Daddy's Surgery

So today my parents and I got up at 4AM to take my daddy to the hospital for his rotator cuff surgery. We got there at 6 and got him signed in, first in the wrong place because his doctors office told him the wrong place to go, then at the right place. lol. We all went back to his room, where they talked to us about the procedure, medications, and his medical history. My sister and her sons got there at 9, which was when he was supposed to be taken back, but of course things don't always go according to plan and it took until 11:20. We all kissed him and then went to grab a bite to eat and then brought mom a sandwich back, because she wouldn't leave the room, but needed a minute alone. She gets really emotional about surgeries and stuff, and really just needed a minute to calm herself down. We went back to the room and sat for another couple of hours, when the doctor came in and told us that daddy was out of surgery. The doctor said that he was awake in recovery and doing fine, but that the surgery was more difficult than anticipated. Apparently dads shoulder had been messed up for a lot longer than we realized, and the fall in March where he dislocated the shoulder just exacerbated it. He had a 4 cm tear in a tendon, but had so much scar tissue on the muscle that they had to scrape it all away and just tie the tendon to whatever was left. The doctor was hopeful that daddy will be able to use the arm like normal in about a year or so if the surgery was a success, but if it wasn't, then they will have to do another surgery that would require them to take a muscle from his back and place it over the shoulder to hold the tendons together. Not good. So we are just praying for the best and hoping that he does well with his recovery and physical therapy. He was really groggy when he came back to his room, and and didn't remember much of what we told him during that time. My nephew was really worried about him and didn't want to leave while his Grandpa was still in the hospital but we insisted that Grandpa needed his rest and some peace and quiet too. So reluctantly he and my sister and other nephew left,, but after a couple of hours of sitting up and talking daddy was released to go home and we let the boys know that he was doing fine. He has a small machine with a catheter that dispenses pain medication and something similar to Lida cane directly to the site of the surgery, and a neat ice pack that hooks up to a cooler and circulates the cold water constantly on his shoulder, not to mention the cool immobilizer he will be wearing for approximately the next 12 weeks. We drove him to CVS to get his pain medication and he wanted candy so that was a good sign, and by the time we left there he wanted a sandwich, so that was even better. He is doing great and right now is not feeling a lot of pain. He goes back to his doctor next Friday for a check up, and hopefully he will be progressing well. Mandie came by after work and brought us dinner and spent a while hanging out to check on our daddy, she couldn't get off work because she didn't have any vacation or sick time, but had me keep her updated throughout the day. We love our daddy! I just want to thank you all for your prayers, and ask that you continue to pray for my daddy's recovery, as it seems it is going to be a long hard road ahead of him.

Me and Daddy the day after his surgery


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Dear God,
Thank you so much for taking care of my family today, especially my daddy. Thank you for watching over all of us and letting us know that he will be ok. Please help my daddy to rest and to heal over the next several months. Please give him the patience to take care of himself, and the courage to ask for help when he needs it. Thank you so much for everything you do.
AMEN
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♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

**12 weeks**

Patrick took me to the doctor this morning for my 12 week appointment. We got to hear our little peanut's heartbeat which was 140 beats per minute and it was the most beautiful sound in the world!I had tears streaming down my cheeks, and Patrick stood up as soon as he heard it and smiled the biggest smile. :D The nurse said that it sounds like a boy, because according to an old wives tale boys typically have lower heartbeats. I joked with Patrick that Benji is on his way. We are definitely waiting until the 20 week ultrasound to make any assumptions, but will be happy with a boy or a girl! My doctor wasn't thrilled that I had lost half a pound, but said that as long as I am feeling better, and my medication is keeping me from being sick, that it was fine. I will go back in 4 weeks for my next appointment and will keep you up to date. We were so excited and feel so blessed that our baby is growing healthy and strong, and hope that you will continue to keep our little peanut in your prayers.

