I'm a Bad Blogger...

But I have an excuse!! A doctor's excuse. Many of you already know that I had surgery three weeks ago. But for those of you who don't know the story, here's the short of it all. April 26, I woke up and stretched. I felt something pull in my back that felt like a pinched nerve. It was uncomfortable for about a week, then went away. Two weeks later my right hand started going numb, then my right foot, then the right side of my torso. But NO PAIN at all. Two MRI's, 14 blood tests, 4 weeks of physical therapy, 4 doctors and 3 months later they discovered that I had two herniated disk pinching my spinal cord. The disk between C5 and C6 and C6 and C7. I went to a neurologist in Jackson on a Friday afternoon and was having surgery early Tuesday morning. It was a 4 hour surgery and I was in the hospital for a couple of days, but all is well. I know so many people who have trouble with disks have horrible pain, but since mine wasn't pinching any nerves, just my spinal cord, I had numbness without the pain. And I'm very thankful that since this is something I have had to go through, the good Lord spared me the pain so I was able to take care of Jack during those 3 months. Now that I'm home, I can't pick Jack up for 2 months!!! I can sit in a chair and hold him, but can't pick him up. Someone has to be with us 24/7. One or both of my parents get to our house around 6:30 every morning and stay until John gets home from work. And my sister has been able to come and help out a lot. Neighbors, friends and John's family have been cooking us yummy meals and offering up loads of help. I am so blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life. God has truly taken care of every detail and He has done a fantastic job (as usual)!!! I haven't been able to drive or move my head much. However, I have been sleeping like a rock!! Again, Thank You God!!! I have an appointment tomorrow, my first since the surgery, and I'm hoping the doctor will lift a few of his restrictions. I feel great and have throughout this whole ordeal, so I can't complain. Everyone who hears about my surgery asks how the surgery was done and it is very interesting how they did this. They went in through the front of my throat, someone held my esophagus and other organs over to the side for the entire 4 hours and the doctor removed the 2 disks. He replaced them with cadaver bone and screwed a small metal plate over the opening of each vertebra that will stay there from here on out. And over the next 6 to 8 weeks, my vertebra's will fuse with the inserted bone and form one piece. After my 2 months of recovery, I will 6 to 8 weeks of physical therapy. My spinal cord is very bruised, so the doctor thinks it will be about 6 months before I get the full feeling back in my hand. Since the surgery I have noticed big differences in my feet and torso. And a little bit of difference in my hand. I realize this may be a little too much info. for some people, but I love this stuff. Before I was put to sleep, I asked someone in the operating room if he would ask the doctor to save one of the disk for me to see, but they forgot. But Dr. Kerr described everything to me and it sounded very interesting. And speaking of Dr. Kerr - another one of God's blessings! He is a neurologists at St. Dominic's and is wonderful. He is 35, but looks 25. His sweet wife is his surgical assistant and she is pregnant with their fourth child. They have three little girls and are expecting a little boy very soon. They are a wonderful Christian couple and before I went to the OR they came in and asked if they could pray with us. Dr. Kerr lead a very sincere pray and we all knew, after hearing him, that God had placed me in the right hands. That's one thing about God, He never misses even one detail.

But enough about me. I know all of you just read my blog to see new pictures of Jack. And let me tell you about that silly monkey. Since all of this has taken place, he has been on cloud nine with all of the visitors and presents they bring him. It hasn't bothered him too much that I can't pick him up and carry him around. It really bothers me! Once I get the all clear to pick him up, I may never put him down.

Here Cookie is putting together a life size Dora puzzle/play mat. And yes, John is mortified that it's of Dora. But Jack loves both Dora and Diego, and I can't find any Diego merchandise. It's all Dora. Jack gets down on his mat and kisses Dora. He may be in therapy because of it one day, but for now it's so cute!!!

One day when he was getting bored and cranky, I gave him a roll of toilet paper and he played with it for 30 minutes. Anything to combat a tantrum!!

He loves playing with his Cookie!!

And he has been helping my mom and John keep the house clean!!

As well as grooming himself!!

I know that over the past few weeks, so many people have had birthdays and babies and gotten married. And I am so behind with my gift giving. I hope after my check-up tomorrow I can start getting back on track!!!!