Update

Last week I did pretty well! I got to go to lunch with my friends on Wednesday and then to church that night! On Thursday, I got to go out to eat lunch with my grandparents which was very fun!! On Friday, I went to senior lunch and then to dinner with some friends! It was so much fun to be able to do some normal things!!

Everything was going pretty well until Friday evening. My abdomen started hurt a lot more than normal and I was a little nauseous. So I came home and just rested. On Saturday morning I went to my brothers last football game! We went out to eat after that. On the way to the restaurant I got nauseous again and had more abdominal pain. I tried to ignore it. As we got our food, I just began to feel horrible. All of the sudden I started getting horrible abdominal cramps and almost got sick. Like bending over almost screaming abdominal cramps. My mom went to sit in the car with me while my dad and brother finished up. The pain let up a little on the way home and I took some nausea medicine. As soon as I got home I rushed to take a bath to see if that would help. Through out the day I keep getting sick. I'll spare you the details but I was sick in more way than one. And it was bad.

On Saturday night I had decided that I would sleep in and not go to morning church but just go to the evening worship because the youth group was doing something special.

As I mentioned before the youth group is doing something called Mission 127. It's an opportunity to get out in the community and share the love of Christ. Sunday night, there were tables around the youth room to sign up for different service opportunities. I'm overseeing one of the mission opportunities so I was supposed to stand at my table and give out information.

Well I got up Sunday and took a shower and decided that there was no way that I could go to church or do anything. I was so devastated. I know the youth group can go on without me, but once again I had to let people down because I was so sick.

Yesterday I was not able to take my pain medicine because the nausea was so bad. Pain medicine makes you nauseous anyway so I was really scared to take it. I was on two different kinds of nausea medicine but I was still sick all day. The abdominal pain was so bad but we couldn't do anything about it because of the nausea. It was horrible. I only had had a little to eat yesterday and almost nothing to drink because I was too sick. So we called the on-call surgeon and he told me I could take the nausea medicine more often than I was. But we found that out at 10pm so it didn't really do much for us.

Today I feel about the same. I feel exhausted and just a general sick feeling. The medicines are making me very out of it.

Today I had another post op appointment with the surgeon. The good news is that the problems I am having aren't from any complications from the surgery. That was ruled out with blood work! So that's good. But he doesn't know what exactly is going on. He knows it's not just a virus. Because of something that happened this weekend, he wants me to see a GI doctor asap. They are supposed to set up an appointment in the next couple of days. If they don't call us in the next 2 days, we are supposed to call the surgeon. I love that about him. He doesn't want any messing around. He just wants things done fast!

The surgeon gave me more nausea medicine and told me that I can actually take double of what I've been taking. So tonight that has helped some and I even ate a little! I have another appointment to see the surgeon next Monday. He did say the incisions are looking great!

I had made it this far without having to see a GI doctor but apparently I signed up to see every kind of doctor there is in the world. Please pray that they figure out what is causing all these problems. I'm very tired of seeing new doctors and having more tests. But if it will help, then I'm all for it.

Great Day!

Yesterday I got to get out of the house and do some fun things!!!

Every Friday the youth group has what they call Senior Lunch. Since seniors can leave school for lunch, they all meet at a different restaurant every week with the youth ministers. It's awesome because seniors from several schools get to have lunch together! I hadn't been before since I've been so sick the past month. Well yesterday one of the youth ministers picked me up and I got to go to senior lunch! The high schools have two lunches and I have friends in both lunches so I got to be there for both groups!! I can't wait to go to senior lunch every week!

After lunch, I got to spend time with my grandma! She wanted to take me to get some new clothes for fall and winter! I honestly don't buy new clothes very much. Shopping just takes too much energy and I'd rather spend money on something else. I don't think I need new clothes because I have perfectly good clothes. But I do need new clothes every once in a while!

So we went to Maurices and then to Old Navy since they are right next to each other. I got a great coat from Old Navy that I can wear to church! From Maurices, I got 2 great sweaters that are so unique. We got a necklace and a couple of shirts to go with them. I'm ready for it to be cooler so that I can wear them!!