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Dear God,
Thank you so much for taking care of me and our baby. Thank you for giving us a sign that our baby is growing healthy and strong, especially since right now we cannot see it for ourselves. Please continue to watch over us and help us to continue to grow. Thank you for letting Patrick get to go with me so that he could experience this miracle with me. Thank you so much for everything you have given us.
AMEN
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High Hopes

**11 wks 4days**

Finally! The last 3 days I have been feeling more like myself. Still not 100% but no morning sickness, no excessive sleeping, and I actually have had enough energy to go swimming and shopping. :) I'm praying that it lasts!

Yesterday Patrick and I even woke up early on a Saturday to go get pre-approved for a mortgage loan. We have been looking at houses periodically on the internet, and have even gone to see a couple, but now with the baby on the way, he would really prefer that we get a house sooner than later. I told him that as long as we move by December that I would be fine, but I refuse to move at 9 months pregnant or with a new born, so if we don't find anything soon, we will wait until next summer. We figured the first serious step to finding a house would be to go to our credit union and find out if we could get a loan for what we are wanting to spend, and guess what?! We got immediate approval! The mortgage officer said she had only ever seen that happen in the office one other time, that usually it takes several days to even get an initial approval. It felt so good to know that we are being rewarded for being responsible and thrifty. So now all we have to do is find the perfect starter house. Easier said than done, mainly because there are several things we would like. At least 3 beds, 2 baths, one level, approximately 1500sqft, preferably full brick, 2 car garage, and a decently sized flat yard. Not to mention convenient to the interstate for Patrick's work, and easier for when we go visit our families, and a great school system. Shouldn't be too hard to find right? God I hope not. lol.

I am really excited about this weeks OB appointment. I keep reading that doctors typically look for a heartbeat with the Doppler at 12 weeks, and since I will be 12weeks 2 days at my Wednesday appointment, Patrick is going to take off and go with me just in case. :) I am so glad that he works at a place that lets him take sick time in 2 hour increments so that he can go to the special appointments with me. I will update on Wednesday and hope that I will be able to give some new hb stats!

On the other hand, I am a bit nervous about my dads rotator cuff surgery on Thursday. I am really glad that they decided to just repair the right shoulder which was much more damaged for the moment and put off fixing the left shoulder until after he has healed. I could just picture my poor father not being able to even feed himself for weeks... :( He is like superman, so independent, so strong, you know one of those down and dirty tough SOB's, but with a heart of gold. I would hate to see him so tormented with both arms strapped to his sides and unable to do anything for himself. Luckily that will not be the case, and while he will be in a good amount of pain and unable to use his arm for about 12 weeks, I am glad that he is having the surgery so that he can get back to feeling like himself. I am going to go spend a few days with him and my mom, that way if he needs extra help I will be there, and if my mom needs some moral support I will be there for that too. Poor Patrick will have to be all by himself for a couple of days but it is a home weekend anyway so he will join me shortly. So if you are a prayer, please say an extra one for my daddy this week. Thanks.

Well I guess that is all for right now. I will give some updates later this week, but they will probably be much shorter.

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Dear God,
Thank you so much for everything you do for us. Thank you for taking care of me and the baby, and making me feel so much better over these last few days. Thank you for encouraging Patrick and I to start looking for a home and for giving us the means to find one. Please help us to find a home that will be perfect for our family, whether that means a house or staying in our cozy apartment. Please watch over us this week as I go to the doctor, and please let us be able to hear our babies sweet heartbeat. This is such a special time for us and we are so grateful that you are giving us the opportunity to go through this together. Please take care of my daddy this week. He means so much to me and I just want him to be ok. Please help my mother through the surgery, as you know she worries so much, and she loves my father more than anything, please comfort her, and let her know that you are present during his surgery and recovery. Please take care of my Nestie friend Stevie, and give her peace in knowing that her father is now with you. She is a wonderful and strong person and I pray that she knows that you are watching over her and comforting her during this difficult time. Please watch over my friends Nicole and Sara as they get closer to their delivery date, I just hope that they both have healthy baby's and will be wonderful mothers. Thank you so much for my wonderful family and friends please continue to care for them all. We know that you will do what is best for us. Thank you so much for everything you do.
AMEN
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Feeling Better

**10 wks 1 day**

I don't usually post this close together, but wanted to give a quick update to my dehydration post from Monday. Today I felt much better, still tired, but after not vomitting for 3 whole days I didn't feel as weak. My doctor was happy, I had gained 2 lbs of the 3 I lost back (with a little help from a burger last night and a chicken biscuit this morning lol) and he was happy with my urine test. I just have to keep taking the zofran and keep chugging the water. Hopefully I will continue to do well and get another good report in a couple of weeks when I go back for my last first trimester appointment.

