10 Reasons Why Recovering from Major Surgery in 2016 Doesn’t Totally Suck…

Happy Groundhog Day... Apparently Punxsutawney Phil didn't see his shadow, so no extra 6 weeks of winter and only 5 more months of being a homebody!!! I am doing my best to not let everyday be Groundhog Day around here... Here's a little Groundhog Day humor to make you smile...sorry about the ads! Click below!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyBSrBqogPY

So, I thought I would do a bit of fun blog today since it’s a cold/rainy/ snowy day around here and we can all benefit from the inspiration of any of these 10 reasons. This is how I have ensured the past month hasn't totally sucked and how I will be filling my time in the next 5 months. This list is not in any particular order and it isn't 100% inclusive, but I didn't want to list the sucky stuff and 10 is a nice, round number. This list is totally FOR REALS though and a big part of how I am learning to cope with my new (temporary) reality! I have the strength and the will!! I highly recommend these for everyone...

Amazon… I mean Amazon everything. Truly, with my Amazon Prime account I have been able to watch movies, shop for essentials through the Amazon Pantry, buy anything random I might need for my Pintrest projects, listen to music, read books through my new Kindle that I got for Christmas (well-timed honey), listen to Amazon Audible Boks, and so much more. I HEART Amazon…especially because they have allowed me to maintain a level of independence that I wouldn’t have otherwise since I can’t just hop in the car and run to the store. I’m like a teenager begging for rides! ...You just need to have the patience to wait for the the postal lady...

Pinterest… When you are basically trapped on your corner of the couch, it is very satisfying to think about all the cool projects you can make as you recover! I honestly don’t sit still well and I’m not one to just sit and watch TV all day, so one of the things I have been keeping myself busy with is attempting to make as many non-toxic goodies for family and friends as I can to thank them for their love and support. My current list includes, but is not limited to…homemade toothpaste, lotions, sugar scrubs, essential oils blends, bath soaps, laundry detergent, wool drier balls, liquid hand soap, and soon to try out…bar soap making and lip balm. And that was just the non-toxic stuff... there's more! LOL Ambitious I know, but it still involves a lot of sitting and since I’m still not sleeping well, I may as well do something somewhat productive and get both sides of my brain going. I am harnessing my inner Pioneer Woman/ Hippy Spirit…after all, they really aren’t that totally different. Heck, I may even have to learn to sew and become a beekeeper through all this!

Adult Coloring Books… All you have to do is walk into Michael’s and you see them front and center. Fad or not, after surgery my handwriting went from bad to worse. It’s getting better with practice, but it’s not even close to awesome. :p SO, with the help of this latest trend, I am able to improve my handwriting and increase my meditative brain power through the use of a coloring book and some lovely pencils. Really, it’s a mindfulness and meditative tool that’s working for me. If you want to try it, there are pages you can print off Pintrest for free too!

Netflix… No, I don’t sit still well, but that doesn’t mean that I never binge watch shows on Netflix either. Who can resist, “Just one more…” I actually love that there’s an amazing variety of movies and documentaries to watch. At least while I am recuperating, I can try to educate myself a bit or just get stuck on stupid with a new TV show or movie. Hahaha

Pandora… Music has always been a huge part of my life and having endless stations to suit my mood is so important right now. Like I mentioned in a previous blog, there’s still a whole lot of Yoga radio and classical playing in our house right now. My brain isn’t quite ready for loud music quite yet!

Connectivity in general… How great is it to be able to stay in touch with friends and family so easily? The overwhelming support and prayers have been such a huge part of my recovery and I am so thankful for this. If not for Facebook, email, my blog, etc I would certainly feel much less connected and far more isolated which would not help in my recovery either… So, HUGE thanks to ya’ll!!! An extra special bonus to all this, is that I have heard from friends who I haven’t spoken to in years due to busy lives and different paths! This makes my heart smile.

Phone Apps…obviously there’s a plethora of apps out there, but specifically I have absolutely been using the Insight Timer which allows you to pick guided meditations and also shows how many others are using the app to meditate across the world. You may think that this is too hippy-dippy for you and it may not be your “thing” but meditation has really been helping my brain to recover- slow down and breath people!

Sierra... Well, at least I am home to keep an eye on Sierra during puppy watch 2016. Not sure how this is all gonna go when she actually goes into labor, but Rob has built a great whelping box and I’ve done research online and through friends. Being home for her is a much better alternative to both of us coming home from work with new baby puppies all over the place. LOL Being home at least allows me to return the favor for her watching over me the last month.

Time with my immediate family... Being at home has given me lots of time with the family which has been a wonderful gift. Snuggling with Alex more often is a total blessing. She has had to grow up too fast through all of this. Having the chance to more time with all of my parents and Rob as they cart me around to the store or Dr. appointments definitely allows us some quality time together that we wouldn’t have had otherwise. The hardest part is that the boys haven’t been able to be with us on a normal schedule until this week. We've missed them a ton! Thanks to their Mom for taking the bulk of the responsibilities during all this. Again, the not driving thing is such a challenge for getting kids to school, to their sports, and getting them home from wherever! Thanks to Grampa Don and Grama Nan, Steph, and Mema and Papa for all the help schlepping the kiddos around!! (Now, start singing the lyrics to "Cat's in the Cradle" by Harry Chapin... ;)

Friends and Family… I know that my independent spirit thinks I could almost manage all this junk on my own, but THANK GOD I don’t have too!!! My village does ROCK and even though I may not always ask for help, please know that the offers have been amazing and appreciated. I am usually the “DO-er” so this has been an interesting situation in which to find myself. It definitely gives you a better appreciation for others and forces me to not only SLOW DOWN, but to rely on others, and also to appreciate what others might be going through in their own lives.

I know that this will sound very Polyanna-ish, but you can always find the good in the situation if you actually look for it. What good is it really going to do you if you only focus on the negative aspects of what's going on in your life? Find the brightside.

Much love as always and thanks for reading!

Mel