Favorite Quote

"We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand."
-Randy Pausch


Thursday, September 11, 2008

Alive and Kickin...

The pic above was taken from the "kiddy" room in my ENT's office the day I learned I was going to have surgery.  For some reason, they always put me in the "kiddy" room.  I know I look young, but not that young.  I'm an adult people!  Anyway, there are fish hanging from the ceiling all over the room, so I thought I'd strike a pose while waiting for the doc.

I am happy to announce that the surgery went very well on Monday morning.  I was a little nervous, but was glad that the tonsils were coming out.  They have seriously been unbearable the past two years.  I was a little comedian ("It's been nice knowing you Clarice...") and in good spirits while the nurses were getting me ready for the procedure, but got a little freaked when they rolled me back to the OR and started strapping my arms and waste down to the table.  I starting shaking and was definitely freaked, but didn't have long to think about it as the general anesthesia kicked in as soon as I started inhaling the little mask thingy.

I have been recovering very well from the surgery.  The pain is not nearly as bad as I was expecting.  I had heard horror stories about adults getting their tonsils out ( and yes it is a million times more painful to get your tonsils out as an adult).  I was expecting my throat to feel like glass particles had been embedded in my throat or something.  Obviously I have pain and my throat gets really sore, but it's not unbearable.  The Percocet definitely controls the pain but leaves me high as a freakin kite.  I hope to be off of the stuff by next week, I really don't like the way it makes me feel.  I can't see how peeps can get addicted to that stuff, yuck! I'm lucky my ENT is such a great surgeon.  If he wasn't, I'm sure the pain would be awful.

Anyway, I've had about enough of the "Lifestyles of the Lazy and Fatabulous."  I've been laid up on the couch since Monday afternoon and am going nuts laying around so much.  I think I've watched more TV this week than I have the entire year.  Oh well, at least my 'rents get every movie channel known to man and Brad has more movies than freakin Blockbuster.  

Much thanx to Clarice, Seester, and Brad for taking such great care of me.  If it wasn't for you guys keeping me in check and waking me up to get my meds I'd be in a world of hurt.  Y'all rock!   

 I decided to break out of the house today so my bro took me to Whole Foods to get more Rice and Soy ice cream and popsicles.  I can't eat cow ice cream thanx to the Crohn's and have found that rice and soy ice cream are great alternatives.  There are many pros to this healthier alternatives anyway.  Much less fat, sugar, calories, and preservatives.  Y'all should try it out.  I never would have tried them had I not gotten a tonsillectomy, but am now totally hooked.  In case you're wondering, they don't make goats milk ice cream, and if they did, I'm not sure if I'd eat it.  It took me a little while to get used to goat milk and goat milk yogurt, so goat ice cream wouldn't exactly be an option.  Getting out of the house was great, but took everything out of me.  I guess I really do need to just rest and stay put for the next week.  I want to hurry up and heal up, so it's a done deal.

I see my ENT a week from Monday and hope that I'll be good as new by then.  Like I said, the pain is not nearly as bad as I thought, and the tonsillectomy was definitely worth it (not like I had a choice anyway).  I appear to be healing normally, so we'll see how it goes.

Last and certainly not least I wanna wish my Grammy Girl a Happy Bday on Sunday!  Love ya Grams!!!

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Surgery Tomorrow!

SO, I found out Friday afternoon that I am going to have a tonsillectomy first thing Monday morning.  Talk about a fast turnaround!  I've been having problems with my tonsils for the past two years, and they've just gotten bad enough where they need to come out.  I'm not excited about the surgery, but am glad they're coming out.  They've been a pain in the @$$.   

I was supposed to fly to VA to get my next Remicade Infusion this coming Friday, but it's not going to happen anymore.  If I got my infusion this Friday I would have to wait four weeks to get my tonsils taken out b/c general anesthesia can't really be mixed with Remicade.  Right now I pretty much have the least amount of Remicade in my system (as I'm due this Friday), so I might as well have the surgery done while I have the least amount of toxins in my system.  The ENT got me in as quickly as he did b/c the longer it takes for me to get my surgery, the longer I go without my medicine.  I'm not sure when I'll be able to fly back to VA for my infusion after my surgery b/c my Gastro doc gave me a BIG time frame ranging from 10 days to 4 weeks post surgery.  What the?!  I guess it depends on my recovery.

I figured there is never going to be a convenient time for me to get my tonsils taken out with this disease, so this is prob the best time.  I'm healthy right now, and there's no guarantee I'll still be in remission in four weeks.  I think my recovery time will be about two weeks, but hopefully I'll be able to spin easy a week from tomorrow...we'll see.  I am pissed about not being able to go to Interbike though.  Oh well, there's always next year.  =(  

Below is a pic of the rising AZ sun as Mike and I were getting ready to ride up South Mountain (SOMO).


I decided that since I'm going to be off the bike for at least a week I might as well go all out.  When Mike let me know he was riding SOMO today I thought that would be the perfect ride pre-surgery.  I'm not going to lie; I was a bit intimidated b/c I've heard horror stories about the constant climb up the mountain.  Last night I tried to convince Mike that we should ride out by Sahuaro Lake, but he wasn't havin' it.  Needless to say, we rode SOMO today and I am absolutely ecstatic that we did!  It was challenging, but not nearly as bad as I thought.  I guess I really am much stronger than I originally thought(yeah Mike, you were right)!  

Below are some pics from the peak of the mountain.


This is a pic of me at the peak of the mountain.  I almost puked when we got up there!  

And you wonder why I love this place?  AZ has AWESOME cycling.  So many different routes so things don't get boring, TONS of climbing...what's not to love?  

Anyway, I'll leave updates on how I'm doing.  My surgery is at 0800 tomorrow, but I have to be there at 0600.  Wish me luck!