Home

It's good to be home. So I don't forget details, I thought I better get my story down sooner rather than later. Kevin and I arrived at the hospital early Thursday morning--about 6:20 a.m. We checked in, went up to our room, met our nurse, the anesthesiologist and basically just waited for everyone involved in the surgery to get there. I have mixed feelings about that operating room. On one hand it has been the room where my greatest blessings have arrived, but it is so cold and bright and stark. I hate sitting there getting a "spinal" and worrying that it won't be effective or that something will go wrong and I will actually feel what is happening. My anesthesiologist was pretty good and I was only slightly nauseous for a few seconds. Once the surgery started, Anna was here and healthily wailing in practically minutes. It seemed like Dr. Drake (who is wonderful) was pretty quick putting things back together and I was back in my room fairly quickly.

Once we got back to our room and I was holding little Anna while they were doing some vitals on me, we noticed Anna's color was really pretty awful. Her extremities were quite blue and her face looked just wrong. I had started feeling a bit light-headed myself and the decision was made to take her to the nursery to assess her and try to get some fluids in her. My understanding when she left the room was that we would maybe try to supplement with formula, but they were gone for a long time and no one had come to tell me what was going on. After about 45 minutes or an hour Lynnette showed up. I told her Anna and Kevin were in the nursery. She visited with me for a minute but then left. Shortly after that Anna returned to my room. I thought Lynnette had maybe "encouraged" them to bring her back, but she said she hadn't. Kevin said that they had tried several times to get an IV started but he finally asked them to stop and just bring her back to me let us be together and I could try to feed her. I am glad he knew what was best and told them. He didn't know how heroic that was to me. She nursed well and we spent good time bonding and she quickly returned to normal.

I, however, had a very difficult day. I was vomiting all day, which is not fun after abdominal surgery. I was sweating hot, dizzy and my blood pressure was quite low all day. I couldn't even think about eating anything, even though I was starving and hadn't eaten since the night before. I was so glad Kevin was there with me and we had limited visitors our first day. By about 8:00 that night I started to feel better and my appetite was beginning to return.

The next few days in the hospital were rather enjoyable. I think Adventist Medical Center is a wonderful hospital (even though the food is much better at Providence). The nurses and all the staff are very considerate and took good care of us. We had a few visitors every day. Between my friend Kedra and Lynnette the kids were well cared for. Kevin was able to spend time home with the kids and also at the hospital with me. Kevin brought Zane over Friday because he seemed really unsure about everything when he saw me Thursday. We had some good one-on-one time--watching "John Deere," going on walks, and eating popsicles. By the time he left he decided we could keep Anna and everything was okay.

We got home Sunday about 11:00. My mom has been here helping with the kids. It has been so good to be home. I don't know what I would do without my mom though. She has cleaned up more than her fair share of vomit and poop. Nora has been sick--vomiting Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. It was really hard for me not to be able to pick her up and carry her. Grandma was able to do that though, and Nora was not neglected. Now Zane is not feeling well.

Mom has been cooking and cleaning and caring so well for my kids. I feel like I am recovering really well from the surgery this time. Even though I feel I am recovering really well, there are just things I can't or shouldn't do. Between my mom not thinking I should lift a finger and me wanting to do more than I should, I am probably keeping it about where it should be under her watchful eye. I am so glad Mom has been here to help. I can't say enough how grateful I am.
Anna has been a very, very good baby so far. She is peaceful and calm. When she does get upset, which is very rare, she is easily soothed. She nurses well and sleeps pretty well. Zane and Nora really seem to love her and like to hold her and rub her head.

This has been a very happy week for me. I feel more rested and physically comfortable than I have felt for months. I sit around with my little family and am overcome by feelings of gratitude
for the blessings I have.

Grandma and Nora have become very good friends.

A nice day at the park. We were all anxious to get out of the house.

Peacefully resting in Grandma's arms. I insisted that part of Grandma's time here should include just snuggling. She feels like she always has to be waiting on us.

Love from Brother
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