A Whole New Look!

Josh and I left for Colorado on Tuesday morning. It was a nine hour drive and we needed to be there for my pre-op on Wednesday morning. It was a nice drive, but of course I was asleep for most of it. The day before I had a list of things to get done before we left that would have rivaled even the worst procrastinator's list. Yes I did leave most everything until the last minute. But thankful Josh had a book to listen to to keep him company. Wednesday at 11am was my first appointment. It was just a simple physical and questions to make sure I could do the surgery still. Then we went over to the hospital to get some pre-surgery tests done. They were worried about my thyroid and wanted to check before. We also had to register for the hospital. After that I started to get a little nervous because it started to feel like the point of no return. Now I know I should of felt that way after making the appointment for surgery, or even after driving all the way up there, and I know Josh thinks I'm a bit crazy but after registering and giving them a deposit I then felt, "man I really can't back out now!"

My parents flew in that afternoon and we picked them up. I had another appointment for the study that I'm in for Chiari later that day. The study was interesting. It was mainly a memory test. And if you ever want to feel really stupid, take one of those! I was lucky that I remembered my name. It took about 2 hours and the lady conducting it was so nice she kept reassuring me that I was doing just fine. I asked her several times to stop lying to me!

The night before Josh, my mom, and I went out to see a movie. Oh and we did hit a mall for a little while, Josh was dying!

Morning of we had to be at the hospital by 11am. My surgery was scheduled to be at 1:30pm. We sat in the pre-op area until after 2 before they wheeled me away. I actually enjoyed sitting and talking with my parents and Josh and if you could imagine there was a LOT of laughing.

The last thing I remember was getting kisses from my parents and Josh and then I was out.

Well, no one was lying when they said that it would hurt when you wake up! I felt pain in parts of my body that I know they were no where near operating on! They were very good about getting my drugs fast, and so my memory of it is foggy. But I hear that the surgery took about 3 hours and I was in the recovery area for about 2 hours. By the time I got to ICU it was after 8 pm. From what I hear the surgery went really well. It took longer then the Dr. thought but my skull was thicker then he thought and was harder to get through (Ok go ahead and laugh here, I've already heard all the jokes!) It was more crowed in my skull then he saw on the MRI so he had to take out more then he had planned for. He took his time and said that he got everything done that he planned and that it went really well.

I loved the ICU and everyone in it. I was in there for about a day and a half, or what I'm told, my days and nights started to run into each other. But it was a private room and the nurses where amazing! When I got out of the ICU they took me up to another private room upstairs. This one was harder because you didn't get the constant attention that ICU provided. And the nurses had so many other patients that you didn't always get the medicine you needed on time. So it was there that I learned that I really wasn't all better, I was just drugged really good. When these drugs ware off there is a LOT of pain! But I was doing really well and they let me go home on Sunday afternoon. Well I went to the hotel and lied down that is.

Josh and my parents were amazing. They would come and sit at the hospital all day. We did entertain our selves with cards. We would play rummy, and let me just tell you my mom really likes to win, or she's ok as long as my dad doesn't win. We would play until we got to 500 points. My mom won one, and amazingly enough Josh won the other one. I of course did really bad, and they would all just pat me on the head and patronizingly say "Well, you just had brain surgery".

I am so very thankful for all of the prayers and help that Josh and I received. Cory and Adam took my girls for us from Tuesday through Friday. Nicole and Jason took them over the weekend. My whole ward has been so beyond helpful, that they are starting to get mad at me for not coming up with more for them to do! They did a ward fast for me last Sunday and have brought Josh cookies. When we got home on Monday Josh and I walked into a very clean house. Amy and Lynea broke in to our house and cleaned the whole thing. Our home teacher mowed our lawn before we got home so that Josh wouldn't have to worry about anything! I am so overwhelmed with the love and kindness that has been shown to me. I am truly thankful for the blessings in my life including the many wonderful people.

So here are some of the pictures Josh took of me after the surgery!