Wednesday, January 18, 2023

Mid January . . .

(Stock image photo)

Here it is already the middle of January!  We still have snow, with more expected tomorrow.  It's doing it's normal January thing . . . melt, freeze, snow, repeat.  Before we know it it will be February and everything will be gray and muddy; not sure which one I prefer!  As I sat here writing this post, I heard a flock of swans fly by with their familiar honking.  I have sure seen a lot of swans this year, they usually wait until February to return to Idaho, but they have been abundant this year.  

Today is Winnie the Pooh day, I didn't know he had his own day!  Here's a little advice from Winnie:


1 - Seek out friends with different personalities who come from diverse backgrounds.

2,  Don't let a little adversity (like getting your head stuck in a honey pot) keep you from pursuing the sweet things in life.

3.  It's OK not to be the smartest one in the room, but strive to be the kindest.

Pretty sound advise if you ask me!

I thought I would give you an update.  This month has been a long one, and I'm glad that the worst is over.  On the 11th, I had surgery and I am still recovering.  Ever since I was a child I have had problems with my stomach.  I had ulcers when I was in 4th grade and I've never really found a lot of relief for it after all these years.  I've also had gerd or silent reflux for the last 10 or 15 years, which has been debilitating.  This year was the year to have all of these things taken care of and it was a huge decision, because I knew it would change my life.  I had to have most of my stomach removed and had extensive hiatal hernia repair.  It has been a hard, painful recovery but I feel like I am feeling better and have finally turned a corner to better health.   I still have a long way to go, and am learning that life will definitely be different for me.  I will have to learn a new way to eat, and that will be hard, but I can do it.  The good thing is I can finally sleep!  It has been a very long time since I have had a good night's sleep!  This is also a huge change for my husband, who is now doing all his own cooking.  It won't be long before I can cook and eat normal food, but for now he's doing great, he's a good cook. 

I hope to get to everyone's posts soon!!  

Hugs and Love XOXO,

Barb





 

11 comments:

The Happy Whisk said...

Winnie the Pooh Day?! OMG. I love that. Oh no, ulcers and just a kiddo. Yikes. Sorry you had to go through that. I am glad to hear that you are better and turned the corner. Here's to lots of good days ahead, for sure. And you can finally sleep is HUGE. Huge good deal. Up next, cooking and eating what you make. That sounds wonderful. Cheers, Ivy.

Deb J. in Utah said...

Hi Barb. I am so glad that you are healing and finding some relief. Being able to sleep through the night is a huge blessing. You are in my thoughts as you continue on this journey. I know that God will be there helping you. See you again soon, my friend. :-)

Vee said...

Oh my What a huge health decision for you to make. I am glad that you are on the other side of things. Praying for continued healing and an easy time of getting adjusted to your new circumstances. Once your husband has proven himself to be a good cook, there's no reason to go back to the old times. ; >

Marsha said...

Hey Barb....Sorry to hear you have been so ill. Now you are on the mend, I pray things will all be well! Take care, my Idaho friend.

Shug said...

Love, Love the picture of the snow...beautiful! So glad you are doing well and I pray for continued recovery for you. I have heard that this is a very difficult surgery, with a long recovery. You are dong great with such a positive attitude and this is a biggie in any recovery. I'm a guessing that your your husband is doing a great job in the kitchen and is doing all that he can to make you comfortable. good for him! I truly do hope that you will continue to take it easy and allow your body to totally heal. Many hugs...

Jennifer said...

Wow, Barb. What a surgery! You must have been miserable these last years in order to make such a huge decision. But it sounds like it was successful and glad that you are feeling positive - and feeling better. I promise to be praying as you continue to recover and as you adjust to your new normal. Your post reads so encouraging...and that is a real blessing. Especially as I have my own "health hurdle" and difficult road ahead of me. Thanks for sharing. And happy Winnie the Pooh Day!!

Lori said...

I'm sorry to hear you've been dealing with this. I hope the surgery takes care of the issues. Not being able to sleep would be a huge motivator for me to get it taken care of. Wishing you a speedy recovery.

Billie Jo said...

Prayers and love, my friend. Take care of yourself, and enjoy your sleep. That is so important. Have a cozy weekend!

Lorrie said...

Oh my, what a decision to make. Sleep is such a gift and I'm so glad that's a benefit you're enjoying. I hope you continue to heal well.
Happy Winnie the Pooh day! Have a good weekend.

annie said...

I hope you never have those problems again. That was more than enough. Sleep alone is a healer so I am happy to hear you can get some now.
I will keep you in my prayers. My mother had a similar surgery many years ago and it made a big difference in her life. May it be so for you as well.

Marie Rayner said...

Barb, I cannot believe that I didn't know any of this was going on. What an appallingly bad friend I am. I hope you will forgive me. I am glad that you are on the upswing now and am praying that you will soon be feeling your old self again. Sending you love, hugs and many prayers for a speedy and complete recovery. xoxo

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