A Tough Beginning...

Every year I look forward to the "New Year", a fresh new start.  I am always optimistic and feel as if I've been given a new canvas on which I can create new and exciting memories.  This year started with couple of challenges.  I had gallstone problems for few months, and with a little nudge from my surgeon I decided to have my gallbladder removed.  I was anxious but with a great surgeon and an anesthesiologist (one of Eddie's partner) I knew I was in good hands.  So I had the surgery scheduled for January 21st since Eddie had taken a week off to take care of me as well as help with the kids and the house.  I thought I'd be a bit sore for couple of days but will be back up in no time... was I wrong!

I'm sitting here in my family room couch, three weeks after surgery, STILL trying to recover.  Okay... maybe not all from the surgery.  It took me about a week and a half for me to be able to do everything without assistance, but now I'm dealing with other complications I have developed.  To make a long story short, I have a severe Latex Allergy.  It's always a challenge for me in my daily life to minimize my exposure to latex in my environment.  It is not always possible to avoid it completely, but I do eliminate it as much as I can... and I also have to be on a regimen of medication to counteract the effects of my daily exposure to it.   So that also meant that I needed to be in a "latex-free OR" environment.  I know they did the best they can, but I am also realistic to realize that that is NOT always possible.  And with the weakened immune system (from trying to recover from surgery) I have developed out-of-control allergic reaction. When my normal regimen did not reverse the reactions I called my allergist and got assortments of medications on board.  It's been very frustrating and exhausting to say the least, but I'm slowly getting better. It can be depressing sometimes when I think about the condition.  It's not something that can ever be better. I know that.  It's something I have to live with... it's sad.  It was a tough start for this year.  I'm optimistic that the rest of the year will be better.   So if you're wondering why I haven't been blogging, well, now you know.