Updated and reposted on 10/25/22
Disclaimer: I wrote this post several weeks ago, so some things have changed, and as time progresses, I am positive things will change even more. So while we were first absolutely ecstatic about how we felt post-op, we have since come down from that sense of elation we had experienced, and we truly do not know what the future holds for us or what our next steps are, especially in light of a new diagnosis I am facing. So this blog, although I have taken a hiatus of sorts to adjust to some things, will be not only a journal for me but hopefully a source of support and inspiration for others who face the same medical diagnosis. If I do not delve too deeply into that right now, please know that I will be filling you all in in the upcoming days. To all of my precious friends who haven't given up on me and my blog...thank you. I have a feeling I will be turning to this blog to let my emotions out...to sort out my feelings, and to help any others facing this so that they don't feel alone. I am so grateful for all of you.
Before I get into this blog, I want to encourage my new readers to stick with me to the end of this post, because I have some pretty amazing things coming up that I think you will love. I have some pretty incredible give-a-ways that I have never done before... free weekend getaways sound good to anyone??!! Please stick with me through the end of the blog for a little more info on what I have planned for 2023!
So...as many of you guys know, Norman and I have needed surgery for a long time. But so many things kept getting in the way, we were beginning to wonder if they would ever happen...well...THEY DID!!!! After two cancellations due to Norman's blood clot and then round THREE of Covid, we finally succeeded in having them done. We flew out on Saturday, September 10th, and I had my surgery on Tuesday the 13th and Norman had his on Wednesday the 14th. We were both discharged on Wednesday, and we spent the following 5 days recuperating in our beautiful condo at Wyndham National Harbor. Not long after we were back at the resort, we started realizing that while our incisions hurt a great deal, the lower section of our spines (L3-4, L4-5, L5-S1) didn't hurt much at all! 😳 I kept thinking that maybe it was just a fluke..that it would eventually start back up...but it never did. It wasn't until we had to get out for our post-op appointments that both of us fully realized that we truly were not experiencing any of the typical spinal pain that has been our constant and unwelcome companion for so long. We do, however, still hurt...it just is a different type of pain, and is located in a different place. Instead of it being directly on our spine, it is migrating to the sides and we are also having muscular pain. Norman's surgeon actually found that one of the screws in the cage surrounding his spine, had started to come loose. That obviously wasn't helping him at all, and that absolutely had to be addressed. So no matter the outcome, the surgeries were 100% necessary.
We felt so good after our post-op check-up, that we decided to stop and eat at Founding Farmers, one of our favorite DC area restaurants. And even after spending that time out, walking around and enjoying our time at Founding Farmers, we STILL felt good (much to our amazement) so we decided we would walk down to the Wharf and check out the beautiful boats and ferris wheel. We had such an enjoyable time, just walking and enjoying the atmosphere that we decided to ride the ferris wheel and just keep enjoying our pain free evening. Both Norman and I have been in pain pretty much our entire marriage. Every trip we take we have had to make loose plans, knowing full well that when we actually get there, we may have to leave early, cut the day trip short, and inevitably let our kids down or disappoint them at some point. For those of you with a debilitating injury or a chronic pain, you know exactly what i'm talking about...and it stinks. It doesn't hurt us nearly as bad as it hurts our hearts knowing that we let our kids down. It was pretty amazing to be able to have that time together to have a mini-date of sorts and do something fun like ride the ferris wheel. It was a beautiful night, and I thank God we were up to being able to do something fun in the midst of all the medical stuff.
Surgery Day!
Doing our required walking post-op! What a beautiful place to get to explore!
ANNND I have something big and exciting in the works for all of my followers!!! It will be beyond worthwhile, so feel free to invite your friends to come follow not just my blog, but follow me on my new TikTok, page, because only my followers on these pages will be eligible for some crazy incredible weekend getaways at beautiful resorts! And by weekend getaways, I mean no purchasing anything to enter, no gimmicks, not a dime out of your pocket at all. I have started a TikTok page...yes, I know I'm late to the game, but better late than never! I am just now starting to get that going, so all I ask is that (when I'm ready) I will ask you to follow if you aren't already and share my TikTok page, and I will be doing massive weekend getaways to beautiful resorts...no strings attached. I have so many things in store for 2023, and I am truly excited to share everything with you. And perhaps the most exciting thing is that for my European followers, you guys are eligible to win weekend getaways on your side of the pond!!! Yep, you read that right! This is not just limited to my United States followers. I have been really excited over the past few years to have gifted vacations not only to ex-boyfriends of mine and their significant others, but I have been able to get to know some of Norman's ex-girlfriends, and I would love to gift them with a get-away too, along with any of my blog followers who have stuck with me through all of my hiatuses and sudden absences. I still have a bit more work to do before im ready to announce everything, but I know that some pretty neat things are coming. I will also be holding contests where you can submit friends or family...anyone you feel is deserving of a vacation, and submit a short essay on why they deserve to be the winner.
I know that these past few years have really been a nightmare for so many people with Covid and the devastating losses of dearly loved family members. I am not sure that I will ever truly get to a point where I am at peace with losing my dad, and now that I am facing a devastating medical diagnosis that not only affects me, but since it is genetic, we found out that my youngest has it as well, and I feel so much guilt surrounding that. I am an intensely private person, but it got to the point that I had to start telling people, and that was so incredibly difficult. For those of you who are true introverts, I know you know what I mean.
I will wait until my next post to really get into my diagnosis and what it means for Chase and me and our family. But I will go ahead and tell you the name. It's Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. That in conjunction with POTS can make for a really fun life at times (insert sarcasm here). You can feel free to Google it if you want, or you can wait until my next post where I explain how this truly affects our day to day life. It isn't easy, for sure, and it's a huge reason why I want to do these give aways. The link for my TikTok page is below, so please go ahead and follow me and share, that way you dont miss anything! As you will notice, I am just now getting started on my TikTok page, so it will take me a little more time to get it where i want it. But I wanted to include you guys from the very beginning, so here goes! Lots of love to you all!!!
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