I hope this year goes well… I hope this pregnancy goes well. And I hope we all have a fabulous, prosperous, healthy year. 
12/31/2006
Happy New Year
12/29/2006
Staples suck
Well, I’m not sure if I mentioned it, but I had a vertical incision on my abdomen. It’s about 8 inches long and has 22 staples holding it together. Ick. I went to Indy this past Wednesday for a checkup and to get my staples removed, but they said it was too early to remove them. I was quite bummed b/c they are getting on my nerves. They hang on my clothes and are just irritating. I will finally get them removed next Tursday! Yay! 
I’m not in too much pain—I take a Tylenol every now and then. I was hurting on Christmas eve, so I took my doctor prescribed Vicodin, which made me super ill. By Christmas morning, I had a blinding migraine and was puking (yes, NOT fun for those healing stomach muscles!). Christmas day was kind of a blur for me. I muddled through while laying down a lot and holding my head. I feel a lot better now.
It’s still kind of painful when I go to stand up or sit down or roll over in bed. And I walk a little slower and probably not so smoothly.
For Christmas, Dave got me a beautiful locket with my initial engraved on it. I love it. Now I just need to find the right pics to go inside. I also got some cool stuff from Sephora and a couple of maternity shirts. Overall, it was a great Christmas. I just wish I’d have been a bit more coherent on the big day. Zack had a wonderful Christmas. He has tons of new toys and our house is now overflowing. I need to pack up some of his old toys to make room. I doubt he’ll miss them.
I still have a couple more weeks until I’m allowed to drive again. So I’m sort of stuck at home unless Dave takes me out. Feel free to give a call or come visit. It’s kind of boring sitting around here so much.
12/23/2006
Recovery
Well, surgery went well. Didn’t lose much blood. The doctor said the abdominal cerclage placement went great. I was on morphine Thursday. Friday, I took a couple of Tylenol. Today I haven’t taken anything. I have about an 8 inch long incision with staples holding it together. Sounds like ouch, but really, it only hurts when I go from sitting to standing and from standing to sitting. And even then, it’s not the incision that hurts—it’s the muscles they cut through. Sneezing and coughing are both BAD ideas. Other than that, I’m doing well. Thanks for all the get well wishes and prayers. Keep them up. I’m not totally over the hump yet. But I do get my staples removed next Wednesday. Yay! Trust me, there’s nothing like hearing your own body being stapled—did I mention I had a spinal and was awake for the whole procedure? I was creeped out at first, but they played some good music and a few Christmas songs and the anesthesiologist was cool and kept talking to me to keep me distracted. Anyway, it’s over and I’m now hoping that everything else goes well from here on out.
12/20/2006
Heading north…
This afternoon, Dave and I drive up to Indy. I didn’t sleep well last night. I tossed and turned. Tonight will most certainly be another sleepless night. My surgery is at 8 am tomorrow. Think of me! Send me positive vibes. Say a little prayer. I hope to be posting again by the weekend.
12/13/2006
In just one week…
Dave and I will be preparing to drive up to Indy for my surgery the following day. Our friend Chili should be arriving in town that day from Cali, but we probably won’t get to visit with him while he is here. The time is flying by. I can’t believe it’s already Wednesday. It feels like Monday.
Not much else is going on. I’ve had yet another bout of some type of virus. I’ve had a cough and congestion since Monday evening. It sucks. Once I’m over it, I’m not leaving the house until we drive up to Indy. I don’t want to get sick again.
I still have a few things to pick up for Christmas. I have to do that before next Wednesday. It’s going to really suck. I won’t be able to drive for over a month—and that’s if all goes well. But I’m getting anxious. I want to get this done. I want to feel like something is in place for this baby. It sucks to constantly be thinking how your body could fail you and your baby. I need this. I want to be able to feel “normal” and less stressed. Dave pointed out to me that I will get this surgery and will heal up and then less than 6 months later, they will do a c-section and I’ll get to heal all over again. At least I will have a baby to distract me from the second surgery. 
Wish us luck. We need it right now.
12/8/2006
Less than 13 days…
Until my surgery. Dave and I will travel up to Indy the night before and stay b/c I have to check in by 6 am. It will start at 8 am and take less than an hour. And I will be back home in 2 days. December 21. Just a few days before Christmas. The doctor says I can sit around while we have Christmas but I won’t feel like getting up to do much. I’m now anxious to just get it over with and start healing.
