Friday marked 7 weeks since my surgery. To say it’s been a journey would be an understatement. I’m doing much better though! I was allowed to drive at 4 weeks and have been getting out more. I can eat normally again. Walking on flat ground is relatively easy. Steps and hills can still get me but my recovery time is much faster. Last weekend, I spent most of Saturday outside with the kids at a playground and a festival. I did go back to the hotel before everyone else to rest, but overall it was a good day and rest and sleep was all I needed to recover.
What does one do with all her free time you ask? I’ve been watching The Crown, Season 16 of Heartland, various romantic comedies and rewatching Grace and Frankie with Becky. I’ve also been working on some Google Certificates to boost my resume. Last week, I had a change of scenery and hung out at Becky’s house and we visited Johnstown (or Johnsville as Robbie called it), went to the Richland Community Days Festival and visited with some loved ones. I still have some doctors’ appointments and this week I get to wear a heart monitor so my cardiologist can see if he can get me off one of my medicines. Technology has come a long way and the heart monitor is a sticker and a device slightly bigger than a thumb drive. Pretty cool and so much better than a bunch of stickers and wires.
The kids are doing well. One more week until school starts. Sarah has been away in PA visiting Nanny for the last two weeks and Rob has been a happy, only child. They were glad to see each other in Johnstown last week. I guess sibling love comes in small doses. LOL!
Robbie made a Pokemon last week that he named Fire Rock. He made it out of paper towels and scotch tape. MILES of scotch tape! It’s pretty impressive! This morning he made another new one. When we went to Harris Teeter with me, he told anyone who listened about it and that it’s coming in the Fall of 2023 and will cost a $1. I was like dude, mom needs to teach you about the cost of goods sold and margins because your creativity is worth more than a $1! I did write it down and explain it when we got home. Not sure he’s convinced. He says the factory is going to make it and it’s not a prototype. He cracks us up on a daily basis.
Sarah had a very successful run in Frozen Jr. As someone pointed out, she was preparing for her role as Young Anna since she was 3! She really pushed herself during the camp and all her hard work payed off. Unfortunately, I missed it because I was in the hospital. She also celebrated her birthday the same weekend and we got an ice cream cake to share with her friends.
I’ve been back in the kitchen a bit. When your summer is tied up with healing and trying to keep your food down, you forget it’s CORN SEASON! I love me some fresh corn and made Chicken Corn Chowder and Summer Vegetable Chowder. YUM! I also found white sweet potatoes which are a good substitute for regular potatoes since they do not like me. Many thanks to those that reached out to help with food while I was in the hospital. It was a major help and we put everything we received to good use.
I am supposed to go back to work in mid-September. My short-term disability is covering my health insurance but that’s about all. I also found out they expected me to start paying for it before my STD kicked in so after a loan from a family member, I was in the hole about $1200. Thankfully I called them Aug 1st when I didn’t see any correspondence about how much and when to pay. We are getting by, but if you would like to help ease the burden, here are some ways you can help:
Contributions toward my $1200 loan for health insurance.
Gift cards for food to Publix, The Fresh Market, or DoorDash. Publix and DoorDash offer online GCs. If you are local to a Fresh Market, they sell physical cards and I still get my employee discount so the money goes a little further. Cash works well too.
My house needs some major attention and I can only lift 10 lbs and still need to take it kind of easy. If you would like to come help or contribute money towards hiring someone to help, I would greatly appreciate it!
I will be 49 on September 5 and one of my birthday gifts is a long weekend in Nashville the beginning of September. With money being tight, I don’t have a lot of spending money. Any donations are welcome! And John will be home with the kids. Please send DoorDash gift cards!
If you send an e-gift card, or Venmo or Zelle money, please text me and let me know so I know to look for it. We’re currently looking for a missing e-gift card that we were unaware of and didn’t learn about till weeks later.
Thank you all for your concern and support. I knew open heart surgery would be a big thing, but you don’t know how much it will impact your life till you go through it. My community far and wide has been so supportive with phone calls, text check-ins, hospital visits, donations, helping get the kids to camp, meals, and many other thoughtful things. My family has really stepped in and helped hold things together at home. Family and a friend made sure my kids had new school clothes and shoes. Thank you barely seems appropriate! You really are the best!
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