UNBELIEVABLE!!

That is one word to describe the past month. If you regularly check our blog & have been wondering where we have been, the answer is recuperating - again.

On November 15, I began to experience excruciating pain in my abdominal region again & I wasn't able to keep any food down. I knew something wasn't right. I couldn't believe it, but nonetheless, knew something was wrong.

Jerry & I dropped the boys off at his sister's late Saturday afternoon & made our way to my home away from home - the Reading Hospital & Medical Center.

They take me to a room right away - like a standing reservation. I have not been able to keep any food down for over 24 hours now.

They think I may have a small bowel obstruction (I know - T.M.I., but it is what it is). Along with the fact that I am severely dehydrated & they would also like the bariatric surgeon to weigh in & see if they need to dilate the connection between my stomach & small intestine.

I seriously am about to melt down. They are talking about ANOTHER surgery. I cannot handle this. Thank goodness Jerry was there because he can at least stay calm while hospital personnel are talking to him.

So, yet again, I have a third major abdominal surgery to repair the confirmed obstructed bowel & dilate the connection between my stomach & small intestine.

I am in the hospital for 10 days where they fill my body with over 30 pounds of fluid & I begin the recovery process AGAIN.

I came home on November 25. My body hasn't been able to recover from three surgeries so close together. I am in the process of going to physical therapy to attempt to regain my strength.

Here is what their estimations are as of this past Tuesday as to when I will be able to resume some sense of normalcy:

Improve Strength - Arms, Legs & Trunk: 4-6 weeks
Independent Home Exercise Program: 2 weeks
Sitting Tolerance: Upright 30-60 Minutes - 4 weeks (I already can do this)
Standing/Walking Tolerance: 15 minutes - 4-6 weeks
Normalize Gait with no supervision or assistance: 4 weeks
Return to Work/Sports: 6-8 weeks
Independent Activities: 4-6 weeks
Dressing/Bathing
Cooking
Housework/Yardwork
Sit to Stand, Get out of Bed with no assistance: 4-6 weeks

So, as you can read, I need help doing EVERYTHING. During the week, Jerry comes home from work every couple hours to help me go to the bathroom, get me snacks & check on me.

I have no muscle tone between my hips & knees. It has been really tough. I can do everything the physical therapist says to make my physical self better, but mentally this is a real challenge.

It is so hard, especially during this time of year to be incapacitated. I have no Christmas shopping done, the decorations around our home are minimal & poor Jerry suffers my wrath on a daily basis - usually over something trivial.

Tricia is coming tomorrow to go Christmas shopping with Jerry. She is my rescuer. I cannot express to her how grateful I am for her help.

We will be going to Erie for Christmas. Hope that goes well.