The Best

I went to visit my belly button surgeon today for my post surgery check-up.  He is the funniest old man.  He came in with his scrub top tucked into his scrub bottoms which were all hiked up and tied tight.  He was a sight to see.  He asked me how I was doing and I told him I was really worried at first because my belly button was looking really scary, but now it's looking more normal since the swelling has gone down.  He asks to take a look and says, "What?!  This is the best belly button I've ever made!  It looks great."  And he reassured me that the swelling will continue to go down and the scar tissue will soften over the next six weeks.  Funny guy.  So I guess I am all done and fixed and cleared for exercising and driving.  (another post on some exercising epiphanies will soon follow...)  So I guess it's been declared the best (although I bet he says that to all of his belly button patients).  I'm just glad mine is starting to look like an innie.  And plus Jeremy thinks my scar is pretty cool.

progress

yesterday i ventured outside for a little field trip to the grocery store.  as we walked out the door i said to my mom in all seriousness, "don't i make sweats look glamorous?"  where do i come up with this stuff?  i think i just really like my KC hat and puffy vest.  good times.

today i got myself out of bed (hooray) and i even showered. i just may survive, although those legs won't be getting shaved for quite some time.  who knew a little surgery would take such a toll?  i think i'm just impatient (and unrealistic).  the doctor said recovery would take 4-5 days and i of course thought in my head, oh, it will be 3 for me and i can get back to school.  who am i kidding?  i was originally hoping to get back to my internship today, but decided i would be pretty useless.  i can barely walk... old men with canes pass me up these days.  so i am home just resting/knitting/worrying about finals coming up/resting/knitting.  we will see if i make it to classes tomorrow.

oh and we took the bandages off my belly last night and .... yikes, double yikes.  my belly button is terrifying.  hopefully it will start to resemble something more normal in the next little while, because right now?  ewwwh. i almost posted a picture, but i will spare you the details.   

well, my momma flew home yesterday and i was sad to see her go.  moms are just the best.  my mom is just the best.  thanks for taking care of me.  she stocked our cupboards up with all things delicious... and i mean STOCKED.  i think it will last us through finals.  thank you mom!  also a big thank you to my dear friends who have been bringing dinners, candy, chocolate, cookies, sending nice texts, and doing big favors.  you guys rock! seriously.

now let's hope my body pulls itself together quick.  i got things to do!

an innie?

i had surgery yesterday to fix my belly button.

i wouldn't recommend getting a belly button hernia. it's difficult to recover from because doing ANYTHING pretty much involves my core muscles.  the doctor said he left me with a nice innie, but i have yet to see anything since my belly is all bandaged up for at least another day.  i will keep you posted, though.  i did take a before picture, but i don't think it will make an appearance on the blog.  it's mostly just for my own reference, for which i am sure you are grateful. :)

my favorite thing about the surgery was when i woke up with silky lips.  they were chapped before the surgery and i asked jeremy for chapstick, but he didn't pull through for me (it's ok, sweetheart).  when i woke up after my surgery my lips felt great.  i asked the nurse if they put chapstick on for me and she said they slapped on some vaseline when they noticed they were chapped.  what nice souls!  they also gave me loads of icy ginger ale and graham crackers.  yum!

well, now i am home... and boy i wish these drugs worked better.  hopefully things will start looking up, my momma leaves tomorrow and i am supposed to get going back to real life.  ugh.

the button of my belly

the button of my belly is in distress!

isn't that hilarious??  i think so.

well, turns out i have an umbilical hernia, aka herniated belly button or belly button hernia.  it all started from that one time at the lake when i was tubing.  when the rain rolled in, i went to change out of my wet swimming suit and there was the weirdest thing going on with my stomach.  it looked like a whopper (the malt ball, not the burger) was sitting on my abs right below my belly button.  i was totally freaked out and quickly pushed it back in and tried to forget about it, which means it was all i could think about.

ever since that weird day, i have had recurring belly button issues.  sometimes i can feel my stomach get tight and i can feel the whopper climbing back to the surface, so i have to push it in again and it feels really weird.  after this was happening for a good three months, i finally went to a doctor about it and turns out... i need surgery.  he felt my stomach for all of two seconds and said, "You have a belly button hernia.  I can fix that."  nice. sounds great, doc!  i was sooo relieved that it had a name.

the surgery is scheduled for the monday right after thanksgiving.  so i end up getting at least a full week off of classes and my internship.  (fun stuff!)  my momma is even going to extend her stay to take care of me. (did you know my family is coming here for thanksgiving?!?!!  only 32 more days... i'm crazy excited! i think a paper chain countdown will be constructed this weekend.) i imagine us breaking out the christmas music & decorations and baking delicious treats, or maybe my mom will be doing those things while i lay on the couch.  there will at least be lots of chatting, chick-flicks, and knitting to our hearts' content. 

man... surgery is going to be awesome.