" to "or maybe we should just face our demons and do the general anesthesia and intubate". If I had a spinal I would likely end up staying the night in the hospital. I really didn't want that. So I asked, "If you know ahead of time that I might be difficult, then you'll be more prepared, right? You'll have the equipment you need ready in the event you need to do something different?" He agreed and decided that we would indeed "face the demon" and do general anesthesia. 

I was oddly calm, to be honest, and I know it is all due to the prayers of my loved ones being lifted up for me. They had not yet given me "the happy juice" as the nurse called it, so it wasn't that, LOL! 

My IV was miserable. Since I was unable to have anything to drink after midnight I was a bit dehydrated so they couldn't find a good vein on my left had. I cannot have any needles in my right arm or hand because I have lymphedema on that side...a lovely condition left to me after my breast cancer surgery required the removal of 9 lymph nodes on that side. The nurse finally had no choice but to use the vein on the side of my thumb. Ugh. It hurt like mad & did not stop hurting. 

They wheeled me into the OR where all the nurses and technicians were getting ready. They were all very friendly and introduced themselves. I scooted over to the table and they strapped down both my arms and put a seatbelt around my waist. I guess they thought I might change my mind, LOL! The nurse said she was going to give me some "calming meds" in my IV and I began to feel very slightly loopy. Then she put a mask on me and told me to breathe deeply. That's the last thing I remember before waking up in recovery.

In recovery, I woke up to someone screaming. Thankfully, it was not me. I had apparently been crying though because my face and hair were wet from tears. My ankle felt like it had been shot off and I feel nauseous. The nurse jumped up and gave me more meds in my IV which then felt like they were tearing my thumb off. It was not a pleasant, calm awakening like I have had in the past. This was awful. I kept having to make myself remember to breathe and that freaked me out a bit, but once I started waking up a bit more that feeling went away, and I fell asleep again due to the meds. When I woke up again, I was back in my little room feeling much better. 

I was able to sit up and get dressed. I remember the nurse saying, "I'm not trying to rush you but they do want us to get you up and out as soon as possible." That's insurance for ya. For goodness sake! Roll you off the table and out the door, LOL. 

Apparently, the Dr called Scott when the surgery was done to give him a report. All he remembers was that it went well but the Dr had to make a larger incision than planned. I would assume the Dr explained why this was necessary, but Scott doesn't remember, so I guess I will be anxious to see just how much bigger that incision really is when I get this cast taken off & a new one put on, on the 25th.

If you're interested in seeing what the Dr. did, here is a link to the type of surgery I had. Be warned, this is the real thing...
https://www.arthrex.com/resources/video/oIZDpF3x7EysAwFuo6GWDQ/brostrom-repair-with-internalbrace-20-ligament-augmentation

I will be in a cast for 4 weeks, then a boot for 4 weeks. He says when I am all healed I will have the ankle of an 18 yr old! Can't imagine that, but I'm looking forward to not constantly spraining it! And, I sure hope my left one holds up because I'm not looking to do this again any time soon! 

Here's something kinda funny...several years ago, Kathy Snow gave Scott a walker for his 50th birthday as a joke. We still had it stuck in the shed. I remembered it and asked Scott to bring it in and put it in front of the toilet cause let me tell you, getting up with one leg is not easy, LOL. That thing has been a lifesaver! I was able to use it in the shower this morning and boy did that make me feel better. Of course, now my foot is screaming again. So I'm going to take some pain meds and sleep some more. 

I am so thankful for each of you who has prayed for me and offered to bring food! You are all so very special to us! I am so blessed with such dear friends and I know it! Please continue to pray. I will list the specifics below. The next couple of months are going to be a bit trying to say the least. But, I've been down this road before and at least this time it was not something life-threatening. 

I pray that during this time when I am forced to slow down, that God will use me to encourage someone else. I don't know how, but maybe just by telling my stories, I can encourage someone else going through something similar. Whoever you are, wherever you are, you are not alone. There is a God that loves you like no one else ever could and He is waiting there for you with open arms. You need only ask Him. His arms are what I rest in now as I heal. 

Today's Prayer Requests & Praises:

1. Praise for a successful surgery

2. Praise that Jarod & Taylor have both found wonderful jobs!

3. Please pray for pain relief & continued healing.

4. Please pray I am able to get enough leave donated to cover the time I have to be out of work. If not, I don't get paid. Leaving it in God's hands. I know He will provide, one way or another.

5. Please pray for Scott as he has to stay home to take care of me. :)

Verse for Today: