The Season Begins

I was so excited this morning because I had planned to finally take the time to sit and post something.  I had been meaning to do this for a while but so much has been going on that I have wanted to share but I just didn't know where to start. This can really end up like reading a book so I will fill you in a little at a time. But, I can say that I am at one of those high points in my walk with the Lord, but that didn't come until I went through some low points.  It's not that the Lord wasn't there, but as I learned last night in my bible study, He was just working on the foundations for what was to come. 
The past 3 or 4 years, I was going through a time where my life was an emotional roller coaster. I could tell the Lord was working but I really didn't have a clear understanding of why things were going like they were...up & down,up & down....can anyone else identify with me on this one???
After a few years of having a part time job & going through some trials and 2 surgeries & 1 surgery still to come,the Lord finally got my attention that I needed to go back to being a full time mom. This decision came during the 5 month window between my second & third surgery.  It was my 3rd surgery where I began to hit those low points.  This surgery consisted of having braces, again, and a total reconstruction of my upper & lower jaw, chin & a little bone removal-long story, but for a little understanding, the braces I had a as kid were not done properly. 
It was November 2010. We have been preparing 2 1/2 yrs for this surgery. The day finally came to take the 1 1/2 drive to where my surgery was being done. The surgery wasn't until the next day but had all the pre-op stuff to do. We checked in to our hotel & my man took me to Red Lobster b/c he knew this was one of my favorite places to eat & wanted me to enjoy my "last meal". I wasn't nervous the day of the surgery until it came to the time to get the IV started.  I hate IV's!!  And it just so happened, this time there were problems.  I hadn't had anything to drink since midnight & since my surgery wasn't until 1pm, I was very dehydrated. After 3 nurses sticking me I dont know how many times, me to the point of passing out, the doc coming in to see what was taking so long, they were finally able to get it going just enough to get the "feel good" meds in.  I was out before they opened the curtain to roll me back.  
Facebook was/is a very good place to inform a lot of people at one time.  So my sweet husband keep everyone updated through posts & texts for the 8hrs I was in surgery. I know this time was nerve racking for him b/c it wasn't expected to take that long. Come to find out the saw wasn't working so they got a new one then they went through 4 blades. The blades kept breaking b/c I seem to have some pretty tough bones! It was late at night by the time I was in my room.
I remember waking up and my first thoughts were "WHAT DID I JUST DO!!!!!!!!"  at the same time I heard the assistant doc say to my hubby, "she's probably thinking, what did I just do, but dont worry things will get better & the swelling will go down".  I was still pretty out of it. I remember looking down & saw my right fore arm was all bruised & taped where my surgeon had to put in two more IV's. I was happy that those to were able to come out but the one in my left arm had to stay in. I tried to keep my eyes open but they were so tired. My face & head felt so heavy. It was hard to breath. I couldn't swallow-my tongue & mouth were so swollen. I kept the suction in my hand at all times. I depended on that to breathe & because I couldn't swallow, to suction all the drainage. I hurt. I was so weak. I had to groan because I couldn't speak. I was sick all night,morning,& afternoon. Couldn't keep anything down. I remember one time I started feeling sick. Opened my eyes to see my hubby sitting in a chair, arms folded, head tilted back against the wall w/ his eyes shut. I hated to wake him again, but he was all the help I had. He was so exhausted from being up for so long,waiting through the surgery & taking care of me. I was suppose to leave the hospital at noon to check in at my doc's office then head back home. But I was still too sick. Finally, w/ hubbys help, I got up & went into the bathroom. I glanced in the mirror & looked away. My hubby told me a lot of the swelling had already gone down. Even so, nothing could have prepared me for that first look. I took a shower, got my pj's on with the help of my hubby & decided I just had to go. Got packed up, in the wheel chair with my bucket and off we went. I just wanted to get in the truck & get to my doc's office. But getting from my room & waiting for the truck to pull up seemed like forever-mainly because of all the looks I got. I would try to keep looking down but there were times I would look up & someone was staring at me. It didn't upset me really, but I knew it was a sight to see, I had seen myself so I did want to hurry up & leave.  We arrived to my doc's office. He met us outside & got us in through the back & as soon as I sat down I got sick.  He checked me out, listened to my stomach, & we finally came up with- I don't do well w/ morphine! This makes sense b/c 5 months earlier I was real sick after my back surgery but the nurses there thought it was from the anesthesia, now realize it was the morphine. My oral surgeon orders for his patients to be off the morphine at a certain time but b/c I couldn't keep the oral stuff down the decision was made, not by my doc, to keep me on the morphine pump. "The sickness may not have lasted that long, but oh well, whats done is done. Now we know." I thought. He gave me a dose of zophran (spelling??)in the vein to help w/ the nausea in hopes that would last our 1 1/2hr ride home. Everything else looked good in my mouth. We set up 1wk post-op appt and off we went, finally headed home. I slept most the way there & started feeling better since the morphine was out of my system. I was happy to finally pull up in our drive way and just be home....the worst was over.....so I thought. 

Melissa's Moments will be continued... ;)