Appendicitis Blues

As I awake Sunday morning to a gut wrenching stomach ache, I thought it was Satan once again telling me "You don't want to go to church today!!" but I carried on with my usual Sunday morning.---After all, my bishop did say he would send my records back to my family ward if I didn't attend my singles ward regularly, that did have somewhat of a burner under my butt. After getting ready, the stomach ache still present, thoughts were going through my head---food poisoning?...nah, no one else from the party was complaining. Too much chocolate fondue and chocolate cake?...maybe! Was I hungry?...possibly, so I decided to eat what I could force down--a piece of bread. Church time came and I rolled on in and chatted with Jilly Babe thinking I was feeling fine until Relief Society came---and it wasn't because it was Relief Society...I was in dying pain, and the last 20 minutes, which was going ever so slowly, felt like 3 hours. I don't think it helped any that the girl giving the lesson didn't know what her lesson was about and had he driest voice ever...Piece of gum???
As soon as I got home, my bed was calling my name...I quickly answered. The rest of that I ate dinner with the fam and slept.. Towards the later evening I kept coming up to my mom telling her that I was NOT feeling well.... She just kept asking where it hurt and what I wanted her to do about it??? NOTE: My mother is not one for much sympathy. I love her to DEATH, but she is the toughest woman in the world and just expects everyone else to be too! :)
Well, around 9:30 pm, I came up to her when the pain was getting unbearable and told her I needed to go to North Orem Instacare, something is up. She told me I might as well go to the ER, because if it's abdominal, the Instacare will send me to the ER.
We were off to the ER.
I was checked in and admitted. The doctor came in and pressed around on my stomach---OUCH! Where he was pressing and the way he was pressing, he said it was my appendix. They started an IV---a student nurse, OH boy. Not only did he stink like a dirty dish rag---yes I'm sick with a sensitive stomach, you need to smell good, but when he drew my blood, and I understand he is a student nurse, but make sure the blood isn't going ALL OVER my arm and blanket. Whew. We finally got that out of the way. I went in for the CT scan, they saw the "gunk" around my appendix, so I was blessed to not have to be given the dye that makes you feel all warm like you're going to pee your pants...no I saved that for after anesthesia!
I came back to room 11, that's what I was known as in the ER "11", I had no name. My mom asks me "Do you feel any better?"...Nope, I still had felt like crap, like I had all day long.
The doctor came back with my blood results and said my white count was not high, but there is 20% that have appendicitis that that is the case. He sent the nurse in to give me some morphine to help with the pain. My mom asks the nurse "Is that normal that her white count isn't high?" I swear that the doctor had JUST gone over this... hahaha The nurse told her in some cases, yes, it is. They had called Dr. Mark Fullmer in, the on call dr. that night. He was going to do the surgery. The nurse said that once he comes in, things would happen pretty fast, so to be prepared.
We waited.....They prepped me....We waited....We talked to the nurses in the prepping room....We waited some more....FINALLY.....the nerves were there. All of a sudden, I'm breathing heavy from the oxygen mask and out I go......
I wake up to not being able to breathe. This may sound really gross, but I have all this crap in my throat that I cannot clear. They're telling me to calm down---When you wake up from anesthesia you have no idea what has just happened--let alone not being able to breathe. So, I'm trying to cough and clear my throat, my stomach is hurting from the coughing, they have just taken my catheter out and I feel myself peeing!! The nurse was not friendly about that. ---either that or my saying sorry a million times!
I don't know what my problem was this time at the hospital with student nurses, but as soon as I got into my room, up pops another one! I think even my mom wanted to strangle him. I just wanted to sleep and he just wanted to explain EVERY LITTLE detailed thing and come into my room for EVERYTHING. Plus he gave me a huge bruise on my hip from the demerol.
I measured my incision, it is 3 3/4 inches. It is pretty depressing. I don't know if Dr. Fullmer was in a hurry and did the sloppiest job he could, but it is NOT a pretty job. I don't recommend Surgeon Dr. Mark Fullmer to anyone. Everyone my mom talks to says he needs to retire. My OB Dr. Gregory Gordon---that is another post down the road, he did my C-Section SO neat and straight, double the size of this incision and hardly noticeable. I took a picture, but I'll spare everyone the nightmares hahaha

Happy Birthday!

Last Saturday, August 23rd, my brother-in-law, Steve wanted to throw my sister a SURPRISE party for her 40th birthday!! But if you know JanaRae, that's a little hard.--Besides the fact they're in the process of closing on their home in Ohio, getting their kids started in school and purchasing a home in Colorado. All in all, I have to say, it worked out pretty darn good and Steve did a great job! It was so fun to get together with all my sisters and my brothers in a relaxed environment. My mom and Kris were asked to "roast" JanaRae....click here to read Kris' roast...very well done! :)

Weston and Carolyn brought Madelyn, she was such a good baby!

She even got her first taste of chocolate fondue!! Mmmm Thanks Uncle George!

What a crazy bunch......

We had a great night! After all of JanaRae and Steve's friends left for their hotel in Park City, it was just my brothers and sisters left talking the night away---The Virchow girls are known for that. When any of my sisters are in town, Teressa's husband, Ryan asks her "Are you going up to sit around the table?" We have fun when we're together, what can we say???

I did it....

I renewed my gym membership for another 2 YEARS. When I get in the mode of wanting something... I go for it and get it--My mom hates this. (Sometimes it leads to frivolous spending i.e. my car) In this case, I am determined to get my belly FLAT, I think by eating right--my gym membership ending September 23rd won't get me the flat stomach I'm wanting. I HAVE to be determined. Last time I did this, I NEVER went. This time around, I AM determined. I WILL do this. I AM going to get my moneys worth.

2008 FSA National Conference

Last Friday, August 8, I was going about my usual Friday when I checked my email. I had received an email from Jared and Amanda asking if I was planning on going to the FSA Naitonal Conference the next day and that they were going to be there..... I will tell you what--my plans for Saturday quickly changed, for I had the opportunity to see Jared, Amanda and MAX! My caseworker at LDSFS said she had mentioned the conference to me--You know how sometimes you have to kick yourself to get going and you feel better once you have done it? I think that was the case with this...Being my first time attending the FSA National Conference, I don't think I would have gone by myself and therefore I didn't pay too close attention. I am SO glad I had the opportunity to go. Let me explain a little bit what it is all about.....

FSA--Families Supporting Adoption. This is the first year that birthmothers were invited to come, which I am so very grateful for. Adoptive couples and birthmothers come from all over to hear speakers and attend classes. We had the opportunity to hear from Sister Barbara Thompson of the Relief Society General Presidency, I got to meet other birthmothers, and best of all--I had the opportunity to see Jared, Amanda and Max! :)

Me and Amanda

Me and Max

I am so in love with his smile

We call him Peanut--Max Milton, our little M&M Peanut...Amanda said she saw this shirt and had to buy it--I LOVE IT!! 

His eyes are hypnotizing... They said everyone comments on how beautiful his eyes are! I agree :)

He's growing so big!!

Wow. I'm so grateful for this opportunity that I had. This was the best day.