You won't believe me....

September 6, 2011, Dr. Camp released me because my wounds had both closed and I was "healed"..... but then, fast forward to mid October and I still had a scab on the left side.  I figured it would heal soon enough and I wasn't using and dressing or bandage over it.  No drainage, but pretty painful.

Couple days before Halloween and waa-laa, the scab has fallen off and I'm super happy because everything looks good and closed up =)

On Oct. 30, I noticed that I had some drainage on my panties from the left side wound.  I checked out the wound and sure enough, it had opened to about the size of a dime =/  I began putting bandaids and neosporin (antibiotic ointment) on it and prayed for the best.

Within 1 week, the wound has opened up larger than a quarter and is draining green again =(  I called Dr. Camp and have an appointment tomorrow.  I'm nervous that the infection is still brewing.... even after all of these months of feeling great!

In better news..... I have been running pretty much every day and working out at the gym.  I have done a couple of 5k races and one 10k.  I am looking forward to running a 1/2 marathon on Nov. 19.... God willing. 

there IS a light at the end of the tunnel

Had my final appointment with Dr. Camp yesterday... she said that she doesn't expect to see me again for a year =)  I think I am opting towards having the scars surgically repaired, as they are about an inch wide and indent in an odd way, making me look like I'm wearing really tight underwear or something.

Overall, it's been quite the battle.  I had surgery May 13, 2011 and I can finally say that I am healed and the doc has cleared me for full activity.  I have been back at the gym since Sept. 6 and even though I'm not back to where I was (nor do I expect to be for a few months), but it feels good to be able to run again and lift weights.  I have gained some weight through the recovery... I went into the surgery weighing 135ish and I now weigh 145.  I should be more like 125 after the removal of all the skin so I've got some work to do =)  I love a challenge and I love a goal!

My next race will be Sept 17 (this Saturday) at the Collinsville Italian Fest.  Most of the Road Warriors are going to be doing a 1/2 marathon elsewhere but I hope that some of them come out to do the 5k with me =)  My goal for my time is to be closer to 30min.  I've been running 3 miles every day and I've shed a minute from my previous time already so I am thinking this is a pretty attainable goal. 

My first 5k!!!

Today I ran my first competitive race... it was only a 5k but I'm still very proud for getting myself out there and finishing hard.  My time was 32:33 which isn't the best but I've also only been training for about 2 weeks. 

My wound officially healed on September 1, 2011.  That was the first day that there was no drainage and a scab had formed over the last little bit of opening.  Of course, I am still recovering from poison ivy that I picked up last weekend, trying to help my mother clean up her yard.... and I've got a nasty cold from the change in weather BUT... MY WOUNDS ARE HEALED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AND I LIVED TO TELL ABOUT IT!!!!!!!!!!!   =) =) =)

I joined a running club called Road Warriors and there were 5 of us that showed up for the 5k today.  The others came right up to me and started chatting like we had been old friends.  It was great to feel I was a part of a group and had support from them when I was brand new and it was my first race.  About half way through the race everyone was spread out so I was running alone... it was peaceful and so awesome.  We had all kinds of terrain, too.  I was running in grass, gravel, dirt and uneven country roads LOL  My goal was to finish in 30 minutes but I'll take 32 =)  Next week there is a race (5k) at Scott Air Force Base in southern IL.  I will be attending that one... it's in remembrance of 9/11... I'll be really happy to be a part of it!

worth 10,000 words....

 

update! 14 & 1/2 weeks out from surgery =)

I've been trying to stay pretty busy now that I've been discharged from my home nurse and can actually leave.  I figure I have a lot of summer fun to make up for!!!

 

22nd Annual Balloon Fest in Centralia, IL  8.19.11

 

Anna & Mark eating funnel cake and drinking strawberry shake-ups =)

 Perry County Fair 8.20.11 Tractor pull show

(left to right) My little brother-in-law Matt, my son Mark and my daughter Anna

 

Matt & Mark, best little buddies!!!

Before we went to the Perry County Fair, I went to my grandparent's house to help my mom and brother clean up the yard. My husband watched the kids while we worked.  I ended up getting some poison ivy =/  overall it was fun to help out and brought back some really good memories of helping my grandparents many years ago.