We got to see the baby in an ultrasound yesterday. That was wonderful. I cried. Seeing it swimming around and flipping over. Two arms, two legs. A head. A body. The spine. Amazing.
I feel a lot better about things. The surgery isn’t as scary to me. Although I still am not looking forward to an incision. Or a scar for that matter.
12/6/2006
Christmas list
I always feel compelled to fill out these lists. I saw this one on Twinkie’s blog, so I wanted to fill it out. Her responses are so good and put me in a good Christmasy mood. So here goes!
Does Santa wrap presents or just put them under the tree? When I was a kid, they were just put under the tree, but we wrapped Zack’s presents.
Colored lights on tree/house or white? Either or, but not both at the same time.
Do you hang mistletoe? I had some fake mistletoe, but I can’t find it this year to hang up.
When do you put your decorations up? Last year we waited until it was too cold and then got frustrated and didn’t. This year, we picked the weekend after Thanksgiving—it was nice and warm which made it less frustrating.
What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? My grandma always has this yummy rum cake and the pink stuff—that jello salad stuff made with whipped cream and fruit and nuts in it. Yumm.
Favorite Holiday memory as a child: My mom and dad would always take us out in the car to drive around neighborhoods and look at the lights and decorations. I still make hubby take me out each year to do that. We’re gonna take Zack out to see lights maybe this weekend. He loves them!
When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I don’t remember exactly, but I think it was probably in school. But my brother was 2 years younger than me, and my sister was 6 years younger, so I do remember having to keep pretending for a long time.
Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? If I can wait that long. I’m notorious for getting Dave to let me open gifts early. This year, I think I can wait.
How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? We have a huge fake tree. We always have multi-color lights on it. And our ornaments are some plastic (made to look like that real blown glass) ornaments on it in rich jewel-tones. We also have tons of sentimental ornaments—some from our childhood. And each year for the past 5 years or so, hubby and I go to Target the day after Christmas and buy a new ornament for the tree. Something pretty and festive. We also have a lot of red metallic garland on the tree too. And a red tree skirt.
Snow! Love it or Dread it? I love snow if I don’t have to drive in it.
Can you ice skate? I can keep myself up and slide around the rink. I usually fall several times, though.
Do you remember your favorite gift? Let’s see… I loved my Casio word processor. And I remember getting a black leather bomber jacket one year that I loved and wore forever—or at least until my brother stole it and left me with his ugly brown leather jacket.
What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? I love being around people. Mostly family. I love the traditions. Going to grandma’s house. And watching people open the gifts I’ve bought them.
What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Well, there’s always my grandma’s rum cake. That’s probably the only really traditional dessert we have every year.
What is your favorite holiday tradition? I love seeing my nieces and nephews at Christmas and hear them tell me what presents they got. And now, since he kind of has more of a clue what it means to get and open a present, seeing Zack open gifts on Christmas morning. This will be the best year!
What tops your tree? We used to have this gold foiled paper mache star. But Dave never really liked it. So this year he put this big gold wicker star on top that has white lights interwoven into it. It’s kind of too big, but since our tree is kinda big, it works. I really like it.
Which do you prefer giving gifts or receiving gifts? I love giving!
What is your favorite Christmas Song? Nat King Cole’s White Christmas. Followed closely by Jingle Bells.
If you celebrate Christmas, you’re invited to play!
12/5/2006
waiting
Thursday we will drive up to Indy for my doctor’s appointment. He will do an ultrasound and an exam and then he will schedule my surgery. I’m very anxious and scared (I think I’ve mentioned this before—probably too much and you’re probably tired of reading about this). Once I have my surgery, I’ll be in the hospital in Indy for up to 4 days. Then I’ll be laid up for a couple of weeks. Which won’t be fun for Zack or Dave. Dave will have to head up the childcare, cooking, cleaning, care of me, etc. I already feel tremendously guilty about him having to do all that. He’s such a great husband and dad. Somehow, I hope to make it up to him.
I have a couple of last minute gifts to buy for Christmas, and I have to pick up a few more things for the Angel Tree child we adopted for the season. I should get that finished by the weekend. I’ll post more after my appointment on Thursday. Wish us luck.