Of course we had to visit Starbucks for some iced tea! I got my grandma addicted to their iced tea. We had a great time and I'm so glad we got to go! It was a little challenging trying on clothes while trying to keep the pain minimal. You don't realize how much you use your stomach muscles! They are used for everything. We had a wonderful time though!

After shopping, I went home to rest. I was exhausted! Around dinner time one of my friends came to see me. We just talked until 10pm! Time went by so fast. It was so much fun!

As I've mentioned before, my youth group has a leadership team. The leadership team consists of smaller teams. Some of the teams are prayer, service, visitor, teaching, announcements, and things like that. The teams are supposed to be leaders who will get the youth group involved in different things. It's so neat to see people so devoted to serving Christ and people. At the beginning of every year we have a leadership team lock-in. The lock-in was last night.

Obviously I cannot be up doing things all night. I wasn't planning on going at all but at the last minute I decided to go. I was so sad that I couldn't stay the whole time, but I did go for a couple of hours! I got there around 10:30pm and came home at 12:30. I didn't go to sleep until 3am because I couldn't take my sleep medicine until I got home. I was also hurting a lot which kept me from sleeping.

Today I plan on resting and resting. I really want to be able to make it through church tomorrow! I'm definitely paying for all that I did yesterday but it was so much fun. It was the first time I had really gotten out of the house in over a month. It was so great! I'm still taking the pain medicine around the clock because the pain is still a big challenge. It's wonderful to be able to get out of the house even if it still hurts despite the pain medicine.

Surgery Follow Up Appointment- Surgery is kinda like an invisible illness!

I did try to go to church on Sunday! It didn't go as well as I hoped but at least I got there. I didn't stay very long because I broke down from the pain and fatigue. But it was really great to see everyone!

On Tuesday I had my first follow up appointment with the surgeon! It went very well! We really wish the surgeon was a regular doctor. He is so genuinely caring and wants to listen to what is going on.

He took all the tape off of my incisions and scraped some dried blood (eww) off of them. He said the incisions are looking very good!! Some of the stitches are poking out from inside and he asked if I wanted him to take them out or just let the dissolve. Of course I said let them dissolve! Duh!

It's been 3 weeks since surgery and a week ago I ran out of pain medicine. We called the surgeon's office to tell them and they said they don't refill pain medicine. They said to use Advil and they were very rude about it. So that's what I did. It wasn't pleasant and I was in a lot of pain.

We told that to the surgeon and he got so mad. They never told him that we called. He kept apologizing and was very nice about the whole thing. He explained that usually they want you to be off the pain medicine soon after surgery and that they don't refill pain medicine. But because of my situation, he knew I needed to stay on it longer. Before surgery he was really good at wanting to understand my pain and how surgery would affect it. He actually cared and was concerned.

So on Tuesday he wanted to know about all the pain I'm experiencing. I'm having pain in places that normally shouldn't hurt. He wants some tests done to make sure everything is okay. On Tuesday he sent me to the lab for some blood work. Depending on what the blood work shows I might have a ct scan.

Before my appointment I was a little discouraged because I'm still in a lot of pain. I only have 4 small incisions so why am I hurting so much? He reminded me of what is going on inside my abdomen. He explained what he did during surgery and that to get to the gallbladder he had to cut through muscle. And he did take an organ out and cut adhesions off my liver. My body has to adjust. I felt better after he explained that a little more. It is a bigger deal than I think

Surgery is just like invisible illnesses sometimes. Yes I only have 4 small incisions. But there's so much going on inside that I can't see. That is where the pain is coming from.

He said that I look good, but that I look uncomfortable and in pain. He actually told me to take my pain medicine for a while longer. What?! A doctor actually saw how much pain I'm in and told me to take pain medicine? I never thought I'd see the day! He apologized again for the lack of communication regarding the refills.

I go back to see him in a week and a half!

Thank you for the prayers for my recovery and for the cards and everything!

Surgeon and School

Yesterday the surgeon's office called and said he had an emergency surgery that would take the whole day so my appointment was cancelled. I was disappointed but I'm praying that everything is okay with person that had to have the emergency surgery.