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Dear God,
Thank you so much for all that you do for me. Thank you for taking care of me and the baby and giving us the medicine and the nourishment that we needed. Thank you for watching over us and always answering our prayers. Please continue to take care of us and make us healthy and strong.
AMEN
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Holy Dehydration Batman

**9weeks 5 days**

I just got back from my check up and my doctor was not happy. I lost 3 pounds in 2 weeks and was really dehydrated, he gave me some new anti-nausea medication to help me eat and to actually keep it down for once, and told me to drink as many liquids as I can, and to eat whatever sits well. For the first time in my life I am actually trying to gain weight. lol. He wants to see me again on Thursday and hopefully by then I will feel much better, otherwise he wants to admit me for iv fluids. I got some of those kids pedialyte freezer pops too so hopefully even when I don't feel like eating, I use those to replace electrolytes and fluid. It doesn't help that everything I drink tastes funny. Even my favorite capri suns don't taste like they used to. I also told him that my vitamins were making me sick and he said not to even worry about them for now, that if I could stand to take Flintstones chewable s to just take 2 of those a day, but if they make me sick that it wouldn't even be worth trying to take them for now. The most important part is to get me and the baby hydrated. I'm doing my best and hope that Thursday I will have good news. :)

Not much else to report, Patrick and I had a nice weekend together at home, just hanging out and watching movies. It was a much needed break from our normal go, go, go! He is still being so wonderful. Last night he folded and put up 2 loads of towels and 2 loads of regular laundry. What a man! :)

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Dear God,
Thank you for everything that you do for us and our family. Please take care of me and the baby during this time of sickness and help us to be healthy and strong. Thank you again for blessing us with this child. Please watch over our families and friends especially those who are going through a difficult time right now.
AMEN
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Man, I feel rough!

**8wks 6 days**

Nothing really to report, but just had to voice how bad I feel lately. I sleep all the time, I feel nauseas all the time, my stomach hurts all the time, I have a constant headache, and even though I've lost 2 lbs this week I am so bloated I look about 4 months pregnant instead of just 2. I haven't been puking a lot, about once a day, but I just feel so dehydrated. Trying to keep down gatorade and some canned fruit. I'm really hoping that this will all get a bit better in the next few weeks when I get to the second trimester. I am still so nervous about that. Patrick and I keep talking about when we want to share our news with the world, but I still worry that something bad will happen, and we would have to explain it to people that are pretty much strangers on fb. We are still so excited though, and a big part of us wants to scream it from the balcony! I know it is best to wait until after the first trimester but I don't know that I can wait another 3 weeks. We will see. I don't mean to complain so much, just having one of those days.

I have to take a minute to brag on Patrick again. He is being so wonderful! Yesterday he came in from a long day at work, helped me cook, did all of the dishes, and then sat on the couch and rubbed my feet while we watched a movie. He talks about the baby all of the time, and constantly asks how I am and how the baby is doing. Ofcourse I tell him I feel rough, and I am guessing that the baby is doing good, because I feel like crap. lol. I love that man so much! :) He is going to be such a good daddy!

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Dear God,
Thank you so much for taking care of me and my family. Thank you for always listening to me and for loving me so much. Please continue to take care of me, the baby, Patrick and our families. Please keep our baby safe and help me to grow stronger and feel better over the next few weeks. Please help me to be as good a wife as I can be and thank you so much for helping Patrick be such a wonderful husband. Please above all things give me faith and hope to know that you are doing everything in your power to make sure that things will work out the way they are supposed to and in a way that we will be happy. Thank you for everything you do for us today and everyday.
AMEN
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