Lessons From an Incredibly Difficult Summer

After a long hiatus from blogging, I’m finally back! This was a summer I’d just as soon forget.

Nugget

Nugget

It started with a vacation to Virginia which was supposed to be a relaxing time before returning for back surgery. Unfortunately, we received a phone call from my in-laws on the second day of the trip. Our 13 year old dog was struggling to breathe. The diagnosis was congestive heart failure. He’s had a heart murmur for years so we knew this day was coming but to have it happen while we were so far away was horrible.

Our vet wanted to try a couple of treatments but warned us that if there was no improvement soon, we would need to “discuss some things.” After four agonizing days, much to the surprise of everyone, Nugget began to get better! By the time we returned home, Nugget was weak but very happy to see us.

As you can see from the picture, he’s looking good! He takes more medicine than most people (and he actually takes people heart meds!). We don’t know how much longer Nugget’s heart will last but we are thankful we get to enjoy his unique and loving personality for awhile longer.

Lesson 1: We know Nugget is special but others thought so too. Our vet and staff were unbelievable! They could hear in our voices how hard it was to be far away when our pet was so sick. They loved on him, called us a couple times a day, spoon-fed Nugget, and so much more. We found out later that Stephanie, one of the technicians who has always said Nugget was special to her, lined up 5 different types of food in front of him, trying to get him to eat. She would spend time holding him, petting him – often while sitting on the floor in uncomfortable positions. When a noisy cat in a cage above Nugget seemed to disturb him, she moved the cat! It helped us tremendously to know that he was well-taken care of.

A week after returning from our vacation, I had back surgery – not the minimally invasive surgery that is advertised on T.V. No, unfortunately mine was major – five hours long and four nights in the hospital (and it didn’t go as smoothly as the surgeon had hoped). I had been warned of the pain involved and the lengthy recovery but I still wasn’t prepared for the excruciating pain that accompanied the surgery. I also didn’t have a clue how dependent I would become on others. There was not much I could do on my own for several weeks. Fortunately, I have a fantastic caregiver – my husband, Joe. I was sent home for the hospital with the BLT instructions – no bending, lifting, or turning. (I’ll never be able to eat another BLT sandwich without thinking of those directions!) I’m doing much, much better now and have gradually been building up to returning to work full-time. I still have some pain but that’s common since it takes a few months for the fusion to completely fuse.

Lesson 2: Pets know when you don’t feel well and do their best to provide comfort. Thank goodness Nugget was still with us. When I walked around the house as I was told to do to help alleviate pain, Nugget followed behind. He isn’t normally allowed on the bed but he’d always jump up and rest with me; slinking down when he’d see my husband coming.

Lesson 3: Friends and family are wonderful! I had frozen a few meals before having surgery but many, many friends and family members graciously provided us with food and gift cards. We were set for several weeks which was a HUGE help as I am just now getting to the point where I can prepare meals. And it wasn’t just the food – cards, visits, phone calls, Facebook messages, and prayers from friends and people I didn’t even know all helped with the recovery.

Lesson 4: Asking others for help is hard. I am the type of person who is used to doing things for myself. Asking for help is not easy for me. One reason is that I just don’t like to bother others. It’s been a humbling experience to know that there are some things I just cannot do right now. Simple things – like getting down to plug in a flash drive.

Lesson 5: Blue Bell ice cream makes a wonderful comfort food (particularly Peaches and Homemade Vanilla). Unfortunately, it isn’t a diet food! Many people lose weight after surgery; not me! Apparently, I asked for lots of ice cream. Joe says I ate it in the middle of the night and for breakfast. I hate to admit it, but I just don’t remember much from the first couple of weeks.

Lesson 6: There are all kinds of unique ways to accomplish tasks without bending! For example, a toe or the tip of a shoe is perfect for turning on a computer that sits on the floor. Those reacher grabber tools are handy and can really do a lot.

Lesson 7: Patience is NOT my virtue. My family knows I’m not a patient person but it was embarrassing when the surgeon’s nurse remarked, “No, you haven’t been very patient. Back surgery has a long recovery.”

Lesson 8: Don’t sweat the small stuff. People that know me know that I am a worrier. And, yes, I was extremely worried about this surgery. After going through the surgery and getting through the worst of the recovery period, I am learning that the little things in life just aren’t worth working myself into a frenzy!

Despite the fact that this was a summer I hope to never repeat, I am blessed to have a loving family and caring friends. They are the ones that pulled me through painful and challenging times and I am incredibly thankful for them!

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