Memorable Moments 2009 #3 and #4

I need to get cracking on these..only a few more days before the new year!

#3...Appendix.

Ugh.

Rocked my world. I was butchered. Should have sued and made millions. Didn't. Oh well.

#4...Riding from Salt Lake City to Chicago then on to Memphis on the Train!!! So...I meant to blog about this when it happened, just like a million other things. But I had so much fun! I can't wait to do it again and take Josh and Carter with me. It is definitely longer...a lot longer than flying. But for me, much more comfy. It was fun to see the country's landscape going by. The best part was pulling into Chicago. Union Station is right at the center of the city and I walked out of the building and right into a big, busy city. I was not expecting it. I must say...I like Chicago a whole lot better in the summer. Last time I was there was in blistering, cold March and I did not get such a good impression of it. Josh and I have decided it will be a really fun get away to hop on the train and have it take us right to the center of Chicago...hang out for a few days and then head back. So...I am thinking late Spring for that.

I had my own private room from SLC to Chicago...that is the way to go! I could lay down to sleep and shut my door and have privacy. You also get top service when you ride first class. They will deliver your meals to you, clean up after, turn down and make your bed, give you free newspapers and water. The part that made it worth it for me was getting to wait in the 1st class lounge in Chicago. I was there for 3-4 hours before catching my train to Memphis. The difference between the lounge and waiting out in the public area...VAST! I was almost crying with all the people stuffed together...no place to sit at all...no place to walk...it was a ZOO! Then I realized I got to wait in the lounge! The lounge was peaceful, quiet and relaxing. Free drinks and snacks. Fluffy couches. TV, computers, private restrooms, etc.

From Chicago to Memphis I rode coach. That isn't bad either...you just have to deal with lots of other people around you...same as flying...But the seats are bigger and recline further back and also have foot rests. You can also walk between all the cars, go to the dining cart, or observation cart, or visit one of the many bathrooms...so there is a lot of space to walk around when you get restless. I think it would be so much fun to have friends or family with you. You could play games, watch movies, and look at all the States you are zooming through. Pretty neat indeed.

I did not have my camera with me on this trip...sniff.

For the love....

of money!!

So, I totally underestimated on my Mastercard commercial. I checked my mail today only to have my box filled with an onslaught of bills. I guess this is how it will be for the next year or so. So far my total in bills in somewhere around 18,500. One bill was even so nice to say, "We understand you do not have insurance. Please pay your bill within 15 days." To me that seems like kicking me when I am down.

I have a headache now.

However, there is some light at the end of the tunnel. I went and talked to the financial counselors at the hospital. Glory Be they help people without insurance!! After we talked she said they could probably pay 80%...I won't know for sure until I get a new bill. So that will leave me with around 4000.00 for the hospital. What I don't like is that then there is the anesthesiologist, the labs, and the surgeon that all have separate bills. They don't do financial counseling either. It would be a whole lot easier if they could all work together and lump into one payment. Ugh...UGH!

I went on Monday and got the rest of my staples out. My incision is still very sore and still very ugly. It has not completely sealed either which just gives me the heebie jeebies when I look at it. I have a hole at the top and a hole at the bottom of the cut that just are taking their pretty little time. I want it to just go away so that I can feel normal again. I still can't bend over all that well which means cleaning, playing, lifting, all that stuff hasn't been happening. There is so much I want to get done and can't right now.

I will stop complaining now. You would think getting my appendix out has been the end of the world the way I am talking. In reality I am very blessed and I am thankful that I got taken care of and I am alive and have a clean bill of health...despite a big gash in my belly. I had my whole abdomen and pelvic cavities MRI'd and everything else looked great...so that is good to know! There are so many others out there right now going through so much more and would be really happy with my 18,000 bill...so to them I offer my prayers. I am thankful this is all it was and hope and pray that we stay healthy and out of the hospital forever!

I am done talking about $$ now.

Might as Well Be a Master Card Commercial

Waking up in the middle of the night to horrible stomach pains...6 hours missed sleep
Doctors drawing blood and running labs...$500.00
Surgeon Removing an angry appendix...$4000.00(give or take)
1 night in ER & 3 nights in the hospital...5000.00(give or take)
Having NO health insurance...10,000.00(aaaahhhhhhhhh!!!!)

Getting to see my mom after 8 months and falling in love with my husband all over again...

Priceless.

