QUITE A SUMMER!!!

Wow, I realized this week that I have not updated the blog again for awhile.. a couple months, actually... this has been QUITE a summer, had a lot going on, so updating the blog has just NOT been on my mind!

I had my surgery on Friday, July 2... the week leading up to it was hellish... I endured a couple of not-too-pleasant tests, some lab work, needle sticks, prepping for a pre-op colonoscopy (FUN- NOT!) and not being able to eat real food for 2 days leading up to surgery. When the day of surgery actually arrived, I had to get up at 4:00 a.m. and leave home at 5:00 a.m. to be at the hospital at 5:30. I was sure glad the day had finally arrived - it was almost over!

My surgery went well, I only stayed in the hospital six days this time - that's my shortest hospital stay so far, out of the five times I've been in there. By the time I came home, I was basically pain-free, except a few occasional twinges. Within a week, I drove my car, although the first time I tried, it did wipe me out! Driving is harder - and more physical - than I realized!

So here we are in August. I have not yet gone back to work, because of lifting restrictions and being concerned about hauling around my work equipment too soon. I have a ten-day trip to the beach coming up on 8/31, so I'm waiting until I return from the beach, then I'm going back to work. I've really actually been enjoying my time off, having lunch with friends and lunch with my mom, going out with a few friends, doing a little shopping, going mall walking, and even taking a couple of day trips. The summer has flown by, with my surgery and recuperation and all - it's hard to believe that it's past the middle of August and it's back-to-school time already!

I'm feeling pretty good - and SO incredibly blessed... It's such a tremendous relief to have the surgery behind me and be doing pretty well... for the first time in several years, since my difficulties began, I feel REALLY great (for the most part, except for an occasional bad day) and am finally looking forward to getting back to my normal life without another surgery looming ahead of me.

So I'm headed to the beach on August 31 for 10 or 11 days... when I return home, it's back to work, hopefully for a couple weeks starting SLOWLY, to readjust to the working routine. I actually DID have a transcript request from a client this week for a transcript of a short preliminary hearing in bond court that I did four months ago, so I had to dig that out and do the transcript of it and send it in.. so I actually got a LITTLE taste of working again before going back officially.

I feel so incredibly blessed to have my health back, and to have such wonderful friends that have shown so much concern for me.. and my wonderful family! I'm looking forward to a relaxing beach vacation for several days, then getting back into the work routine... then in October, we are headed to the mountains for a week - Pigeon Forge, Cherokee and Bryson City. So excited to go up there, it'll be awesome.

We're coming up on my favorite time of year - fall. SO many fun things that go on in the fall - the Greek Festival, the State Fair.. cooler weather... and of COURSE, Gamecock football - Go Gamecocks!

Will try not to wait too long before I update my blog again. Thanks, everyone, for your support this summer during my surgery and recuperation... I think I'm on the mend now! Until next time!