My grandmother died last October and it's been pretty hard on me because she's the first person close to me that has passed.  I guess you could say I'm lucky... but I didn't realize how hard it is and maybe if I'd been through it before, I could handle it better.  I miss her a lot.  We were pretty close to her and grandpa growing up because we all lived in the same town.  I took a lot of vacations with them and spent my summers there swimming in their pool.  My grandpa taught me to swim in that pool.  He taught me how to play table pool in his basement.  Grandma taught me how to make award winning spaghetti in that kitchen ;)  I would go over to their house every day after school when I was in gradeschool and watch Jeopardy with them. Now grandpa is suffering from Alzheimer's disease and living in a nursing facility.  It's more like an assisted living center than a nursing home but it is still sad.  He can't do much on his own anymore and he always confuses me with a nurse that works there.  

Anyway... here are some updated pictures of my wounds...

Amazing how fast the size of this left wound is changing!  I took this picture a couple of days ago and it's probably half that size now =)

 

Right side is completely closed and scabbed over still (thank God!!)

As I said a post or two back, I was sent Actipatches to aid with the healing.  I wore them up until yesterday and I think they helped significantly.  Thanks again for sending them, Tracie!  

I had planned on doing a 5k Fun Walk on Saturday night but we ended up doing the fair.  Now that I am so close to being healed, I'd really like to get into some jogging/running.  I can't start the gym again until Sept 6 according to Dr. Camp and I don't want to rush anything and end up screwing my recovery but I'm itching to get out!!  

I have an appointment with Dr. Camp on the 24th (Wednesday), but I might need to reschedule because of the poison ivy =/  Overall, though, I am more positive than ever!  I'm looking forward to getting back in shape and toning up!

It's been a week since my last confession...

ahhh things are looking up friends!  A dear follower named Tracie sent me some actipatches... they are like thin circle bands that you tape down with the wound in the center.  Here is a link: http://bielcorp.com/products/recoveryrx/
I've been wearing one on and off for 4 days and believe it or not, the big wound on my left side is almost healed!! Every time I try to upload pictures to photobucket, they are rejected for being too graphic haha.  I'll figure out a loophole soon enough and get some updated ones up.
So.... my life lately has been planning marathons and I'm itching to start training!  I still plan on doing my first 1/2 marathon on September 24. I know I can do it.
This surgery and recovering has been taking over for the last 3 months and now I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel =)  People have come to me or messaged me to tell me how my struggle and my story has changed their life.  Maybe everything does happen for a reason and this is just God's way of saying that I'm tough and other people needed me to suffer in order to change. 
Oh yeah! My mom called me and said that 2 of my sisters (who are extremely obese) are training now to do a biathlon.... they'll be running 3 miles and biking 10.  I'm pretty excited for them because I think that if they have a goal in mind (such as a biathlon), then they will start taking their health seriously.  I've tried to lead them in the right direction but sometimes it just doesn't "click" with people until they take it upon themselves to see the problem and plan a solution.
Beth has discharged me from home nursing care =)  I'm going to miss her!!  lol I have made a good friend in my home nurse!  As of Friday, the 12th, my front and right side were completely healed and the left side has gotten much smaller.  The red swelling is almost gone and my temperature has been average.  Dr. Camp said that I would most likely be healed before she saw me again on the 24th and I'm thinking she is right!!  How freak'n exciting!?
Mark has been talking about wanting to take a vacation with me... even just a stay at a hotel for a night with no kids, no phones, no obligations.  We need a break.  But, it's completely impossible to find a babysitter that wants to handle a 4 year old and a 1 year old.  Soooo... we shall see.... I'd really like to go somewhere when the wounds are completely closed =)

Oz

I've been watching this show on my Netflix called Oz... it's about the Oswald Correction Facility and covers the lives of inmates.  The first couple episodes are hard to get in to but I was told to stick with it because I'd really like it.  I'm in season 2 now and I love, love, LOVE it =)  Last night, my husband and I watched two episodes after the kids went to bed and a great point was made.  The narrator was talking about how he had been abused as a child and how that had affected his life.  He then stated that he didn't understand why he took the perceptions of a child and made them his current reality.  At the age of 8 or 10 or 12, you're not mature enough to assess a situation correctly.  Therefore, if you continue to harbor these feelings of betrayal, anger or sadness over something that was done to you at a young age, then you could actually be dramatizing a situation that today would not affect you at all.  Some food for thought =)

Last night I went in to Dr. Camp's so they could scrape the wound for a culture.  I am down to one wound now, the left hip, and I'm hoping that I can kick this infection soon and heal up!  It's high time!  I feel like my "cabin fever" is gone and I don't mind staying at home for a few more weeks if it means I will be healed.  Before, I was feeling so well I thought I could handle an outing... but that's proving to be wrong =/