Microdiscectomy - My Happy Ending

The more I have talked to people about the surgery I had, the more I realize that there are so many people who have struggled with herniated discs and maybe just maybe my happy ending will give them a bit of hope that really you can be normal again!  And who doesn't want to be normal?

I just want to say...there are happy endings!  I'm 4 weeks out of surgery and I am pretty sure I can use the word SUCCESS.  Maybe my success is spelled "miracle" but I'll take it!



Question:  What do you do when you hear about something you have no idea what it is?  
Answer: You GOOGLE it.

Am I right or am I right?

I AM RIGHT! 

Such was the case when I heard Microdiscectomy for the first time. A big word for a simple mind like mine.

My number one question was..."What is the recovery time, how long will I be out".  That is all that my impatient self wanted to know. After ACL reconstruction a year ago January and then the herniated disc which by the way happened the VERY FIRST TIME I RAN after that surgery.  OOH BOTHER, can a girl catch a break?  Apparently not in the year 2011.  A year of necessary life lessons in patience, but 2011, peace out, I am so done with you!

Anyways...
I Googled something involving "microdisectomy recovery" there may or may not have been a few tears shed, I'm pretty sure every unpleasant microdiscectomy experience recorded online, I found.  However after 10 months of a constant charlie horse and hot poker in my bum and down my leg and a new walk I tagged as the "Wendy Wiggle" something had to change. The surgery was scheduled and I was in it to win it! 

Okay, onto what I really came here to talk about.  The happy ending.

The surgery went well with the only exception being the "hangover" effect of the anesthesia.  I remember none of this...none! Except for the little blue barf bag. I know, gross. Reality. 

After the blurr of the first day wore off I felt great.  I kept waiting for the pain to hit.  It didn't.  A bit of discomfort at the incision site but sharp pain that you would expect, none.

Yes, not going to lie there is a bit of residual nerve pain that hit at about 2 weeks post surgery, I may or may not have panicked but the Dr. said that is normal and it was minimal. Nothing compared to what it had been pre-surgery. 

I did disobey the Dr. a bit.  Don't tell.  I had been planning on a long awaited trip to Moab 2.5 weeks post surgery, didn't want to miss it.  I asked the Dr. if I could go hiking.   He said no.  I disobeyed.  I felt great.

Tell me not to do something and my rebel comes out and I do it anyway.  I made a goal to go on 25 new hikes this summer, no waiting around here. And I may have taken a VERY leisurely bike ride. It's Moab, you can't not.  Like I said, tell me not to and I have to.  Stubborn, yes. But a careful stubborn, of course.

I just want to say it again... My success may not be normal. This recovery has been a piece of cake.  I don't want to give anyone false hope, and I think that being in fairly good shape pre-surgery made a huge difference but don't discount the power of prayer.  I'm a believer.  2012 is my new favorite year.  THE END.  

Where is My Miracle?

A while ago my heart was broken and I was in a whole lot of physical pain. After hearing about a miracle that happened in the life of a childhood friend, in a moment of desperation and frustration I remember selfishly exclaiming to my mom "where is my miracle?"  That thoughtless retort has since sent me on a path of definition, seeking to identify "my miracle".  And yes...I feel like in the last week, and actually in the shower this morning. I have identified one of the many miracles in my life and you know what.  That miracle is YOU!  It's you, the person who is reading this who is my friend. This life is about people.  PERIOD.  THE END.  People are miracles in our lives if we will let them be that for us. It took me WAAAY too long to figure that out. 



Why do I say this? 

Exhibit A, B, C, D

This week  I had a little surgery to fix a herniated disc in my back.   I was so overwhelmed with everyone's support.  I am a very independent person and really I feel like I can make it on my own most of the time. How long are balloons going to last? Not long.  But will I always remember the thoughtfulness?  YEP! And a fruit bouquet,  seriously? Shake from Iceberg?  You bet.  But it's so much more  than just that.  SUCH blessings.  Texts, phone calls, emails.  Sometimes it is just overwhelming how much everyone cares.  SO EVERYONE, THANKS.  Mostly to my mom and dad, they are the best!  THE BEST.  So there you have it.  YOU, whoever you are, wherever you are are a miracle in my life.  THE END! 

One last thing.  I'm not sure why but I felt an urgency to plant a garden before I couldn't bend over much for a few weeks, and my little roommate Jamie and others worked their little heart out to help me, it meant soo much. Seems so little but it was something that made my heart happy.   

P.S. See those marigolds?  Those are for you Grandpa Larson!

I Have Talents

Basketball is not one of them. BUT, being the number one fan sure is! My friends all play basketball and they are good at it. I'm not and sometimes I feel silly because I don't play. But then my thinking processor got a going (thank you grandpa White). Some peoples talents are not my talents but my talents are not others talents. My ah ha moment was that I AM A GREAT #1 fan. It's a talent and I'm proud of it. I can't shoot or dribble or defend well but I sure know how to support. The end.

Some other talents... I know how to appreciate the little beautiful things.
And slide on my belly pushing a stone.
I also made these... in an hour. Last minute.

AND...with the inspiration of my good little roommate, I am now a clothing designer.
Can you read it? We're funny huh!

I Choose Me

I had a thought the other day.

I thought...if I could choose anyone to be, I would choose ME.