My appointment is rescheduled for this coming Tuesday! I'm actually really looking forward to this appointment. First one ever, I know! I don't know why I'm so excited...I'm just ready to hear him say that everything is good!

It has been two weeks since my surgery. I went for another short walk today! Hopefully I will be able to go to church on Sunday! That is my goal. The pain is still a challenge so I'm still working on that.

Tomorrow afternoon my homebound teacher and another person from the school are coming to evaluate me. I'm not quite sure what that means but we will find out soon!

I spent my weekend building a ziggurat

Jealous? I thought so! My brother has several projects due next week so we decided to do one! Of course he picked the hands on projects from the list so we had to build a ziggurat. They went to Hobby Lobby (what would we do without that place?) and got the supplies and we started building a ziggurat. Thank goodness for the internet pictures to help us, because I don't know if you've noticed but there aren't too many ziggurats here in Oklahoma to model ours after. We cut and put together styrofoam (who knew that's how you spell styrofoam. I didn't...). Then, we created lines to look like blocks. Next, we painted it and who knew that painted styrofoam actually can look like mud! Amazing! Then we added details and finally finished today! I have to say it looks pretty amazing! So, whenever if you ever need to build a ziggurat in your life, you can call us to help! Business is pretty busy though so you might want to call several years in advance. Probably 3.2 years in advance. Thanks for understanding.

Last Friday I walked down the street! That was pretty exciting!! Then, I got to go for a car ride with my mom!

I'm doing well! Last week I started sleeping upstairs again but this weekend I moved back downstairs because I was having some bad nausea problems. I think tonight I'm going to try to sleep upstairs again! I still haven't gone anywhere but I have an appointment with the surgeon on Wednesday! I'm excited to get to go somewhere and see what he says!! I still have tape over 3 of my 4 incisions but it is beginning to come off! It's weird because the stitches are poking through on a couple of the incisions. The stitches are inside but for some reason are coming through! It's very odd!!

This is my dog Tucker! I don't think I've ever put pictures of him on here before so here you go! He loves to think that he owns the world but we all know that it's only a dream of his.

Here is my card board testimony that I talked about in one of my posts!

This is the front...

And this is the back!

Last week there were several beautiful sunsets! This one had such vibrant colors!! I didn't edit this picture at all.

"Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart." Psalm 97:11

I promise I am going to start posting more. My brain has been a little foggy since surgery from all the pain medicine. But I'm slowly recovering and doing well so I will back to normal soon!! Today it has been a week since my surgery so we have one week down!

I've had so many random thoughts lately...

I thought I would take a moment out of my busy post surgery schedule of tv watching and banana pudding eating and write a blog post!

I've been watching Gilmore Girls from season 1 on and it's such a great show! It makes me want coffee every time I watch it. I've watched it so much that I really feel like the characters are my best friends. Then I come back to reality and realize it's just a show... that's what pain medicine does to you! It's quite funny actually.

There's a new song on Klove called Light Up the Sky. I found a couple verses that go along with it. This world is so dark. But Christ game to be the light of the world. We no longer walk in darkness, but in light!

"Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart." Psalm 97:11

My aunt showed me this verse and I love it!!

"The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn" Proverbs 4:18

Light Up The Sky by the Afters

"When I'm feeling all alone

With so far to go

The signs are no where on this road

Guiding me home

When the night is closing in

Is falling on my skin

Oh God will You come close?

(Chorus)

Light light light up the sky

You light up the sky

To show me You are with me

I can't deny

No I can't deny that You are right here with me

You've opened my eyes

So I can see You all around me

Light light light up the sky

You light up the sky to show me

That You are with me

When stars are hiding in the clouds

I don't feel them shining

When I can't see You beyond my doubt

The silver lining

When I've almost reached the end

Like a flood You're rushing in

Your love is rushing in

(Chorus)

So I run straight into Your arms

You're the bright and morning sun

To show Your love there's nothing You won't do

(Chorus)

That You are with me

That You are with me"

Well I'm off to watch more Gilmore Girls, very productive I know!