I Will Survive

• Well, this is not a post I ever thought I would be doing at anytime and especially near the closing of this year.

• Yet, here I am and I pray none of you find yourself in the same place. If you do, possibly these tips will help you to survive.

I had back surgery about 2 and a half weeks ago. I have been suffering with lower back pain since May and it's just progressively gotten worse and then the pain started being so intense in my back and my right leg that I found myself face down on the floor begging the Lord for mercy many, many times!

The first thing I used almost everyday all day long was one of these gel packs that you heat up in the microwave. My Kiera gave it to me and I would heat it up in the morning, tuck it into my pajama pants and keep it there as long as I could. It seemed the heat was soothing. I did this for about 3 weeks until I found out that my disc was ruptured and I was going to have surgery.

But, it did offer some warm love and little relief.

My Mom got me some of this Blue Goo and also in those three weeks, I would rub this on my back. It was really cold but, then it would get hot and I have no idea if it helped with the pain but, it made me feel like I was doing something to help myself. I only used this before the surgery.

And this....this.....ummm...snake grabber I guess you call it has been a life saver. It belonged to my Maw Maw. She would be happy to see how much use it's getting. Not at grabbing snakes but, helping me ( I can't bend over at all) to pick up things I drop or things I need like my socks, pillows, crackers, and pillows I have knocked off the couch and the remote control, cell phone, etc. I mean, I have USED this grabber to the fullest. I shamefully admit I have used it to pinch a few hineys around here!

Hey, when you are housebound and not feeling well.....you get desparate for things to do.

Don't hate.

I Also, the IB's are necessary with this back issue as they keep the swelling down. I nearly puke thinking about how many of these I have taken and am still having to take.

Sigh.

II'm not proud. But, I will tell you that the pain medicine is very, very, important. If not, there would be no position EVER you can get into to rest at before the surgery or after the surgery.

I wish it wasn't necessary but, it is.

You HAVE to have the remote.

TV will become your window to the outside world.

I will say for me that having this happen during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays has enabled me to catch every Hoilday movie that is on the Lifetime, Hallmark, ABC, CBS, NBC, etc channels. Which makes you need a box of kleenexes near by.

Sniffle.

Oh, this is not fun but, there is no other way.

Stretchy pants. It's all you can wear. My back has been swollen from the surgery so, no jeans or constricting pants just jammie pants all day, everyday, for about 6 weeks now. Yes, I am getting tired of them.

But, oh well.

You have to do what you have to do.

You will need a basket of thank you notes because your friends are going to do some awfully nice things for you! Like, bring you and your family warm and delish dinners and homemade pumpkin bread and fudge and cards and well, they have been way too kind to me!

I love them!

You know how we always feel like we never have enough time to read?

Not now, I have all the time in the world to read.

And these are my top 4.

My Bible,

Jon Coursons Commentary on the Bible,

A daily devotion, Streams in the Desert

and another daily devotion,Daily Hope for Hurting Hearts.

I strongly recommend all 4 of these and yes, my heart along with my back has been hurting.

Sorry if you're getting tired.

I am almost through.

This is a luxurious throw that Rachel bought at TJMaxx. It is the softest piece of fabric I have ever had the priviledge to rub up against and I keep it wrapped around me almost 12 hours a day.

Yes, right now as I type, it's on me.

I love it. I even take it when I do get out to take a short car ride.

I love this thing!

Well, since it has turned freezing down here, you need a warmer throw and this one my Mom made comes in a good strong 2nd place. It's so warm and I layer the soft one and then this one and then I can really get comfy on the couch.

One more thing you need is a daughter and daughter in law that you love to pieces and they love you like that back and they clean up the house for you so, you don't feel like a horrible homemaker while you recover.

I mean they made this place look GOOD!

I am so blessed and thankful!

Oh yes, the most important thing you need is a beautiful Grandaughter who gives you so much love and laughter and prays for you and your back. She never leaves without saying.."I hope your back gets better, Nay."

Ah....the heart of mine is melted.

And to survive something like this you pretty much have to still have a sense of humor intact or you could quite possibly lose your mind.

I thought a mustache-on-a-stick was funny for some reason and then I had Rachel take my photo so, the rest of my life I'll see what pain really really does to me!

I have to conclude by saying how thankful I am for the Doctors, the surgeons, the appointment people and friends who took such good care of me and my family cause when one is down, all the rest are down too! And my Jesus who knows all my weaknesses and is with me through every minute of every day and every tear.

I am going to survive and get better and then never ever pick up something heavy again.

Umm....you might need to remind me about that sometime in the future.