Chucklebutt called the oncall doctor for my OB/GYN’s office, and it turns out she’s “stuck” somewhere between Chandler and Gilbert, and doesn’t know when she’ll be in the hospital…  But she assures us she’ll be here some time later today…  This evening… Tonight?  *sigh*

On the bright side, I’ve noticed my skin looks much better.  Apparently the AZ sun has been doing quite a number with my Rosacea; being indoors for 4 days now has really cleared it up.  I guess I should just stay indoors all the time.  Or MOVE.  Anyone want to buy a nice house out here in the nearly-inhospitable middle-of-the-desert?  Who’s idea was it to move out here anyw—– oh, wait — neeeeeeeevermind.

So, it’s just a waiting game now.  I’ve “passed” all the tests (and for those who have ever had abdominal surgery, you understand why passed is in quotations…) and should be ready to be let out into the world.  If only we can find a doctor to sign on the dotted line…

Oh, well, at least Chuck gets to enjoy the cafeteria for a while longer.

Solid Food

Yay!  I’m finally off the fluid diet and allowed to eat solid (well, softy solid) food!  Chucklebutt is still trying to talk me into the BBQ pizza, but I’m not quite up for that just yet.

Finally, A Shower!

There was a bit of a mix-up among the doctor, CNA, RNs, nurses and whomever-else-was-involved, so I didn’t get my official hospital-authorized shower, but Mama-Puff helped me out today, and I feel cleeeeeeeeeeeean again!

Staples Out

The only remaining procedure I was concerned about turned out to be a non-event altogether.  They took out my staples this afternoon, and as worried as I was about how much it would hurt……… I hardly felt a thing.  Mama Puff and Chucklebutt had me all worked up, offering me stuff to bite down on and stifle my screams, but in the end, I didn’t even whimper.  They offered me the box-full of staples they removed (I have about 8-9 inches of incision they were holding together), as they said some people like to make necklaces out of them, but I respectfully declined…

No More IV

They finally took out my IV and removed my oxygen cannula — so no more tubes!  I still have the IV catheter in my hand so they can give me shots or draw blood, but aside from that, I’m back to being “me”!

Turns Out Vicodin Makes Me Itch

Who knew?  I guess I have another allergy — I’ll add it to my list.

A Hospital of Healing

Something I’ve come to find out since staying here is that Mercy Gilbert was recently proclaimed to be the #1 Healing Hospital in the nation by The Baptist Healing Trust.  I found it especially interesting that they have Reflection Touch Cards at each door — where staff pause before entering each room; and there is virtually no intercom noise — they only use the hospital intercom system as a method of last resort, and the entire time I’ve been here, we’ve only heard it used once.

Chuck definitely ranks their cafeteria as the #1 hospital cafeteria in the nation.  And he knows his food.

Chuck is reading all your email and comments to me — so keep’em comin!  I’m sorry that I can’t reply to them all just yet.  I’ll have plenty of time while I’m laid-up in bed at home in the coming days, I’m sure…

I’m finally up and walking today, just a little at a time, but it feels good to get out of bed for a little bit.  Chucklebutt is having fun figuring out how to turn off and on all the equipment alarms, and disconnecting and reconnecting everything every time I get out of bed.  It’s a lot of work!

Next big milestone will be solid (okay, semi-solid) food…  Maybe later today?

The surgery went well, and I’ve been admitted to the hospital for a few days (as was expected) to recover. I don’t remember a moment of it, but the doctor says I was laughing and joking in the recovery room and came out of the anesthesia very well.

I’m snoozing comfortably now, and Chucklebutt and Mamma-Puff are taking shifts staying with me 24 hours a day, whether I like it or not. I’m supposed to be up and walking (or at least standing later today), and should be walking the halls tomorrow.  Chuck is enjoying the cafeteria.  [ Have you ever heard of BBQ pizza? Ohhhhhhhhhhhh, it was soooo gooooood... ]

Well, that’s it for now.  They have wireless Internet access here (which is how Chuck is posting this from my bedside), so I can read your replies and maybe even write back if I’m awake and feeling up to it, so feel free to say hi!  I don’t have much else to do other than lay here and enjoy the sweet, sweet morphine…  Ummmmmm, mooooorphiiiiiiiineeeeeeeeee…..

