Surgery news and other fun stuff...

OK, this is like totally funny.  My last post was June 8th and it was titled, "First Adventure of the Summer"
Um, the funny thing is that was the last you've heard from me.  Here is the situation...  We have been having so many summer adventures in real life that I have not had a moment, or even the energy to write about them.

So here is a little list of some of the summer adventures after the first one...

• Swim lessons
• Tennis camp
• Vacation Church School
• Carmen's 7th birthday party
• Trip to Richmond for 4th of July weekend
• Camp Fit at the Waynesboro Parks and Rec
• Family Fiesta nights at Ridgeview Park
• Swimming at Massanutten
• Trip to Tennessee to see family and visit Great Grandfather in hospital

Perhaps the most painful thing to happen this summer (completely aside from and in a separate category altogether, from the fact that we almost lost George's 94 year old grandfather), is the reality that tomorrow is the day for my foot surgery to finally relieve my plantar fasciitis.  It also happens to be my sister's birthday, Happy Birthday, Beth!

It has been a journey of pain and annoyance on and off for 10 years now.  This past year, it has not let up but for a just a week or even a day at a time.  I have tried every intervention known to man regarding this common foot ailment in order to avoid surgery.  Nothing worked and tomorrow is the day. 

I am so grateful to my friends and family for the kindness and support shown to me through the years of foot pain.  Thank you for listening to me whine and say things like:

• My foot, my dang foot.  I have plantar fasciitis in my foot.  It hurts to walk.
• I'm tired from my dang foot.  I can't exercise like I want.  I can't run around with the kids.  I can't get out of the van in a parking lot without stressing about how far away the milk is in the grocery store.
• I refuse to ride one of those scooters in Walmart.  I will NOT do it. 
• I am so sorry, I feel like I am complaining about my foot all the time.
• I have plantar fasciitis.
• I'm having foot surgery. 
• My foot hurts.
• I slammed the car door on my ankle right where he is going to make one of the incisions.  I'm over this!
• It hurts to walk.

So those are just a few examples of things I have said in the past ten years. Thank you again for listening.  (The second to last one in the bulleted list above, I said today, just so you know)

BUT... tomorrow is the day.  I am so happy to get this over with and to start healing once and for all.  I can't wait to be on the tennis courts next summer with Emmett.  I can't wait to not have that pain when I get out of bed in the morning and take those first few steps for the day. 

Recovery will be quite annoying and will last for months.  But I am so ready to start the healing process, though.  Prayers are appreciated and so is food, specifically Twizzlers and Ben and Jerry's ice cream. 

And yes, I will finally ride the scooter in Walmart. I am going to be the boss of that scooter.  I am going to ride all the way to the back of the store and grab a gallon of milk and put it in the basket like I own the place.  Then I am going to bump into peoples' ankles all the way up to the check out.  There will be no stopping me.  I'll probably even back up all the way through check out so the scooter beeps those backing up beeps.  It will be fun.  Yup, it will be fun.

Really, thanks again to everyone who has been so supportive and patient with me.  Wish me luck tomorrow and say a few prayers for me.  Thanks so much in advance.  If you don't leave a comment in the comments section and tell me you said a prayer for me, then I will assume you did not take time to do it.  Um, just kidding. 

Hope summer is treating you better than it is treating me.  The good news is, everything is temporary and if we had no idea what hardship is, how would we be able to even recognize the good stuff?

Here's to fighting our way through the hard times and being able to recognize that good stuff when it comes along.   

Pinkie Day Episode 20- The Petty household grows by one

So sorry I missed you all last weekend!  We have been sad because we never had Pinkie Day last weekend.  George stayed in Richmond and we couldn't go because poor Emmett was so sick and we needed a day to relax.

My foot from my plantar fasciitis was also in so much pain that I had to force myself to stay off of it.  I actually played frisbee the day before for only just a few minutes and I really paid for it.  I was in so much pain.  I have been praying for healing, literally, praying to the patron saint of foot ailments.  I lie in bed at night praying for healing.  What better body part to pray to for healing than the actual HEAL?  :)  Right?  I even FINALLY ordered the essential oils kit because of my foot and because Emmett has been sick three months in a row.

