Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: care, Chuck E. Cheese, daughter, doctors, drugs, funny, girls, horses, injury, kids, laughter, mother, nurses, surgery
I am a complete mess! I’m typing with my left hand only and my brain is going much faster than my hand can work and it’s making me nuts!!
Yesterday I had surgery on my right arm/elbow to repair a torn tendon. The injury occurred last July when i fell off of a horse, but on the advice of my primary care doctor (who diagnosed me with tennis elbow) I suffered through therapy and a shot. When the shot wore off I bypassed my doctor and went directly to a specialist who gave me a proper diagnosis and wa-la, I have a 70-90% chance that I’ll be all better, eventually.
But that’s not what this post is about. This post is about my FD. How could this have anything to do with FD you ask? Well, my biggest fear with this surgery was I had to go under anesthesia and that reminded of the time that FD got her adenoids removed.
She was only 5 years old and had been having chronic ear infections since she was 2 months old. After years of antibiotics I reached a boiling point, insisting that her pediatrician send her to an ear, nose, and throat specialist. He did and it was determined that the tonsils were fine but the adenoids had to go and she would be fitted with tubes to help her ear drums drain. This is a pretty standard procedure so we weren’t too worried, just happy that she would find relief!
The day of the surgery we arrived at the hospital. Both of my kids are pretty brave but FD is the most stoic, she wasn’t worried at all. The nurses were wonderful and took us both to the day surgerical prep room so that I could help her get into her gown. I kept assuring her that she would be fine and she kept telling ME that I had nothing to worry about and that she was fine. I reminded her again about our “deal’…..when she was all better I would take her to see the Italian rodent (aka: Chuck E. Cheese).
After she was prepped the nurse brought in a little shot glass of pink juice (happy medicine) and asked me to get her to drink it all down. I was told that this medicine was to help her “relax”, I didn’t know that she was getting high before my very eyes until she mentioned “Mommy, you have three heads”. “Really?” I responded, “and how many fingers am I holding up?” As I showed only one she responded that there were three! I began to chuckle which made her chuckle which made me laugh which made her laugh which made me cry and made her stop and say “wasso funnnnyyy?” which made me split my side open!
At this point the surgical nurse arrived and saw tears streaming down my face. She was so calm and caring when she tried to comfort what she thought was a mother in fear for her child’s life. She tried to tell me that “everything will be alright. This is a routine procedure and we’ll take very good care of your daughter.” As you can imagine this only made me laugh harder, which the nurse mistook for sobbing wails. I could hardly catch my breath enough to tell her that I was in hysterics because FD was higher than a kite and I hadn’t expected that at all! The nurse was not amused by this (apparently they come into contact with more crying parents than laughing) and she whisked my daughter away for her surgery.
She did great that morning! She was only in surgery for about an hour and when they came to the waiting room to bring me to see her the nurses were gushing about how great she was. they told me that most children wake up frightened but not FD, she woke up and announced “Now I get to go to Chuck E. Cheese!” The nurses were pretty impressed by that.
So I’m not going to Chuck E. Cheese anytime soon and it will be awhile before I go riding again….I think I like having the use of my right arm more than I like horses! When FD came home from school yesterday to see me laying in bed with my arm immobile and wrapped with a brace she was glad to see that I was OKand helped me get pillows to prop it up with. She’s 14 now and the tables have turned; I may need her more than she needs me or perhaps we’re even now. Either way we enjoy sharing funny memories like this one and I enjoy watching her grow into an amazing young woman!
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: aging, doctors, falling apart, humor, old age, sick, Webmd.com
I’m falling apart. My body is failing me. It’s really very depressing but I suppose that it’s not entirely to be unexpected, after all, I’m getting older and it’s all part of the aging process, or so I’ve been told.
In the past year I have had more “issues” than ever. I’ve always been very healthy. Other than child birth and a tonsillectomy (at age 4) I have never spent time in a hospital; unless it was to visit a friend or family member. Those of you who have not been as fortunate as I, have no sympathy and I understand and forgive you (BFF J is now telling me to put two pairs of my big girl panties on). I am the furthest thing from a hypochondriac…..when I get sick I’m in denial, but when I’m REALLY sick I’m a huge wuss, because I never get sick. Does that make sense? I’m a wussy when I do have health problems because I’m not suppose to have health problems, I’m healthy! Until this last year that is.
I must preface this next paragraph by telling you that Webmd is probably the most irresponsible on line tool that no one should be using…..and of course I’ve highlighted it to provide you with a link so that you may see just how bad it can be. Please, whatever you do, do not rely on the diagnosis of this site. It is always in your best interest to consult with your own doctor, and when you do so, do not tell your doctor that you are there for a visit based on what Webmd told you was wrong with you. They REALLY hate that. It’s understandable and here’s why: According to Webmd, after inputting my symptoms I have cancer, and I’m dying……and I may be gone by the end of the year, “sniff”.
Now, I’m writing this very tongue and cheek. I’m sure that I’m fine. In fact, I visited my doctor and I’m fine….other than the fact that I’m falling apart. But, I’ve been told that happens at my age so I need to get over it. In the past year I’ve been diagnosed with kidney stones, tennis elbow, and now I need a skin grapht done on my lower gumline & my wisdom teeth removed. For someone who has never had a serious injury (other than a minor nose fracture in a freak bar fight in college….that story is for another time) I am in no hurry to proceed with any of the procedures that are required….because frankly I’m a wuss and I don’t feel the need to voluntarilly have pain inflicted on me, even if it’s covered by insurance and could make me feel better.
I’ve watched my parents and my grandparents age over the years and I think I’ll be ok, they are of pretty hardy stock so I’ve got that much going for me. I also enjoy a glass or two of red wine every so often and I know that’s suppose to be good for me. I don’t smoke and I eat pretty well so I’m going to attribute my rapid aging process to having a teenager. Those of you reading this that have a teenager will probably agree. Even the best kid will still give you an ulcer every so often and although I’m blessed with two great kids I can’t help but think that the grey in my hair and my physical ailments began to really show when the middle school years were upon our family.
Either way it could just be that I’m getting older and there is no stopping it. If you’re thinking that “it’s to be celebrated (with a big cheery smile)” then you’re wrong about that too! As I approach 40 I’m just going to rely on some of the new catch phrases that I’ve heard: 40 is the new 30 AND grey is the new blond! (and as I’m writing this I just pulled out my reading glasses, those are new too!)
