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email change

Please update your primary email for me. I will now be using hethbar@gmail.com for all correspondence. Thanks

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Brad Heathman

hethbar@gmail.com

More Waiting

I finally got in to see a surgeon yesterday. He didn't tell me anything I didn't already know. I'm sick, and my gallbladder needs to be removed. I was hoping they would be able to get me in this Friday or next because Brad has the next two Fridays off. No such luck. Their next opening isn't until January 19th. So, I get to be patient for two more weeks.

Two more weeks isn't that bad, but this has been going on for over two months, and I am in a significant amount of pain. I can't eat anything that has any substance to it. Nothing with any saturated fat. It has been interesting to try to eat this way. I have to literally count every gram of saturated fat that goes in my mouth. If I eat more that 3 grams in a two hour period I have a gallbladder attack. So chicken and vegetables has been my staple. I never thought I would be sick of chicken, but I am.

The worst part of it all is how tired I am. I have completely lost my energy. I have had to take a nap everyday for the last two weeks. I have never been much of a napper, so this is really weird for me. I hope that once this is over I can get my energy back. My kids are running circles around me all day. You can imagine what my house must look like.

Now that I'm done complaining, I am really grateful that this didn't happen sooner. I am truly blessed. My husband has a good job, with good pay, and good insurance. They have been grate about taking some days off to take care of me after the surgery. It could have been so much worse. If this had happened a year sooner I would have been in trouble. I'm also grateful that we live next to family and that I have had so much help with the kids as I have had to be at many doctor appointments. There are always so many blessing and so many lessons to be learned when we pass through a trial. I am grateful that I have been able to recognize them.

I'm Not Crazy Afterall

So, in my last post I was not feeling well, and I'm still not. I thought it was stress or a food allergy. I really didn't know what was going on. I tried everything I could think of to start feeling better. It wasn't the first time I had stomach aches and I was sure that I could get rid of them on my own. Well, after a month of not feeling well, and actually feeling worse as time went on, I decided I needed to go to the doctor. I was sure the doctor wouldn't find anything because I still believed it was just stress, but I couldn't take it anymore. I was going crazy.

The doctor was great. He listened to me ramble about what was going on and what I thought it was. He set me up to have an ultrasound and I had some labs drawn. I don't think he bought any of what I was saying about my stress or my theory that I had an ulcer, but he listened and was very helpful.

This morning I had my ultrasound. They checked my liver, my gallbladder, my stomach, my kidneys, and my pancreas. I was sure they wouldn't find anything and that I would end up having a bunch of more tests to go through. After the ultrasound the technician told me it would be a couple days until I had the results.

A few hours later I got a call from my doctor's nurse. The results were in. I have gallstones and they are setting me up with a specialist to take care of it. There is a lot running around in my mind now. One, I am so grateful for my doctor for rushing all of this through for me. He is awesome. Two, I don't want to have surgery, but I am glad that what I have is treatable and that we have the technology to take care of it. And three, how on earth am I going to take care of a one year old post-op? I'm a little nervous about all of this, but I am glad I'm not crazy, and I'm looking forward to being well soon.

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Ugh...Not Feeling So Hot!

I have learned some things about myself over the years. One of those things is that I internalize stress. I can be completely relaxed, normal, and not feeling stressed at all and then suddenly it hits me. The terrible stomach ache. Everything I eat makes me sick. I can barely function, and I get very overwhelmed. Sometimes I can't even pinpoint the source of my stress.

I have been suffering a stress illness for the last couple of months off and on. I know I need to slow down and relax. How do I do that, though. I have three small children, I've been out of town 3 times in the last couple of months, I have a demanding calling, and a household to take care of. It seems no matter how hard I try to put myself first I always get pushed to the side. It's not like I can take a vacation from life or anything. So now what?

Well, here's what I'm going to do. First I'm going to delegate! My family is about to get some assignments, and my assistant in my calling is going to take on more responsibilities (hopefully). Then I'm going to exercise, eat right, and get ready everyday. I spend too much time in my PJ's. But most important, I am going to start taking better care of myself spiritually. I have really skimped out on my scripture study lately. I can really feel it too. It seems like I never have time to focus on my studies. Well, that was the excuse I would use. Now I know that I'm not a happy patient mommy without it, so it's making it's way back on the top of the priority list.

Hopefully, I will be feeling better soon. These stomach aches are getting old. Wish me luck!

Lindsey's Wedding

This last week we all went to Nauvoo, Illinois for my niece's wedding. I can't believe how fast time has gone by. I was 8 when she was born, so she's not much younger than me. It still feels weird that I am old enough to have a niece that is married. The wedding was beautiful and we a had a wonderful time. I'm so happy for them and hope that they have a very happy eternity together.

Here's Lydia with her cousin. Lindsey is the oldest and Lydia is currently the youngest grandchild.