Well, I am happy to report that the oils that my friends have been touting all these months are actually soooo good that my foot is healed before they have even arrived in the mail!

Seriously, though, I am excited to use the oils.  I have even been using them for my teenage foster daughters.   The lavender and lemongrass has been helping with relaxation and relieving stress.

BUT, I am more excited that I have finally had relief in my foot.  I have been doing this exercise that my brother told me about that his chiropractor told him to try.  It is wonderful!! I have been doing it for three weeks now and I think this is exercise is one of the huge reasons I have been healed.  Look for an instructional video soon on how to do this amazing exercise.  I just don't want to share it yet in case my pain comes back.  I don't want to give you false hope!

Here is an overview of what I have been doing for my plantar fasciitis:

1. Special exercises
2. Taking anti inflammatory diclofenac
3. NEVER going barefoot
4. ordered Kafflinger brand shoes to slip on and wear around the house
5. bought cheap arch supports from Walmart to put in my dress shoes
6. paying my children to rub my feet

This foot ailment has basically been my life the past months.  I have to get it right because it is just simply exhausting trying to take care of my household with this pain in foot.  

So this weekend was so nice.  George surprised us by coming home early Friday evening...

You'll see in this video that Emmett is enjoying watching John run up to Daddy that Emmett stays back to watch.  It is so sweet.  And Carmen had somewhat of a challenging time since you will also notice in the video that she didn't come out to say hi.  She was having some different feelings this weekend and she has been working all that out.  She hadn't seen Daddy for 2 weeks and it was somewhat of an adjustment for her this time around.  She ended up having a great weekend.  We went to a birthday party yesterday and Palm Sunday Mass today and the children got to play with their friends, as well.  

You may be wondering how our household grew by one.  We have welcomed another teenager into our home.  She has been here for 2 weeks now and we love her.  She just said tonight that it feels like she has been her much longer than 2 weeks already.  We have been busy!  Maybe someday you will get to meet her.  In the meantime, please pray for the well being and happiness of all in our home.  We are so happy to share family times with whoever stops by for a visit, no matter how long.  

So in case you don't see much blogging from me, know that I am happily going about the work that I know I am meant to do.  I am living and loving everyone in my care and happy to be chosen to do so.  Living real life doesn't leave much time for blogging.  So goodnight.  I am off to spend a little more time with my husband before I pass out for the night.  

In the meantime, enjoy some sights from our last two weeks....

Just a silly picture with Emmett

Look at these two studying away.  So proud of them.  I love my view from my desk. :)

Well, I ordered a print and framed Carmen's adorable picture that I took a few weeks ago at the dance studio.  Love how it turned out.  

This guy rides in the car all the time nowadays.  He does great tagging along with all of us.  

Ah, my hometown.  This is Main St. Waynesboro.  Picked Pilar up from school on Thursday and we had lunch at the river downtown.  

Wonderful friends from my days at Christendom College.  Dale and MaryKay.  We all met at Prince Michele Winery last weekend since Dale was in from Chicago.  Poor Emmett was so sick he was vomiting the whole day.  He was a trooper.  

Here are a couple of pics of Uncle Dale and Carmen.  Dale is Carmen's Godfather.  She was delighted to see him.  He gave her a ballerina music box and some books.  She was on cloud nine. 

And this is my Carmen!  Perfect picture of her.  Really captures her essence. :)  She is growing so fast that she has bruises on both of her shins from falling and tripping so many times.  :)

And this is a sweet letter that Carmen wrote to me about my foot. The kids have all been so kind and understanding.  

I love this picture because Carmen and John wanted Emmett to sit with them in the back of the car and they all looked at books together.  It was so sweet.  

Have a great week, everyone!  And no matter what you did this weekend, I hope it was fulfilling, purposeful and gratifying.  

Til next time...whenever that may be....