I dont know if 5 years ago I would have said that, maybe not even a year ago. Not because I want to be someone else, but I don't think I was wise enough to even consider "me" as an option.

Here is why I would choose me:

1. Little things make me HAPPY. I heard a bird chirping out my window the other day and it made me happy. I saw a daffodil today and it made me happy.

2. I eat popcorn for meals. No, no, no I LOVE eating popcorn for meals.

3. I'm independent, but yet needy.

4. When I'm not fine, I say I'm fine because I know that eventually I will be fine.

5. I am a good friend, it's definitely a talent I've been blessed with.

6. I'm too nice to a fault sometimes, but better to be nice than grumpy, that's my motto.

7. I'm a believer, I know who I am and I truly am a child God and that has made all the difference.

8. I have a high tolerance for pain, I'm not a whimp. The doctor said.

9. I'm insecure sometimes, it stretches me.

10. I have forever to hang out with me and so I might as well choose me as the person I want to be.

11. I am happy with the physical me, it's been a huge challenge for me my whole life, HUGE, but I've come to realize, most of the time, I am who I am. Sometimes I forget this but then I remember and it is all okay again. Never ending challenge but one I feel I'm winning.

12. Optimism. Try it.

13. I'm funny. I laugh at myself, when I am by myself I laugh at myself.

Long boring explanation of why I choose me.

I've always consider myself an intelligent person, I scored fairly high on my ACT, school was never really too difficult for me, I got A's with minimal effort, not bragging, just saying it how it was for me. But that was all water under the bridge as I realized a better me just recently.

There really is truth that comes from the phrase " with age comes wisdom". And let's just say, I've come into my age and therefore, I now consider myself kind of wise. But this wisdom has not been the easiest to gain, in fact the last year and a half have been quite the challenge, lots of tests where I had to really make some hard decisions, some in which I could have chosen differently, to be angry or hurt or hold a grudge which by the worlds standards I may have been completely justified. There has been heartbreak like I've never known, physically my once unencumbered body has been broken with no relief. I have been stretched, smashed, made lower, brought high, made lower, and brought higher. This is where me has become an even better me, a more real me. Wisdom has come, bit by bit, it comes from keeping my heart soft and mold-able, had I hardened it, i'm absolutely positive it would have been shattered and in many little pieces, hard to pick up and put back together. I, through power beyond my own kept my heart soft and it has proven priceless as I have recognizing challenges for what they really are, character creators. I am becoming the more real Wendy Kaye. And that my friends is what triggered my " I choose me" moment. It was because I have experienced hard things, but with that hard I also experienced sweet. And who doesn't love a little sweetness? The end.

There is so much more I feel in my heart on this topic, but I'll spare the rest of the details.

Why should you choose you?

And just a few of my happenings lately: I'm making this. Finished product to come. BE EXCITED!
Lady A concert on Valentines Day. Who needs a boy on the day of LOVE? I needed Lady A.

Fieldtrip with my favorite lunch buddies. Me, Becky, Heather, Jill. THE CAPITOL. Heather is having a baby in a couple weeks and we decided we needed to venture out beyond the square, so we did.

DATE = DESSERT

I have a date tonight...

That's good news. I don't really know the kid, talked to him for 2 minutes at a party and he got my number. Apparently he liked my earrings. That was his pick-up line. Good for him for taking initiative.

So that's good. But you see, dates these days mean more to me than just nice company, awkward conversations, even more awkward door scenes, a whole lot of "so... (insert questions for the standard getting to know you list)".

Let me explain... see that check, the one for $100.00. It's my motivation. If JaNae eats treats on any non designated occasion, I cash it and walk away with a few extra bucks in my back pocket. However, I did the same. She likewise has a high roller check signed by me in her possession and if I break the rules she walks away with the cash. So needless to say, no cookie, ice cream cone, not even apple pie a'la mode is worth $100.00. However my one freebie is on dates.

So here's to hoping I get some good SUGAR tonight (the real cane kind, it's a first date people! I'm not like that!) I'd even just take a regular chocolate chip cookie. Hopefully it's a shake with cookies in it. PERFECT.

Well he will be here in just a couple minutes.

Resolved!

I'm resolved to eat hot dogs once a day in 2012.

Okay, that's not true. This is a totally unrelated picture from months ago, but I like it so I am sharing it.

Those of you who know me well, especially those who live/lived with me know I am just don't eat meals. Popcorn for dinner. You betcha.

But.. I'm resolved to make one new dish every week. Tonight it was thislemony shrimpy stuff. And lemon vegetables. Pretty yummy.
Last week, HONEY LIME ENCHILADAS. TO DIE FOR, not joking. You need to eat some, NOW!

Tomorrow I will eat popcorn and the day after that too, but one day next week (maybe 2 if there are leftovers) I will eat normal. That's all! Goodnight.

Coats of Many Colors

A friendly person recently commented on how much she likes my coats. It was a very nice compliment, in fact as one who looks up to her for her class and just plain beauty it kind of made my day. It set my thinking processor into action, the above image flashed into my mind. There are 16 coats for 2 girls.

Excessive? Yes it is. Do I wear them all? Yes I do. Do I need them all? Absolutely not.
Sometimes moments like these make me feel a bit selfish. Ahem. It does make me feel better to know the only one I paid full price for was the blue one and that was years ago. It's lasted a LONG time and will serve me for years to come. Justification? Yeah probably.

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