cakes. crocheting. and a backache. OH my!

lets see. where to start. 

oh how about cake decorating class. 

yeah. its a class. 

at our church. 

and its AWESOME. 

a lady who used to teach those classes at a craft store- is now teaching us- for free!

it is so fun!

yesterday was week 2. 

not only did ryan and i spread the icing on the cake we decorated the top! 

i made the little bird.

ryan made the cloud rain on the bird. 

haha. 

i was pretty impressed with the outcome! 

next up. 

crocheting. 

learned a new stitch! thats going to def benefit mom! :) im working on her christmas present right now. 

im already done with all of my sister's! and my mother in-law!

there are perks to sitting at home all day not being able to do much!

which leads me to my shoulder

im supposed to still be in a sling- 

but i just wear it in public. at home i just take it easy. 

my PT is going well. 

i can almost lift my arm all the way up straight by my ear!!

almost is the key word there. 

im lifting a hefty ONE pound weight also!

i go to the doc today. let's hope its a good report!!

and my back-- well its because of the sling. 

the sling adds so much stress and tension on your upper back muscles. 

thus the major upper left back pain. 

so heat. and a massager are my new friends. 

oh and school. the only other thing i do.... 

its fine. ready for this semester to be over. 

let me get a countdown going for you: 

1 blog post (not a fun one. stupid school one)

1 group paper

1 group verbal presentation

1 exercise paper due

1 personal paper

& just completed a day early :) 1 verbal presentation

and 30 hours of clinical

thats all that separates me from christmas break :) 

almost. done.

oh my...

what's worse than having one arm in a sling?!?

ok. yeah- i know. a lot of things. 

but.... 

how about. 

one arm in a sling and a mysterious pulled muscle in the back. 

im talking really pulled. like any twisting movement or bending down takes my breath away. 

ummm. 

how does a girl with one arm do that?

overcompensating?

i dunno. 

but ibuprophen. heating pad. hot bath with bath salts (homemade in fact). 

none worked. 

i WOKE up with it killing me. 

what in the world did i do last night!

oh my. 

good thing im going to physical therapy in just a little bit. 

crocheting & life

my amazing dear friend- barb --also the mom of katie b: her blog is listed over there <---

has been teaching me how to crochet. 

my first "work of art" is a rando odd ball piece of crocheting that i turned into a "crochet needle" holder thing. i'll post a pic one day... maybe... 

today was lesson #2. 

i found an "easy" scarf i wanted to make.... 

so. she helped me understand the directions- got me started... and wahla

im started!!

this is the loop of the infinity scarf im making!! im soooo excited. i can actually see how it will be a scarf! and in not much time!!

helllLO christmas presents!! 

after i took the picture above i realized--- wow. thats my life. completely. 

book. phone. tv remote. laptop. dog toy. 

that is it. right there. well except for physical therapy. 

im having a good day today. some days are terrible. 

im back to sleeping in a recliner and the past 2 nights i've slept great. 

i still have not mastered washing my hair. 

i mean i can- but next time you take a shower, try and wash it with one hand. 

and then imagine you having lots of hair. its tricky. 

also can't pull up any pair of pants that are remotely tight: read jeans. 

i can wear my baggy jeans. and sweat pants. and probably my linen pants. 

shirts are all button up- cut tshirts- or xl shirts. its attractive i know. 

i am driving now. (well whenever i don't take pain meds) thats a big relief for me and ryan. 

---------------

well lunch time. school time. PT. then more crocheting!!

its my new fav thing-- since i can't really quilt much these days. 

thats def a 2 handed task! 

post-op week one

well- what a week it has been.

things ive done:
- slept
- watched a lot of tv & movies
- started an aweeesome book: in the woods
- learned to crochet
- slept more

goals accomplished:
- ride a stationary bike
- do laundry
- drive
- put on blue jeans (although i can only get one pair buttoned. they have big buttons. so ill be sticking to the elastic pants
- sorta washed my hair
- walked to end of my street
- sleep in my bed (well one night i have)

goals for next week:
- more bike action
- one day of clinical
- crochet something (other than just row after row)
- make it to bible study
- go for a mountain drive
- finish book and start next one
- cook dinner
- find someone to sweep and mop our floors

surgery.

the basics:

1. surgery: bankart repair 

2.surgeon: dr. jarrett

3. locale: asheville othopedic surgery center

before.... 

