Sometimes you are made to take a break not of your own will. Which can lead to frustration and well, frustration. It was over two weeks ago when I first got sick. Vomiting, nausea and a good dose of stomach pain. First I thought it was the flu. Then after I would normally be over it, I was still having a lot of pain and nausea. That is not normal and I resigned myself to the fact that it might be something more. After several days of waiting and testing, they discovered that I needed to go get my appendix removed. Not my idea of a fun Friday night, but neither was laying around in pain, so we went to the ER and they scheduled the surgery for the following day at 2. I wasn't really nervous about the surgery, I was intrigued by everything that was going on. Especially when the Drs would tell me what was going on in my body and what they would do to make me all better. The operating room also was pretty cool; I remember thinking that the only time I'd seen anything like it was in the movies and then I fell right to sleep and don't remember anything until I woke up feeling kind of high. Kevin and Hannah came and prayed with me and then the family came. Dad gave me flowers and the kids made me a huge card full of jokes... I had to wait a few days to read it because it hurt too much to laugh. I was pretty groggy but very grateful that they all came to see me. I slept until the following day. Peter and Nicole and the girls came to visit as well as Tim and Pamela and Bridgette and Logan and then mom and dad and the siblings. They sent me home Monday with orders for a low-calorie, low-fat diet and said I could go back to work whenever. I figured that on Wednesday I would be well enough to go back to work, so I did. It was harder than I thought, but I'm pretty tough so I did it. On Thursday in the middle of Forge I decided that it was probably not the best idea I had every had to return to work so fast. I ended up being sick all night and then all day Friday. Back to the med clinic for an IV because I was pretty dehydrated. They thought I had an infection and sent me back to the ER. Grrr... They did tests on Saturday and sent me home, only to call me Sunday and tell me to come back because they thought there was an infection. I stayed overnight and this time, being more alert, tried to have a better attitude. I took my Bible, book and ipod. The very funny and nice nurse gave me some flowers and entertained mom and I for a while, which we appreciated a lot! Rachel came to visit a few times, I was really glad she doesn't have a job so she could do that! I appreciated her company a lot! This time when the released me they said to take off at least a week. I was only too happy to comply if it meant that I will not be back in the hospital! I am so grateful for all of the medical professionals! They were all very kind and I felt like they really cared about me and getting me better--including keeping my spirits up. From the nurse who was trying to convince mom and I that we were hippie chicks to the guy in radiology who covered me up with an extra blanket for the bumpy ride back to my room to the Dr. who would share scriptures with me every time he came to visit. What if I took the time to ensure that everyone who interacted with me felt better because I took the time to care and to simply show them that they are loved.
...More on this experience later...
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