Sunday, October 3, 2010

Thanks, I needed that!

We watched General Conference this weekend and were so inspired and touched by the spirit and the messages that we heard. President Monson spoke on gratitude and I feel like recently I have not shown gratitude for what I do have. I have been focusing on what is wrong in my life and not what God has blessed me with. So thanks President Monson for writing that talk and delivering to us. I needed that! I am sorry to all those who I have whined and bemoaned to. Our daughter Celeste told me the other day "mom life is just what you make it". That made me think but I continued to complain some. Sorry Celeste. I now have heard it from a prophet too and have to try to be more grateful. So here are some of the things I am grateful for in my life:

For the creations of God and all His miracles and tender mercies, His Son Jesus Christ that makes it possible to return to our Father in Heaven (Plan of Salvation) Life itself, Family...(Husband, children, grandchildren, parent, siblings etc) though we are very far from perfect I feel privileged to be a member of it. Gospel of Jesus Christ, Health, Friends, Country, Bounties of life, technology and modern conveniences, good music, good books, hobbies and many other things that I have been blessed with.

President Monson said this quote this morning and I love it "Live in gratitude and you will touch heaven". And he said it in a way that only he could say, he paused after the word you. I will try to always remember this. The examples he used in the scriptures helped me realize that I need to do better in being grateful. I love conference I always come away wanting to be a better person. I am glad we have it every 6 months to remind us.

I called to talk to our son Derek today and he said that he went to every session (all 5) at Temple Square. Oh how wonderful and how blessed we are to live in this day.

Grateful for family and friends who leave comments too :)

Friday, October 1, 2010

So now I wait...

My last post was about the fun we had this summer. Now for the rest of the story...
I started wearing a boot about the end of April this year. The doctor thinks that I have a torn tendon in my left foot. MRI shows there is a problem and so they want to see if they can help and correct it some with the big old ugly black boot. I wore that thing until August and I changed doctors in July. (My first doctor just wasn't very proactive or helpful and I didn't feel confident with his decisions). First visit with new Doctor he did more tests and said yes I do need surgery. Date is set for the surgery and I told by said Dr that I can NOT FOR ANY REASON put my foot to the ground and put ANY weight on it AT ALL. He repeated it at my pre surgery appt too. I got all the "stuff" to help me out during the 6-8 weeks, like walker, wheelchair, crutches and shower chair. Aug 17th I had the surgery. The doctor was really excited about what he found. He said "I have never seen anything like that before, it was sooo cool" Really I am glad that I could entertain you Dr. F. He found that the tendon was not torn at all, there was an extra bone in the foot that was actually growing into the tendon. Well how cool is that? NOT... It would have been better to be born with an extra something else, like metabolism or something like that. During this time Celeste and Joe and little Lizzie were getting ready to move to OK. They left on Aug 20 for their new home. (I mention this because Celeste and Lizzie and I spent every day together and they are greatly missed around here) Doug could only take the day off that I had the surgery so basically I have been home all day by myself since then. Doug has literally had to do EVERYTHING around the house and to help me when he gets home from work. I don't like being a dependent person, but have not had a choice. Doug has been such a wonderful husband and has never complained.

It is a treat when I get out of the house and I enjoy the simple things in life. I love it when I have a visitors and I have been blessed to have good friends drop by once in a while. Tammy (dear friend) has taken me to all my doctor appts every week. I have watched a lot of tv, read a couple of books, crocheted and I learned to knit (thanks Kathleen). Today I sat out on our little patio and watched over the golf course. We have 2 ponds right in front of our house and we can see 4 of the greens and flags on the course. I like sitting out there and watching the golfers. It is fun watching when they hit the ball in the water and they go after it... I know I need to get a life.

I was told last week that I could start to walk in my boot ONLY. Still never putting my foot to the ground without the boot. I was so excited and so started last Sat. During the last 6 weeks my foot has been wrapped with many different dressings and splints and 2 casts. Both casts had to be cut off within a couple of days cause they were too tight. A couple of the wraps were too tight and I started losing circulation in my toes. Well I believe because of that my big toe got infected (on the same foot) and on Monday of this week I went to the same foot doctor (Dr. #2) to have him look at it. The toenail was all infected and he said it was abscessed all around the nail. He determined that the whole nail had to come off. Because it had so much infection he couldn't get the dumb thing very numb. I don't need to tell you how bad that hurt right? Oh wow, I have had 6 children, 4 shoulder surgeries and many other surgeries and never have I had anything hurt like that. So the one day I decided I would try to drive myself to the doctors was that same day the nail came off. NOT a good idea. So it put my healing time back some and now I continue to wait and wait to heal. I have to be better cause in a couple of weeks I am going to meet with our daughters for a fun weekend and baby shower... then off to Utah to visit with family and friends. I have to be better. So I wait (I am trying to be patient) And I am sparing you any pictures.