(but after some versed)

it was apparently during this time some funny things occurred. i only verrry vaguely remember the following:

1. i told my nurse she was mean and i wanted mt other nurse back. (wupps!) this was while mom, dad and ry were in the room. apparently it was awkward. haha

2. they put in  a nerve block in my arm and i found it hilarious to have ry pick up my arm and watch it fall onto the bed. i had noooo feeling or control.

3. i had a panic attack (1st time ever) and grabbed this mans hand (found out later he was a crna) and would not let it go. during this time i learned if you start yelling you cant breathe, you get a tonnnnn of attention really fast.

4. i got a wedgie when they moved me onto the OR bed. i let everyone know.

5. i then proceeded to say, look! i wore my pretty panties for you!

6. then i flashed the OR people and said, i dont care. ive seen lots of boobies and know you have too

thats the last thing i remember. 

until i woke up with ry beside me.

i looked like this:

because of the nerve block i felt great yesterday. no pain. nothing. 

around 1am this morning it started. throughout the night i proceeded to have the worst pain of my life.

today after getting meds in me- i have started to feel decent.

im so grateful to have ryan, mom, and dad at my side.

could not survive  without them.

along with an amazing church checking in and bringing food.

and dear friends texting and facebook-ing me.

and a cute little 8 yr old JP making up jokes for me :) along with his super stellar step-mom passing them along to me :)

this concludes my update for now! 

more later im sure.

peace!

sttttoooooop!

do you remember in the lion king. simba is running through the forest. 

running hard. 

and then. all of a sudden rafiki holds up his hand and says 

STOOOOOP! 

yeah. this scene. 

well. thats the story of my life lately. 

i've been running alright. 

ok. not literally, but thats another story. 

i have school. 

gotten involved at church. 

been sewing like crazy. 

trying to get back into exercising (ryan i know you are shaking your head here, but i WAS going to that class when i hurt myself :) and it was my 3rd trip in a week! )

i go to clinicals. 

i hang out with my youth. 

i got a new job in an exciting ER. 

me and ryan have been hiking. 

do you get the point that i like to go go go!

i do. i do my best work when im going. 

running. 

running through that forest like simba. 

well. friday i got that BIG hand in my face STOP!!!!!!

 i go see an orthopedic about my shoulder. 

you know. the one that "falls out"all the time. 

yeah. its like once a week it 'subluxes'/'dislocates'. 

well. the only solution to the tricky "special" (as i call it) shoulder: 

surgery. 

that one word alone threw up a big stop sign. 

today i had a 'pre-op' appointment. 

it was the stop sign.

rehab is lengthy. like a good 3 months. 

so. 

there will be no running (literally and metaphorically)

 (but hopefully biking (eventually))

there will not be much sewing. 

there is definitely no job now.

at least no job in a cool fun ER. im looking at other options.... walmart greeter anyone?!? 

not a lot of church activities (since a lot require 2 arms)

the hiking will have to wait. although scenic drives are still in!

about the only thing i will have is school. 

and somehow attempt to do clinicals. 

don't get me wrong- netflix, wii, and words with friends will become my best friend. 

but really. my world has come to a stop. 

(well it will on friday)

i got the big fat RAFIKI HAND in my face. 

i have had a rough day today. emotional. frustrating. reality setting in. 

on the bright side of that big fat STOP hand--

there is a loving gentle compassionate hand as well. 

i may have gotten a big stop, but im comforted to know that i will not be alone in the slow journey ahead. ryan has been so wonderful today-- and i know he will be right beside me in the coming weeks of misery, excitement, tears, pain, achievement, and laughs. im also grateful that my family will be here-- mom and dad-- to help me this weekend. 

most comforting of all- i know that the Lord has a plan. 

He has a reason for slowing me down. 

He will provide that gentle comfort that I need in this season of my life. 

He will provide for my family. 

He will give me a peace. 

I think this will be a good season of my life. 

a time to slow down. 

a time to read. reflect. relax. 

and enjoy the smaller things in life. 

bring it on rafiki. im ready to stop.