The last few days, I have been forced to allow others to help...and a lot of it! Why? Well, first of all because I have felt completely awful. Dizzy, nauseated, in pain that has not been controlled by the narcoctics I am on, etc. That part is getting slowly better each day, thankfully! Secondly, because I have lifting restrictions. I'm only allowed to lift 5 pounds for the first 2 weeks after this surgery! If I lift more than that, I'm risking development of major scar tissue that could cause huge problems and require mondo surgeries in the future. I have to tell you guys, EVERYTHING weighs more than 5 pounds. My baby weighs quite a bit more than 5 pounds. I am allowed to lift him if I am sitting down (as in, someone could put him next to me on the couch and I could move him around and adjust him from there) but I am not allowed to carry him, lift him while I am standing, etc. I am also not supposed to bend over, twist, or really use my abs much at all if I can help it (try not using your abs for a day...or an hour...there's a reason they are called your core muscles!! It takes me about 10 minutes to get out of bed...it's hilarious and sad at the same time.). All of this means that I really can't be left alone with Ben. We need a babysitter for Josh to go to the store. Probably after 2 weeks, my restrictions will be lessened (increased?) to 10-15 pounds, which is still not much!
Thankfully, our church and my family have been great about providing food and bodies to help. My little sisters get to pay back some of the free babysitting I did for them when they were small children, and hold the baby/help me get him positioned to eat...even change his diaper...while Josh does errands or chores. We have had friends from church come over to help with Ben so Josh could go to a men's event at the church. It is amazing that people we haven't known that long have reached out to help us so much! We are so thankful.
Ben has adjusted really well to having a variety of caretakers and is doing better about accepting alternate forms of soothing as needed.
Anyway, I am slowly doing better. I look terrible though! I'm covered in bruises...I have circular bruises around my neck from the second procedure (apparently it involves being strapped into some kind of device and inverted...fortunately I was asleep for that part), mondo bruises on my arms from IV sticks (they blew out 3 veins during my 3 day stay and had another needle positioned just at the point where the vein branched, which was super painful, and my first nurse didn't believe me and so wouldn't pull it...the anesthesiologist had to pull it the next day), and of course my stomach looks like I lost a battle with a knife-wielding boxer! But I am healing, and thankfully I have another 2.5 weeks before I have to go back to work (theoretically I'm supposed to feel almost normal again in 2 weeks and be fully healed in 4-6) so the timing worked out quite well!
We appreciate all the prayers and well wishes and support...it means so much!
I think this might be the most impressive IV bruise I've ever had...it was prettier yesterday (this one is 3 days old) but I wasn't feeling good enough to take a picture. Trust me, it was impressive!
And my poor hand...one of those holes is from the IV that was at the bifurcation point of the vein. Super painful! Unfortunately, yes, this is my right hand! I have a total of 9 IV sticks from the 3 day period...yowza!
OH MY, Jenn. I wish I could be there to help too!! I'm SO thankful you have your family there, and how wonderful that the church family is serving you and Josh SO well!! I thank God for providing y'all with such great support.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if all this will help Ben transition to not having you around all the time when you have to go back to work.
Thank you for posting updates on your status. I'll be praying for fast healing and also lasting growth in being able to accept others' help. It is humbling to have to say, "I can't do this...will you help me?" More than likely, they're happy to! Remember, you aren't inconveniencing them--you're giving them an opportunity for more rewards in Heaven! ;)