So I am trying not to freak out about how much this little tissy fit my appendix threw is going to cost me. You see...the company we work for is fairly new and even though we get paid a full-time salary we are actually only part-time employees which is fabulous in its own right...until one of your body parts decides to suceed from the union....then you start to contemplate sending out resumes just to get a job with benefits. ah well...thus is life and I am not going to let it get to me. I didn't need any of that money anyway...blah.

I didn't want you anyway Appendix...you did nothing for me!

Now despite all the drama/trauma this has caused...I am actually thankful for many of the moments that have occurred over the span of this ordeal.

It was confirmed to me that I indeed have people in this world who would drop everything for me. Knowing this just makes my heart swell. My mom did just that. She is a teacher...so it isn't easy to just leave for a whole week...but she did and I couldn't be more grateful! She made what could have been an incredibly stressful and tough situation bearable. I will never be able to repay my mom for all she has done for and continues to do for me. I love you so much Mom. It was hard to see her go but I take comfort in knowing she will be back in March...woohoo!! Can't wait!

But in this Valentine's Weekend I am really thankful for the moments I had with my husband. I fell in love all over again as he took such good care of me and was by my side whenever I needed him. It was actually fun to have him in the hospital with me and just hanging out and talking and laughing...it felt like the early days of dating or just being married...when it was just the two of us. It was so nice. Of course we LOVE our son but having these moments together as best friends, husband and wife are wonderful and so needed.

Josh stayed the night in the hospital with me every night. He got up with me in the middle of the night to follow my white bum hanging out my hospital gown to help me pee, pushing my IV pump wherever I went, washing my hair for me when I couldn't get in the shower due to the dressing on my incision, encouraging my recovery and taking me on walks and telling me I was doing such a good job, fluffing my pillows and helping me get comfy in bed, putting my slippers on my feet and strapping me in the boots and hooking me up each time I returned to the bed(in the hospital they strap your legs in "boots" that are hooked up to a machine that squeeze your legs to keep you from getting blood clots...I actually LOVED these things and they felt so good massaging my legs) then scratching my legs for me after the boots dried out my skin and made me itch(seriously...the best scratching ever...I felt like a dog getting its stomach scratched) cheering for me when I was finally able to pass gas(so that may be gross...but seriously it was a big deal...I have never felt pain worse than that...it put the flaming appendix to shame;)

Josh is just my best friend plain and simple. He will do anything for me. Him seeing me at my worst, hardly able to walk, needing help in the bathroom, greasy hair, tired eyes, and he took such gentle care of me and hugged me and kissed me and gently rubbed my head. Every single request I made he fulfilled. I love you so much Josh. Knowing I have someone who loves me more than anything is just amazing. I couldn't ask for anything...anything at all because I already have you.

I know there are other people that if I called and said, "I need you here now" they would do everything in their power to come. That is wonderful to know.

With-in just hours of being admitted to the hospital I had the most beautiful bouquet of flowers I have ever been given to me sitting in my room from my sister and Cody...it really made my day. They were sooo pretty...I took a picture and need to post it. Casey called often to make sure I was doing okay. Thank you Casey!! Love you and can't wait to see you!

Katie made me a home-made card and sent it priority mail...it was just totally "Katie" and I LOVED it...thank you Katie!! It is a card I will keep forever.

Thank you to everyone who commented on my blog and sent up prayers in my favor. I really do appreciate all the friends I have and the people who take an interest in me and my well-being. I really am thankful for each and everyone of you.

I still have staples in my incision...seriously it is like the biggest incision ever made for an appendix removal. The doc said my appendix was lying in a different direction than normal so that is why I had to be cut wide open. Ugh. It is about 7-8 inches long..going long ways and right where I bend and have a nice fat roll...so it has been just lovely. I had somewhere around 20 staples. The doc took out half of them last Monday and I should get the rest out this coming Monday...but right now I am starting to be able to bend more and finally able to sleep on my side (I hate back sleeping). I still can't lift or do any heavy duty stuff. So I am taking it easy and hoping this incision just hurries and closes up and I can get on with it. No doubt I will always have a fantastic scar. My dreams of being a stomach model have been thrown out with the appendix. I was so close...so close.

So sorry so long...but you know I have to document every little thing...I even erased a few paragraphs! And I know some people don't like sentimental, gushiness, but that is me...I am that...no apologies:)

So...if anyone wants to hold a benefit concert or blog auction to raise oh say...10,000 dollars I would totally be up for that! (totally not taking away or making light of situations where this is happening...because I am totally serious...my appendix robbed me)

Thank you again to everyone who cares about me...even just a little;)