Today marks an exact 5 months since my insides were rearranged in a 6 hour game of operation. It's been a long haul but I can safely say I have made amazing progress, given the doctors' predictions that it would take 6 months to even feel normal again. I started felling 'good' at four months and since then have done some camping, ridden bikes, wrestled with the dogs, pushed Nathan around, and eaten a brat. Oh, and I've gotten a great tan to complement my slimmer body. Karen tells me I look downright hot.
I would like to say that I could not be where I am without the support of everyone in this family. From Trish flying up to set some medical folks straight, to Mom and Dad keeping me walking, Phyllis providing a calming influence through my worst days, and Scott visiting to provide some brotherly support--they all kept me going when I didn't know I could. In addition, thanks to Daniel and Kirsten for bringing me cupcakes. I couldn't eat them but Karen and the staff were thrilled with them. : )
And I'd be remiss if I didn't give some special credit to Mom for coming to our house when I came home, and when Karen was down from exhaustion. She fed us both and nursed us back to health. I remember the first day I came home I could barely walk. Same with Karen. In about three days Mom was driving us both to Walmart and around. She really got us back on our feet. So thanks Mom!
I'd also be remiss if I didn't thank my most immediate family--Karen and the kids. Karen wore herself out driving the 2 hours each way between hospital and home. An she spent many a night in the chair alongside my bed when I was being starved. Like the pistol she is, she really let the medical staff know she was in charge and had it not been for her most of the things that helped me the most would not have gotten done. She also kept me groomed--she made me learn to do it myself so I could be self sufficient. I could write chapters about all she did and how much she meant to me--but just suffice it to say she's my soul mate, best friend, and biggest supporter. Trust me--I would be nowhere in life without her, and now is no different.
Thanks too to Kristen for visiting often and keeping me laughing and positive. She is the one who drove Ollie and Otis out to see me while Karen and the nurse snuck me down to the entrance to see them. That was a morale booster! Kristen has a gentle soul along with her mom-inherited feistiness and she was a real caregiver throughout. And thanks to Nathan for driving up from school to see me whenever he could sneak away from his books.
Overall it was the toughest thing I've gone through in my life and I am forever grateful to all who visited, sent me notes, on and on. I love you all and am proud to be part of the Thompson madness.
One last thing. Monday marks 29 years of being married to Karen. Thanks to all of you, I am looking forward to at least 29 more.
Cheers,
Stephen
8 comments:
wow Steve...makes me want to cry with happiness. I cannot tell you how thrilled I am you and Trish survived horrific things with your health. This shows us all how important EVERY member is and how horrible life would be minus even one.
I am so glad you are doing better each day and that the future holds so much happiness for you.
Mom was amazing....and she loved every minute of taking care of you. She really is something...even though she calls us on the birthday of a sibling to remind us to call that sibling never putting together the fact that ON OUR BIRTHDAY when our siblings call____ we will know THEY got the call from mom....ha!
I wish I could have gotten out there more than I did when you were stuck in the hospital. I'm just glad you're healing. When things were sounding the most dire, it was tempting not to reminisce - I didn't want to talk as if you weren't going to make it - because I have so many great memories of the times you and Karen took me and my brothers to do fun things. Still, that was the past, and it was good to see you, even considering the circumstances, twice this year. Hopefully we can increase that going forward.
Do you remember I let you three boys ride around town in a limo from Steve and Karen's wedding, with the limo driver, WHO I DID NOT KNOW__all by yourselves__because there was still time on the clock...............
I look back on that and think how insane that was.....I must have lost my mind.
I take much better care of the grandchildren.....(<>:
Apparently you did lose your mind (so THAT'S when it happened...) because that was Scott's wedding, in Chicago
exactly.all Karen and I had was a Chevy Chevette.
Well, one more correction about the limo ride---it was in Rockford, not Chicago that the limo ride took place.
To all of you---I am so proud of you and honored to be your mother and grandmother. A mother's desire is to know that her children and grandchildren have a close relationship and know they will be there for each other. Reading Steve's post really made my heart glad.
To you Steve,
We all rejoice with you in the progress you have made. Love of family is a healing balm.
Keep bugging Phyllis and Scott to get tested often, perhaps genetic testing. I don't want to get a third call with bad news.
Love to all of you,
Mom
oh...LOL!...the good news about losing your memory is everything is "just the way you remember it" and it is fun! You can have a life you never had. You are right...it was Scott's wedding in Rockford.
Steve's wedding is the one you grandstanded at Daniel. Your time came to go down the isle and you announced loud enough for me to hear at the organ, "I DON'T WANT TO GO DOWN."
It is with great joy that I announce to the whole family___I have a colonoscopy appt this very Monday...3:15 to be exact Mom....feel free to call and check on me to see if I went...ha!
I had a stress test last week and my heart is great!
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