40 Things I Learned During My First Surgery

I desperately want to be one of those people who is told they need surgery and instantly has a reflective, life changing epiphany where their entire purpose comes into focus and they suddenly see things more clearly than they ever have before. I wish my first reaction was to pray and not to fear. I wish I laughed when I was scared instead of cry. I want to type before you today and tell you that having surgery for the first time caused me to see time differently, put my priorities in order and learn to see the glass half full...but unfortunately I can't. Hearing I had to have surgery made me bite my nails, cry...A LOT, drown my sorrows in a bowl of pasta with cream sauce and binge watch my DVR in sweat pants. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not totally cold hearted. I did fight my natural reactions and prayed, sought advice from friends and family and asked pretty much any and every one I could think of to pray for me. I'm a work in progress!

While pre-surgery I fought anxiety, post-surgery I actually learned a ton! Some things are applicable to any life, many probably only apply to me, but regardless I wanted to share them. Drum roll please! Here are the 40 Things I Learned During My First Surgery...

1.      When the nurse suggests you take stool softeners...DO IT!!

2.      The drugs really are THAT good.

3.      Incision scars look gross.

4.      My friends cook (and bake) WAY better than me.

5.      Not to take mobility for granted...even if that only means doing laundry or brushing your teeth.

6.      Ask questions.

7.      The first time you can't yell across the house and have someone come running with food, drinks and pain pills you will feel depressed.

8.      It's okay not to be okay...I'm still working on this one.

9.      My husband and kids love me enough to take care of me but clearly NOT enough to save me any of the desserts people brought over.

10.   You really CAN get tired of watching Friends re-runs.

11.   You actually CAN'T get tired of watching The Big Bang Theory re-runs.

12.   Pain medicine makes me emotional...like cry because Brandon made me a sandwich or because my kids came home from school emotional. I think I scared my family.

13.   My family and friends are rock stars! I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world!

14.   Things have been seen, smelled, said and heard in this house during the last week that are FOR. EV. ER. sealed in the vault.

15.   I may or may not be TOO open with my sisters.

16.   That you can't measure your own progress by anyone else's.

17.   Life happens. It's scary, it's sad, it's up and it's down but that's life...and I can find something to smile about every single day. Even if it's simply that I finally pooped!

18.   That when daddy is in charge it actually does all still get done!

19.   I love cheese even more than I thought I did.

20.   I love coffee just as much as I thought I did.

21.   You've never wanted fried food more in your whole life than when someone forbids you from having them.

22.   With the right medication I can actually be a napper!

23.   My kids hug very tightly...to the point that I had to put restrictions on them while I healed.

24.   The smell of pizza can either make you the happiest person on the planet...or the angriest.

25.   Mixing strong pain meds and sci-fi fiction before bed is not the best idea.

26.   Ritz crackers are good...but not five days in a row good.

27.   I have to find a new stress reliever because my only productive form of stress relief is organizing and that doesn't work out so well when you're stuck in bed.

28.   The struggle between how much or how little to share about your surgery on social media is real.

29.   It's weird to wake up so many times throughout a single day that you have no idea what time it is.

30.   Patience is not my strong suit.

31.   Your to do list grows past the point of manageable when you have nothing to do but think for five days.

32.   I'm looking into inventing a low fat, non dairy pizza, cheeseburger, chip, cookie, BBQ sandwich, pasta and ice cream so that others don't have to suffer after gallbladder surgery.

33.   Some very inappropriate (dare I say dirty...) commercials come on after midnight.

34.   Introverted or not, it actually IS a good thing to ask for help.

35.   Laughing, even when it causes excruciating pain, does a world of good!

36.   A new pair of sweat pants really can brighten your day.

37.   Don't rush wearing real pants...jeans and healing incisions don't make a good combination. Believe me.

38.   Your digestive system relearning to digest all over again is NOT pleasant.

39.   Suddenly you might find yourself trading medical stories with your 80 year old Grandma...just go with it.

40.   Brandon is not only a super dad but he's a super mom as well!