Natalie & Ryan: Get Well...Eventually

Now that I can stay awake for more than 10 minutes at a time, I thought I might fill you all in what what's been happening for the past few days.

Bright and early on Thursday morning, Ryan and I reported to the hospital for my surgery. Up until that point, I wasn't really scared about it all. It wasn't until they had me on the table, under the bright lights, were strapping me down, and telling me to count to 100, that I really began to freak out. By that point, it was too late. I didn't learn until after the fact, that they had to stick a breathing tube down my throat. Goodness, am I feeling that still. Apparently I'm really hard to intubate. Anyway, I went right to sleep and woke up immediately in recovery, puking my brains out. I always react poorly to anesthesia. When I finally got to see Ryan, I felt a lot better.

I was supposed to only stay one night in the hospital, but I had, well, let's just say, some complications. I was, and still am, on a clear liquid diet only. Everything I drank came right back up. Yeah, that felt good with a freshly-operated abdomen. I'm not going to lie, I was miserable. I would be sitting there, sleeping, when all of the sudden I'd break out into a hysteria of hiccups. Not just little hiccups, either, the big kind that wrench your whole body and hurt your ribs. Yeah, that also feels good after surgery. It got so bad, I would cry every time I got them. I haven't had hiccups in years, and NOW they decide to be the bane of my existence? If anyone ever says the word "hiccup" to me again, I may just freak out.

Day 3 in the hospital wasn't any better. I still wasn't keeping anything down. It was so frustrating. All I was drinking was little thimbles of water, but my body just didn't like it. Not to mention, the morphine that they had me on, wasn't doing ANYTHING. It got to the point of me just opting out of pain meds because they were making me more miserable than anything. Finally this morning the doctor came in and saw that I was handling the water better. I was getting so sick of that tiny hospital room! I actually enjoyed my hourly walks around the hospital. Sleep was out. The hiccups always seemed to attack during sleep. Oh, and the nurses came in about every hour.

Ryan parents are still watching Lilly. I miss her like crazy, but they did bring her to visit me on Saturday. She enjoyed getting to share mommy's water. I can't wait until I'm well again, and can snuggle that cute baby.

Now I'm home and feeling much more positive about it all. I came walking into the house, and almost missed the "get well soon" present that Ryan had waiting for me. He surprised me with a pink Dyson vacuum. A few weeks ago, I killed our vacuum. After lots of hinting and bargain hunting, he found one for a good deal. Too bad he refuses to let me out of bed so that I can use the thing.

Anyway, if I've learned anything, it's that I have amazing family; my husband especially. Ryan's been by my side, non-stop, taking care of me, talking with family, going back and forth between the hospital and the house. Man, I got lucky with this hubby of mine... I also learned that my body hates me. Ryan kept joking that it seemed like whenever my body was put through a trial that other's would handle just fine, mine would freak out and draw out the event into a painful, unnecessary process. I'm happy to say that I've survived this one.