Three weeks from today I go under the knife for a myomectomy (removal of a uterine fibroid) and I should be out of commission for a few weeks.  Mom flies in on the 28th of May and the following day we are headed to L.A. for a rocking art retreat before surgery.

I am so excited!  I have heard such amazing things about Kim’s events and now I get to be a part of one.  Mom and I will be staying at the Bissell House in Pasadena and we are going to have such a girly, decadent weekend!  It should be a nice prequel to my recovery.

Our room is finally painted and I’ve been working on some new tableaus.

For as long as I can remember, I have always enjoyed rearranging my stuff into various pictures.

This was my first venture into distressing a piece of furniture.  I was pretty anxious about the whole process, but between coaching from my mother and reassurance from Chuck, I was pretty pleased with the final product.  I love the shabbiness of it.

Happy Hump Day!  Go vote for all of Chucklebutt’s endeavors.  He’s admitted to using me as his media outlet — sheesh!

 As you can imagine, I’ve had quite a few emotions running around in my mind.   I understand that I am a 35 year old woman, and the longer I wait to get pregnant, the harder it will be.  The truth is,  I’m just not ready to be a mommy.  I have every confidence that Chuck and I will be fantastic parents — we just might not be biological ones.  Mom gave me some good advice — take each day as it comes.  (Too bad she doesn’t follow her own advice.) 

While we were waiting in the room for the doctor to come back with some notes, Chuck and I had a conversation about my docs.  He too really likes my OB.  The conversation went something like this:

Chuck:  I really like Dr. Adams.  She knows her stuff.

Nicole:  Do you like her better than my internist?

Chuck:  The New-Agey one?

Nicole:  She’s not New-Agey, but yes.

Chuck:  She’s New-Agey.  If she found out you were having surgery, she would probably say all you need is some shark skin on your abdomen and those fibroids would be gone in no time.

Nicole: Shark skin?

Chuck:  Sure.  And then she’d sacrifice a chicken and use the blood to outline your body.  Yeah I like Dr. Adams better than the other one.

He really knew how to lighten the mood.  I laughed my butt off.  Incidentally, my internist is *not* New-Agey regardless of what Chucklebutt says — although I am running low on shark skin so I may need my doc to refill my prescription.

I snagged the following video from Hop Hop Jingle Boo’s blog.  It reminds me of Chuck and me.  Thanks baby for keeping me laughing!

 I just finished up the Spring Sweetness Swap and hope my partner Bethanie enjoys her loot.  I was a little late in mailing off the package, so here is a preview while she patiently waits for the mail to arrive:

What spring treasures could be inside?

What a cutie patootie!

 These were too cool and I thought long and hard about keeping them for myself.

This was my favorite find — a crocheted nut cup.  Can’t you just imagine some Southern Belle playing Bridge eating from this dainty thing.  I bought two and actually kept one for myself.  I couldn’t resist.

I threw in a few yards of my vintage lace — as Mom knows I flat out have a lot of lace — and shipped it on Saturday.  Hopefully Bethanie should receive it next week.

This weekend has been pretty eventful.  My students opened their show and despite the fact they are still learning their lines, the audience loved it.  Chuck had a surprising moment when he overflowed his director’s toilet.  Think Ben Stiller in “Along Came Polly.”  The only thing missing was a ferret.  I’ll save everyone the details, but it was hilarious.  I laughed so hard when he told me about his plight that I almost wet my pants. 

The other exciting moment was when Chuck dragged me to Urgent Care kicking and screaming.  Actually it wasn’t that bad, but were it not for him, I wouldn’t have gone.  Apparently I have an infection in my eye (think stye and not pink eye) and am having to take steroids, antibiotics and eye drops to clear it up.  The doctor said it was a good thing that I came when I did because if it had worsened, I would have to have intravenous drugs in the ER.  Yipes! Chuck gave me an “I told you so look,” and off we went. 

I hope that everyone has a good Monday!  Ciao!