Sorry For The Hold Up!

Howdy Folks!

Sorry for the hold up, and not updating for a very, very, long time! Then again, I don't think anyone really reads this. But oh well.

Quick Update:

This past summer I was busy working two jobs. In the mornings from about 6am til about 11:30 am I worked at the Holiday Hound House (Dog Kennel). I love that place. There's just something about dogs that can really make your day. The best day was when we had a family of 10, yes I said 10, Mastiffs!!! Omg, I was in love!! My other job was back at Client Focus from 1pm til 7pm. It was really long, tiring, and back with a boss that seemed to hate my guts. Though I did get to meet some neat new people that made me stay sane.

I'm back at NAU. I swear, will I ever graduate? Actually...if everything plays out right, meaning I pass all my classes and get the classes I need, I should graduate a year from this Dec! Woohoo!! Yes I know I am way beyond all my friends, but slow and steady still wins the race. Plus with the economy right now, I'm not in the biggest rush. Plus, I'll still have another year til I'll probably have a job at a Zoo. I wanted to get my certification as a Vet Asst. after graduation. I found an amazing program that I can do from home and they set you up with a job right afterwards. I figured this will add an extra twist to my resume.

Just recently I had to have my first ever surgery and it was to get my gallbladder removed. For the past months have had the worst attacks late at night. I would wake up with my chest hurting so it was hard to breath, my back and shoulders killed, and my stomach felt like it was expanding and going to explode! At first we thought it was because of a medication that I was switched on, but then it happened again one night after I got my old meds back. Two nights later I went to the ER because I still hurt from the recent attack.

The Flagstaff hospital really is amazing. I went into the ER at about 10:30pm and was in a room at 11pm. I had great nurses and the ER doctor was nice. We took an ultra sound and we saw a couple stones. The following day I was set up for a more detailed ultra sound to look at my gallbladder and then a meeting with the surgeon on Tuesday.

My Dad came up Monday night so he could go with me to meet the surgeon. My surgeon was Dr. Huang and he was really nice! He seemed very experience and was really great about answering all my questions. He said it was best to get my gallbladder out because I'm young and healthy. We met with his nurse Tony and my surgery was set up for that Friday!

Thursday night my Mom came up so she could be here with me and take care of me afterwards. The surgery was out patient so I was able to be home Friday afternoon. Surprisingly, I was actually pretty calm the night before and the morning of the surgery. And this is ME we are talking about!! Of course that all changed once we got to the hospital. But I had amazing nurses that helped to prep me and then Dr. Huang, the anesthesiologist, and head nurse that were going to be in the OR came to see me and told me everything that would happen and answered questions.

My surgery was right on time at 11:30am, all I remember was going in, getting on the table and then they put a mask on me and I heard "We'll see you after the surgery.." and then next thing I know I was waking up to hearing "You're in recovery." "Marie this Dr. Huang, your surgery was a success and I gave your mom some stones." - I asked him if I could keep a couple of them. Haha.

Some of my stones- this is only 1/20th of what was inside me!

I guess I was out by 12:30pm which was really quick. The recovery nurses were great specially nice I was in a lot more pain then I expected to be in. I did good and I was out of the hospital at about 2:30-3pm.

Last weekend it was all just laying down, trying to walk and then a little more distance each day, and emptying my Jackson Pratt Drain. Yeah I had a drain in me that collected fluids that I had to monitor. I had it removed this past Tuesday and I will say right now I do not recommend nor do I ever want to go through that again. My body when into immediate shock. There was like 2 feet of tubing inside of me and when he was pulling it out I swear it felt like all my organs were moving. I wasn't laying down, but sitting up and had no meds to num it.

My bandages and Jackson Pratt Drain

I've been doing well. I kinda did too much this week and my body wasn't scared to tell me. I never knew that it would take so much time and it would hurt so much. But I'm getting better each day. I'm so grateful for everyone that helped me through this and who continue to help support me through this. Tuesday I get to take my bandages off which will be nice cause the tape is driving me nuts.

Other then that not much else is going on with me. Just recovering. Oh and Kody Lostroh won the PBR 2009 World Champ!!! I'm so happy and proud of him!! He's amazing and totally deserved it this year. :)

Kody and I in 2008. He was so nice that he hopped the fence so I could get a picture with him!

Thanks for reading, and keep holding on!