Pectus Excavatum Blog

Things are still going well!!!    No complaints here.   I am getting stronger and am not in any pain.  My pectus excavatum is still corrected and my incisions look good.  I don’t want to become too redundant, but I wrote that I wasn’t doing well physically for sooo long, that it’s nice to report that things are good.

Work is going well and crazy busy!  This time of year always is.  I have more art shows to hang and a lot of kids’ art to hang around the school.  But things are good.   I’m glad to not be in pain and able to do my job.

We still love our new rental house.  It’s been so exciting to have more space.  We’ve been working hard at getting unpacked and organized.  It was tough moving in the middle of the school year, but we’ve been so excited about it, so it’s made it worth it.  I’ve been getting into gardening a little.  My tulips and pansies are still alive– that’s a huge feat!  They don’t look perfect, but they’re ok.  We get sooo much wind across the front of our house that blows them soooo hard.  I’m surprised the wind hasn’t ripped them right out of the pots!  But they’re still alive, so that’s cool.  I’m going to be planting a vegetable garden in the backyard in a raised box.  I’m sooo excited!  We’ll see how that turns out!

The Lord has still been teaching me, but it seems to be at a slower pace than when I was in pain.  I don’t know if I just listened better then or maybe he just had more to teach me during that time.  It’s hard to put into words even what I’ve been learning lately.  I’ve been journaling about my journey through these surgeries and seeing again all the Lord pieced together through that.  I’ve also been thinking about how much we get consumed with our “life” and “things” and wondering how to totally get away from that.  Is it possible in our culture to not be consumed by “doing” or “getting”?  While I was in pain and couldn’t “do”, I began to appreciate all the little things I could do and spent more time doing things that are worth while.  Now that I’m better I have to constantly remind myself to slow down and focus on the Lord and I can quickly become consumed to where a week slips by in a flash.

Some friends of mine and I have been talking about other cultures and how they have so little.  It’s almost like “things” can often become a hinderance to real living.  I know this because I experienced some very “rich” times with the Lord and with people and by myself while I was in pain and I even miss that now that I’m fully recovered.  Isn’t that ironic?  It’s almost like it’s harder for me to find the time for those rich times because there is so much going on.

Why do we have so much in America and then think we need something more?  It’s almost like the more we get, the more we need to get.   And the more we do, the more we want to do.  But on the other hand, we shouldn’t be ungrateful for all the blessings the Lord has given us.  Where is the balance,  I wonder?  I’m sure the Lord will show me more with time.

Well, that’s what’s going on with me and what I’ve been pondering.    I’d love to hear other people’s thoughts on these questions if you would like to share.  Have any of you wondered the same questions and heard any answers?  Hope all of you are doing well!

This week has gone really well.  I have been very very tired from working full days, but I’ve made it.  I have come home and taken a nap.  Then I would wake up for dinner and then go to bed early.

I can tell that I can move easier, though.  Thursday morning I woke up finally feeling rested and decided to try my work out video because my muscles felt tight.  I did it!  I made it through the whole thing without pain.   Even stretching.  This is major progress because before I couldn’t move my arms or twist or breathe.

Today I drove myself to the bank and back.  This is the first I’ve driven in months!  This was progress.  I did fell tenderness in my chest, though, so I’ll take it easy and not go crazy driving everywhere.

Dan and I are concerned that my front incision might be infected.  It has drained off and on all week.  Plus yesterday it seemed red further from the site than before.  Marti had told us to watch for that.  I tried to page her today, but didn’t get an answer.  It didn’t drain at all today and it only looks a little red around.  I’ll watch it over the weekend.  I don’t feel anything, but I think I have some nerve damage around the incision.  I don’t have any feeling for about 1 inch around the incision.  Strange!

Well, I wish I could write longer, but I’m exhausted!  I’m glad it’s Friday and I can rest this weekend.   I only have 2 days of work next week so that is nice.  I’m thankful for the progress!

It’s now becoming so real! I’m having my pectus excavatum surgery tomorrow!! I felt a little nervousness and anxiety coming on this morning as I was getting ready. I couldn’t believe I was actually going to the hospital! I would be seeing the hospital for the first time, meeting the doctor and nurses, and getting lab work done.

I was so thankful to have my family around me. I have never liked going to see a doctor and have always had anxiety about that, but Dan comforted me and talked me through it. My parents made me laugh. I soon felt much better and anxiety started to fade away.

I saw Dr. Georgeson at about 11:45. He is soooo nice! I really knew he was going to be nice from talking to him on the phone and hearing from my Uncle. He was actually beyond nice! He examined me and said that my pectus excavatum surgery will last about 2 hours. He wanted me to know again that this pectus surgery could have a lot of pain associated with it. He said it’s not that you are old , but typically we like to perform this pectus surgery on 10-11 years olds. As you grow older the cartilage in your chest calcifies and doesn’t like to be moved. He described the pectus surgery to us. The surgery to repair the Pectus Excavatum is called the Nuss Procedure. They will make two incisions on either side of my chest and insert a metal bar made out of steal and nickel. He made sure I wasn’t allergic to nickel because you can’t have the bar inserted if you are. The bar will be curved to fit the chest, inserted under the sternum, then rotated to cause the sternum to pop out away from my heart. It’s fairly simple. They will make adjusted as needed and then I’m good to go! In about 3 years they will take the bar out in a very simple outpatient surgery and my chest should remain the same! Isn’t that amazing? My pectus excavatum surgery will be at 12:30 or so. Four children are in line for surgery before me so the time may vary. We need to be at the hospital at 10:30 to start prepping.

We got to go see my uncle in his Radiology office after the appointment. He was dictating a chart when we walked in. He took us down to the doctor’s cafeteria for lunch. It was lots of fun! I am definitely getting special treatment. My uncle has worked at this hospital for 21 years and has known the doctor that is doing my pectus ecavatum surgery for 25 years. He also knows everyone else there as well. I can’t believe how blessed I am. It was really fun to have lunch with my uncle.

The next step after lunch was answering questions in a tiny office for a lady behind a computer and then having my lab work done. I have always hated needles, but I was very brave and got 2 Bugs Bunny band aids. They took a vial of blood from my arm and then pricked my finger for blood to check my blood type. I’ve never known my blood type, so I’m excited about that.

I felt like it went very well. I was definitely ready to leave, though. It was a long day of sitting and waiting. I can’t imagine how my family will feel tomorrow as they sit and wait through my pectus excavatum surgery! I will be happily sleeping through the whole thing!

I want all my family and friends out there checking this to know how much I love you all! I am thankful for your thoughts, prayers and support! I have felt very loved. You all are the best! I have a huge peace that everything will go wonderfully tomorrow. The Lord has wrapped his arms around me and is comforting me. I know He will be with me as I’m having pectus surgery. I am also thankful for my wonderful family who are around me as well. I am blown away by how blessed I am!

I am going to head off to watch Nacho Libre with my family. I love that movie!!! I have laughed harder at this movie than any other!! For some reason, my whole family laughs hysterically when we see it together. That will be fun. Tomorrow’s the big day!