What a Start to a New Year!

What a month it has been! I had to have an appendectomy at the beginning of the month. I was back at work after Christmas for four days then, BAM! Out of nowhere this thing hits me. It has not been the best experience of my life. I also had the worst infection ever a week after the original surgery. That is some pain I will never forget. It was also a four day hospital stay that was just, well, depressing. I now know why people don't heal as quickly in a hospital as they would if they were at home with friends and family. For example, due to my infection they had to reopen my incision and then make the incision a little bigger (two procedures that if I loved pain I would have been thrilled to go through). When they did that they measured how deep the wound was. The wound was about half of one of those long hospital q-tips. The day I left the hospital it was still about the same depth. Two days after leaving the hospital the wound had healed to the point that the depth was only just above the cotton swab part of the q-tip. Four days in the hospital and bupkiss (I know I spelled it wrong, but oh well). Two days out and it was so much better! Oh, and you want to know why people lose weight in the hospital? The food. The food is horrible! Some of the stuff was good, like the biscuits, apple pie, and french toast, but that was it. The PCA (Personal Care Assistant) would ask me how much of the food I ate after every meal. I asked him if he would eat all that stuff and he just smiled and walked out of the room. Grossness! I am just happy I only have to go through it once in my life.
I have learned a few things from this experience.

I have learned that you shouldn't put off going to the doctor if you think something is seriously wrong. If I had waited like I usually would I proably would have been much worse and maybe not be here right now.

I have learned that there are still people that genuinely care.

There are things in your life that you just cannot control and have to learn to put your trust and faith in Heavenly Father and realize that He knows what is best for you.

I already knew this, but healthcare is EXPENSIVE. I have insurance and I am still going to be paying out the wazoo for everything.

Female doctors are ruthless. The two procedures in the hospital concreted that for me. I understand the whole "It's a man's world and I have to show that I can compete" attitude, but do you really have to lose all bedside manner and treat people as if they were a paper plate after a bbq dinner?

ER's totally hoover. Four hours in the waiting room and another three hours in a room waiting to be admitted and no one noticed when I hit that call button for help.

Something else I already knew but was made more concrete: nothing can beat a priesthood blessing given by a worthy priesthood holder. The fears and discomfort left after having one and I knew I was going to be okay.

You do not get the rest you need in a hospital. Every 2-4 hours you are being awakend to have your vitals checked or bracelet scanned for new IV fluids and medication, the people in the halls are loud, the roommate has dementia and talks in his/her sleep or breathes so loudly that you can't even hear yourself think. No rest for the weary.

Nothing can compare to the love and support from family and friends, even if your family is 560 miles away. My friends filled a gap that was left behind after my mom went back to EP after the appendectomy. Thanks to everyone for everything they did to help me in my times of need. The Lord knows how to reach people even when you don't or you can't.

There are probably other things I learned but can't think of them. Maybe sometime down the line I will remember them.