Oh you guys! I have to be the most impatient human on the planet. Things are moving along though. Tomorrow I make the drive to Cleveland Clinic to have my imaging done and make sure all is well and we can move forward with the last surgery. I really, really, really need this imaging test to come back with good results. I am so ready to get this last part over and done with. I've been having dreams about what it will be like to wake up from surgery, reach down to my stomach, and the bag is gone. Wow. I can actually imagine it. More than that though, I've finally allowed myself to start making plans for after and I don't want things getting delayed or rearranged. I know it would be a pretty hefty mental blow for me right now if I have to postpone or change some of this stuff. I'm ready to have my life back and have some more say about where it goes.
First of all, I'm training so that I can go back down to Georgia and run the trail half marathon I had to give up last year when I got too sick to put the colectomy off any longer. I prefer having this surgery and recovery in the earlier part of the training cycle as it seems like it will be easier to bounce back and rejoin my group for single digit mileage rather than 10, 11, or 12 miles later in the season. I'm still working with the run/walk group and went four miles with them last Saturday. Yesterday I managed 2.5 miles on my treadmill at home with no walk breaks and only about 60 seconds off of my training pace from the later part of last season. Feeling pretty pleased with my progress. The running is coming back faster than I thought it would.
The other big thing is that I've decided to go to school this spring and start working toward an RN. I've been fortunate enough to have some beautifully compassionate and amazing nurses throughout this process and they have inspired me greatly. I've been really restless about what to do as far as work goes once this is all over, so it feels good to have a sense of direction and focus about the whole thing now. I have an appointment with an academic advisor on Monday to go over my transcripts and help determine what classes I need to sign up for, etc. There is a bit if work to do as I let my GPA get a little sloppy when I was previously trying to take classes while working full time with a small child, a husband, and a chronic illness. That's ok though, I'm not afraid of a little hard work and I know I can get the grades I need to bring that number up. The boys are in preschool full time now, so there will be plenty of time to attend class and study. I'm hoping to start in March which is another reason why I don't want to see this last surgery delayed.
I'm not entirely sure what to expect from the test tomorrow. I know they will give me an enema with contrast and take some pictures, but that's really all I know. They gave instructions to bring a set of supplies to change my appliance, but I don't know if that is because they will make me take it off for the test or just because it might leak or something? I've heard of people having them pop off because the contrast fills up the bag. I suppose different hospitals might have different routines. I guess I will find out tomorrow, huh? I'm also anxious to know when my surgery date will be. I know Dr. L is supposed to be out of the office January 12th-21st, but hopefully I can get in right after that. I'm so ready!
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