Pages

Subscribe:

Tuesday 31 December 2013

A Look Back on 2013



The year began with me being extremely ill.  My Crohn's disease was in full swing.  We had a talk with my surgeon during one of my hospital stay about a temporary ileostomy.  He agreed to give it a chance and I had my surgery on May 29.

The day of my surgery I was so nervous.  I really didn't know what to expect with this operation or whether or not it would be successful or not.  After my surgery, I got extremely sick within 12 hours.  For most patients your bowel goes into shock after such a surgery, and its usually about 5 days or so.  Unfortunately my body just kept on keeping on.  Due to the amount of liquid passing all the time, I went into renal failure.  I was so sick and thought I was going to die.

But things settled down and a 4-7 day hospital stay lasted 21 days.  Some of those days I remember nothing.  I was actually quite shocked to find out I had been in the hospital that long.

We got home and the healing began.  It was hard at first getting used to all the changes I had to make to my lifestyle, but suddenly things became so easy.  Other than a few technical issues with glues and adhesives , my life was getting better.

I was actually having a lot more energy, and I started getting out of bed for longer and longer periods.  I can now spend the whole day up and about if I do not overdo it.  I still get very tired if we do things like cleaning and going out.  But my quality of life has increased significantly.  To me, that is a huge bonus and I am so thankful for that.

I was asked if I would still have the surgery if I knew then what I know now and all the issues I have experienced and the answer is a resounding Yes!

My son got some help with some mental health issues he was having and I am so proud of the man he has become in the last 6 months.  He is doing really well, and the meds have him on a great level so he is always eager and taking life on full tilt.  I cannot even begin to tell you how proud of him I am.  He is becoming the Man I knew he always could be.

September is when I officially got back to the blog and it has been a good outlet when I am able to get on and work on the vision I have always had for this blog.  I wrote a small tutorial on cleaning up your Pinterest boards.  I also revisited my post about my one favorite homemaking ideas from the 31 Day Challenge the year before.

As usual my mom left for Arizona after Halloween, and it still is so hard for me.  I feel like I am being robbed of her for 5 months a year… and even though we talk often, it's not the same.  My mother is my best friend.  She is an amazing woman and I am so thankful for the relationship we have cultivated over the last ten years.

November I was able to spend a wee bit of time to create my Christmas Wishlist for the holidays.  I got a couple of the things I asked for.  My birthday is also coming up on Jan 25, so I might get a few more things for then.  I was able to get the embossing gun, a set of new pajamas, a new fairy, and a Xyron sticker maker.   There are a couple new items on my list.  I have found an amazing sewing machine that I want to get.  The reviews for this machine are outstanding and I even saw it quite cheap at Walmart.

Mom agreed to pay for half of my bill so I could buy the Silhouette Cameo and she was purchased and I have to tell you that it has been amazing to have for Christmas.  I made lots of things with it, but have yet to try the vinyl, I am saving that till I can really spend some time with it.  Hopefully the new year will have a few times where I can really sit down and read up on using vinyl and give it a test run.

I started blogging again as I started to feel better.  And here we are, I am still here blogging, and trying to make more of a presence on the blog.  Hopefully with the new year I am going to move the blog to a permanent domain and all that it will entail.

I am looking forward to making a lot of home décor items this year, as well as attempt to make home beauty products, and review them on the blog.  We will see which items work the best and feel the best.

I have a lot of plans for the new year, I do hope that you will come on this journey with me.  It looks like an amazing year ahead.  Now I have to write my goals for 2014,and then I can leave 2013 behind me.

Happy New Year to all of you and I hope the following year provides you with great health, great wealth, and great knowledge.  Love those you love fiercely so they always know how you feel.  Make sure to touch base with your friends this year.  Make time for each other.  And most importantly, take care of your family, love them, teach them, build them up.

0 comments: