Enter my saving grace: My family. Joey and two of his friends came over early in the morning to start moving the boxes I had ready to go out to the trailer or the garage. With the three of them, things went pretty quick. They were eager to help, so I started looking around for "bigger" things I could have them carry out.
During this, my mom showed up with my sister and began packing away as well. Soon Joey announced that he couldn't, or shouldn't, pack anything else in the trailer until he had loaded up my bed so that they knew how much room they really had to work with. The plan had been to leave my bed and the crib up until Thursday when Ryan's family would be back from their trip and ready to help. My mom convinced me that in order to really make the progress that we needed, the bed should be packed. I protested at first because, well, where would I sleep? The answer? Mom's. They have a crib and about 4 beds downstairs that I could choose from with both James and Philip getting married and moving out. It was a no brainer. And just like that, my bed was out of the house and in the trailer.
Together we set the goal of having the house totally packed up by Tuesday evening, leaving 2 days to really clean. I am so grateful for my mom for stepping in and being my guide. If I thought trying to pack and move in 1 week was crazy, what was I thinking leaving myself only one day to clean the apt? My family was truly amazing. Especially my mom. She had so, so, SO much to do with school and Powerpoints and all of that, but she spent hours and hours every day during the next week helping me pack and clean. So did my sisters, Joey, and his friends. I would have been totally lost without them. When Ryan's family got home Wednesday night, Clair and Ellen stopped by to see the progress. They were stunned. Everything but the crib was packed and out of the house. My mom had spent the better part of the day cleaning carpets. Pretty much everything was ready to go. Thursday evening we had dinner at Ryan's and then the whole family came over to help pack out the last few items and make sure things were ready. That old saying, "Many hands make light work," is sure an understatement. :)
The week following surgery was chaotic with packing and cleaning, but it was also a miraculous week for Pierscen. I took day by day shots showing his progress. It truly was a wonder to behold. It was so fascinating to look at him and know that he was my same Pierscen, and yet almost not recognize him. And then he would laugh, or smile, or do something that is so very Pierscen, and there it was. By the end of the week, the new Pierscen and the old had merged into one in my mind - all except the missing hair - but that was growing back rapidly.
I am so grateful for his kind and loving personality, for his quick smile and his peaceful demeanor. He is amazing.
Here is the week's play by play:
Saturday, June 9th
He still looked a little like MegaMind with that perfectly round, swollen head. But don't the eyes look amazing?!
Sunday, June 10th
Monday, June 11th
And to think... one week previous his head was wrapped in an Aladdin turban and his eyes were swollen shut.
Tuesday, June 12th
(Sorry I always make the same noises. But it makes him smile!)
See that ridge about an inch or two behind the main incision ? It's right above the drain mark. It was that point forward that was removed. Crazy!!!
Wednesday, June 13th
Looking pretty amazing, huh?
Thursday, June 14th
Thursday was also my last official day of work. I spent the morning working on demographics from home and then drove down to hand everything over to Jeanette. It was very bittersweet. I honestly loved working in the ER. I have never had a job where I was so close to my co-workers, and especially to my boss. There is not enough praise in the world for Jeanette in my opinion. She truly is one of my dearest friends. I was so lucky to work at UVRMC for 5+ years. And though I was really looking forward to being able to stay home and be the mom I want to be, I was really sad to leave too.
(My amazing orange desk. I will miss it!)
Jeanette and my friend Mike walked me out to my car and we said our goodbyes. It was such a strange feeling. Sadness, but excitement. A whole new chapter. How can you not feel a little giddy about that? We were finally moving on! Just one more day, and the page was about to turn...
At the closing of the day, I just looked at my beautiful boy and wondered, Who can deny the existence of God? And who can claim that miracles don't exist today? God lives. He loves us. He knows us and cares about us. That doesn't mean that things will be easy, but God is ever mindful of us. I am so grateful to know of my relationship to Him, to know that I am his daughter. That knowledge has given my strength to face many challenges I didn't think I could face. And through faith, fasting and prayer, we have made it through to the other side!
P.S. One great thing about spending that last week with at my parents was that it gave Dodger and Abby a lot of time to play and really get to know each other. Dodger loves Abby, and Abby reciprocates... for about 5 minutes most days and then she wants her own space. But spending the whole week together really helped them bond. They played pretty much non stop. And it gave my family a chance to see that Dodger is actually a really sweet cuddle bug. Whenever we would stop by, he would run around like a crazed dog looking to destroy any trash can he could find. But during the times I was out of the house this last week, Dodger really warmed up to the family and relaxed being in a new environment. He even jumped up on my mom's lap a number of times. So it was good bonding for everyone. :)
He is a little miracle! Excited for you guys and this new adventure you're on. Also...mega mind is awesome, who wouldn't like to be like him? He is the hero after all!
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