Surgery & More

26 Weeks

This might get a little detailed…

After the last appointment with the sono, I noticed that something was a bit not right. I thought it had to do with pregnancy so I waited for a time. Then, I decided maybe I better look it up just in case, but nothing made sense on the internet. With the family trip coming up, I didn't want doctors appointments getting in the way or be stressed out, so we decided to wait until my next visit to the OB and mention something. Apparently I have a cyst that is blocking by urethra. I'm able to pee, but not in a straight line. And all this time I thought Man, I'll never get the hang of this.. peeing in a cup (at doctor visits). She sent me to a specialist in the immediate next few days.
It's not painful. It wasn't caused by baby and it's not affecting baby. But, if it got bigger, it could give me some kidney issues, etc. It could push on my bladder. It could send me into pre-term labor. The specialist said that normally he would remove it right then and there, but I'm pregnant (at the time 24-25 weeks). Local anesthesia would cross the blood barrier. I am scheduled to go in for surgery Wednesday, May 6 and I'll have an IV that will put me in almost a comatose state…?

The days following of this information, I guess it hadn't hit me yet because I was ok. Then one night the fear hit me that this could possibly put stress on the baby. So at a camp meeting, they prayed over me, and I've felt much better about it ever since. Recently I'm feeling excited. ? I know craaazy, right? Who would feel excited about surgery? I think I'm excited that it'll be gone and we can go back to normal life. That I'll have Aldo home for three days straight. And that I won't have to teach school, so long weekend for me! Hip hip hooray!


Second recent issue - Stress.
I would have blamed pregnancy brain if it hadn't gone on for so long. Last Wednesday, I was driving to school and realized half-way that I forgot the school curriculum. My entire box of plans and the kids' workbooks. Something I take to "work" every day. It was interesting because I remembered all of the extra stuff too that wasn't absolutely necessary - mandarins for fruit snack, props for the kids' Books of the Bible performance, and more. When I got home, my front door was wide open. I went out the garage rather than the front door and Bailey was still in there - after I had looked that morning! I just laughed it off. Thank goodness I had turned around. Later, Aldo said that Bullet was still in the house when he got home after his work meeting. <sigh>

The next day, we had a make-up day planned. I remembered my box. I checked for Bullet (he was on the couch). I checked the garage for Bailey - she wasn't there. When I got to school, I realized… I didn't change out the curriculum. I have the kids' books, I know what we're doing, but I don't have the instructions for them. Normally I could guess, and that's what I did on some stuff, but I couldn't do that the entire day. Way to use the make-up day, Erryn. So we went on a field trip. To my house. Luke already knows most of the stuff, so I mainly explained the incubator and chicken growth to Xavier. They loved holding the chicks, X was a little freaked out at first. We fed old bread to the birds in back, pet the horses and had a graham cracker snack on the ride back. When we went upstairs first, Bailey was there. So not only did I forget to change out the instructions, I forgot the dog again!

Thank goodness there was a weekend in between right? Doesn't matter. Monday morning I was determined not to forget a single thing. I checked, double checked, triple checked. I had it all. I looked in the garage. I uncovered mom's bed looking for Bailey. I counted dogs outside and saw all three. I was so happy, I told Aldo on the way to school how happy I was and that I didn't care if we were a few minutes late because I didn't forget anything that morning. Don't speak too soon. When I walked through the door, the box felt light. I checked inside - books were there, instructions were not. I went out to the car because I know I had the purple folder of everything else crazy in my life, maybe I put the black one with it. I had had the black folder IN MY HAND that morning, and had left it on the chair at home. I was distraught and upset! This is the THIRD time! You would think someone would learn! Pat squeezed me tight and said - It's alright sweetie, you're stressed. It would have been ok if that was the rest of that day because I was able to wing it. I knew the story of the animal character. I could easily guess the directions of most of the pages I had planned. One of the girls remembered the Bible story, which I was able to look up. I even had an art project ready to do. But X had some issues outside with obedience (he had turned on the lawn mower and wouldn't turn it off or get off) and then later threw scissors at Luke's head. Pat's mother-in-law had some medical issues and the house was filled with police and ambulance drivers. I had all the kids, who were distracted and distracting to each other the rest of the day. Finally, Richard sent them home early because he was leaving. I couldn't get a hold of the boys' ride. It was a stressful day!

Side Note: You know that every year there are things that try to prevent us from going to youth camp, being thrilled about camp, being distracted or feeling unprepared. Last year there was a tornado! There have been times when we're praying about having enough councilors. Vans and car trouble on the way there. It's absolutely nuts!
This time around has been one of the craziest (minus a tornado). We're battling medical issues individually. We are barely seeing finances because the church has recently purchased a building and we're still trying to get into it… so there is no camp budget. And it's hard to fundraise when all of the congregation has been putting money into the building. And there's a battle in the spirit… making us feel like because of this or this, maybe we aren't fit to minister.
So the reoccurring topic for me has been 1) the Armor of God and putting it on,  2) standing firm, believing God has it in His hands, and lately 3) my devotion time and prayer.
I had a dream that at camp during the girls' workshop, Miss C was preaching. And out of nowhere I felt I needed to take the microphone and say something. And something bubbled out of me that I couldn't hold in because I was so passionate about it and it was what God was speaking to me and gave me. So since that dream, I've been a tad nervous about - Am I going to take the microphone? What has God been speaking to me? I usually study some things… I usually plan some things… I feel like I fail in devotions every time when I lead those… 
Maybe it's better not to plan this time and just let the Lord lead me. That way I can totally confirm 100% that it wasn't me or my words or my studying or someone else's words; it was wholly God.