The Mom Song

Get ready to really LAUGH!

Update December 2012

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I am writing to first thank you all:

• for keeping me in your prayers, 
• for keeping your eyes open for employment opportunities, 
• for listening to me cry and wail and loving me through it,
• for the care - physical,spiritual, tangible, concrete, mystical
• for bearing the gifts of the Holy Spirit
• for your enduring faith in me - especially when I had none for myself
• for your love

I am also writing to let you know that I was offered a job! It all JUST happened on Monday December 17, 2012!!!

The job is with [....] a private social service agency in [...] PA [...] I start January 22, 2013. I will be supervising four people -- a mental health worker, a case manager, and two [...] trainers. The program that I will be supervising is entitled LINKS, which is a reunification program for parents with children in the foster care system and also have co-occurring disorders --mental health and drugs/alcohol addiction.  The parents have 15 months from when the case opens (the case opens with the [...] Children and Youth (C&Y)agency - if C&Y have the case for four months, then we only have 11 months!) 15 months ! to either be reunified with their children or relinquish them legally to family or for adoption.  The timeline, the mental health, and the drugs make the task challenging as well as the fact that the staff  reportedly do not understand C&Y's mandate, do not accept/understand that despite working with the parents, the best interest of the children remains the primary focus, and do not keep/know what constitutes good records. Due to the difficulty of the cases, the program manages only 15 cases at a time.  

So yes, this is bittersweet...I am happy 

• To be employed, 
• That someone so clearly recognized my talent that she offered me the job before I left the interview!
• For the opportunity to grow in my field, stretch my skills, 
• To be soon supporting myself (and all my hobbies - smile)
• To look for my own place - to decide what I want and what I do not
• To be nearer my friends

and yet....I will miss

• The three sets of tiny feet I hear every morning,
• Watching my daughter being a better woman than I ever hoped she'd become;
• Wanting to cover up my son-in-law when he falls asleep in the chair (but daring not to for fear of waking him)
• My new  friends; 
• My new church and my amazing new pastor
• My quilting group

My arm continues to improve - I have almost all my range of motion (YAY!!) but the improvement in strength is lagging. (could it possibly be due to the fact that I fell off the exercise wagon for a few weeks??)

I have transportation (YAY!) it is reliable (so far) and was an amazingly good find. 

Thank you is not enough, but it must do for now. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Merry Christmas!

Update - 6th week - September 17, 2012

Hello Everyone!

Yesterday marked six weeks since the surgery and I travelled back to MD on Friday to have the follow-up appointment scheduled for Monday September 17, 2012.  The doctor was extremely pleased with my progress!

He stated;

•  that I could work as long as in wasn't in construction ( but at the rate things have been going with finding a job - I might just have to apply to be a one-armed ditch digger!).
• I can lift no more than 5lbs; I was released from wearing the sling (YAY!!) day and night but that I should wear it when I;m going to be in crowds.
• I can DRIVE!!!!! but I am forbidden to reach up with my left (surgery ) arm for the seat belt 

He also stated that now the "real" work begins. (seriously? he didn't think allowing him to slice me open and then trusting someone to lift and turn and shake the arm five days after surgery was work?) .   He said that I will be in much more pain in these next six weeks as I will be pushed in PT and will be doing more on my own . How much pain? (you ask and I did too) Like a renewed prescription for Vicadin amount of pain!  Oh joy! joy!

I am still in MD as the "prisoner exchange" was foiled by the fact that my friend's car broke down 30 miles from the exchange site. Let's not even discuss the bizarre-o  circumstances that followed. Rashida and I headed back to MD and Beth called friends had her car towed all the way back ...and well... we'll have to see.

In the meantime, I am trying to see if I can transfer my PT to MD.. but... well... let's just say that if you haven't had to discuss creative thinking with an insurance company then you have been truly blessed. But now that I'm semi coherent - this back and forth and up and down ...is just madness!!  I am working with the billing administrator of the surgeon to file for financial hardship and will know tomorrow.

Somewhere between week three and now I developed serious and increasing pain in my right thigh.  It would only occur at night (as if I need something else to keep me awake all night!) So I thought I'd use this delay today to make an appointment with my primary physician and I learned that the pain is Bursitis. And believe it or not it was caused/aggravated by the surgery in that I have been sleeping only on my right side (without turning etc in my sleep). She gave me prescription Motrin and if that doesn't work I will need a shot of steroids. sigh ...Let's just say that I have eliminated the words "anything else?" from my vocabulary!

Update - September 2, 2012

Hey everyone!

I am continuing to progress although last week I had a more difficult time. My friend (she's a nurse) and the therapist  said it was normal. so as long as that's true I'm not worried. the therapist is excited about my progress. She said that I improved 10 points on a new exercise between one session and the next. she stated that is extraordinary.  I am pleased and encouraged that she is so happy.

In case I didn't mention it the job I interviewed for is with C///... yes the agency I worked with when I first came down.  It is a social work position but not direct line. I would actually be working with the training unit to train and license potential foster parents. I believe for now this will work for me. I will be able to get my hours to qualify for the clinical licensing exam. It is working with people who I can assume want C/// in their lives... so hopefully less hostile - smile. I have not heard anything as of yet. Even though HR said one week I knew better... so  I'm thinking it will be closer to the end of next week. Sometimes they never tell you if you haven't been chosen, but I plan to call around Thursday or Friday if I haven't heard by then. Continue praying and I'll keep you posted.

Some of the people here (...) have been very nice. Some of them have "signed up" to get me to my therapy appointments! One couple took me and Beth on a drive through the countryside. It was wonderful! I have attached a picture of one mountain that one whole side is rock and lime - they call it the "devil's backbone".

 I've also met someone here who is considered to be the best quilter. She wins the fair so often that this year she didn't enter her best work so that someone else could win! She hand quilts. She has invited us to spend some time quilting with her next week. I'm excited.

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday weekend. Thank you all for your prayers, support, emails and phone calls.  

Update - August 12, 2012

Good morning friends

please forgive the mass email but  I have yet to master  the computer with one hand.  I really want to let you know how I am and to thank you for your prayers and words of encouragement.

I am in the mountains of Virginia with my friend Beth. I am so far away from everything that there are NO cell towers!   so feel free to call me here since I can't call or text you. (phone number was here) (and she doesn't have long distance so I can't call you).

Yes to your question, it is kinda weird not to be able to text or call but once that anxiety passes (grin) the silence is quite wonderful.  

Friday the doctor said that I am healing nicely. no infection and normal swelling. he says the easy part was the surgery. he is adamant that I start physical therapy not later than Monday so I have a 2:45pm appointment in Staunton VA; which is an hour away --or as they measure distance here-- two mountains away.   I am looking forward to getting the PT started but anxious about the pain. The drugs make me sluggish and loopy. so I space them as far as possible. the doctor .suggested Motrin in between if the pain was manageable and to avoid the "drugged" feeling.

please don't hesitate to call or write or email. I appreciate  each of you.