What A Difference A Year Makes

It's Tuesday.  DeWayne is at the golf course, I've done the dishes, made the bed, done my "farming", re-decorated DeWayne's other blog for him, vacuumed the floors and shook the rugs.  Whew!  Now, it's "ME" TIME.

First of all, I want to say a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my niece Stacy. 

Isn't she beautiful?  Well, I may be a tad prejudice, but that's okay, right?  She definitely is one of my favorite "kids", no matter what age she is.  She's a gem!

I was thinking a while ago that at this time exactly one year ago, I was going into a nine hour surgery to remove carcinoid tumors from my pancreas.  I came out with less pancreas and less stomach, and much less pre-existing scar tissue, but the surgery was a success.  That is, until a few days later when they discovered I had massive infection due to a hole that had developed in my stomach.  A second surgery, complications, and 26 days on a ventilator in ICU are all a vague blur to me, as was the entire month of July. 

But look at me now!  I'm healthy, happy and sassy as I ever was.  Thanks to great doctors, nurses, a wonderful and supportive husband and family, but most of all due to all the prayers and positive thoughts that were offered on my behalf.  It goes to show you that anything is possible if you have the right team pulling for you....and I definitely did!

Two and a half months spent in Baylor Medical Center, a place that I don't ever want to have to go back to, but am eternally grateful to have been there when I needed to be.

Huge, isn't it?  They were forced to try things on me that hadn't been tried before (and worked) and I would hate to think what would have happened to me if I had been in a different hospital.  These folks are at the top of their fields.  I did a search on Dr. Joseph Kuhn, who was my surgeon and who oversaw and treated me from start to finish.  There are pages upon pages of sites!  And what a wonderful human being he is.  He gave DeWayne his personal cell phone number and DeWayne used it OFTEN!  He was always willing to take the time to explain things, answer questions, and give support.  Never too busy.  How rare is that?

So these have been my thoughts so far today.  I think we will just be vegging out around here this evening.  I think it will be the first day since we arrived that I have no plans to leave the RV park.  I think the farthest I will go today is to walk to the salt pond later and just laze around on the beach.  Ahhhhh......life is good!