Beautiful Pennsylvania! The air this morning is crisp for a day in August, starting out at 64 degrees. There’s a gentle breeze blowing the leaves on the trees that are part of the stunning view I have outside of my window. What a great way to wake up on summer vacation!
After admiring the sunrise, I grab my room service menu so I can order my breakfast. Not too hungry this morning, and trying to watch my girlish figure. A banana, some yogurt, and some granola sounds good. And a cup of piping hot tea. The air conditioning in my room was turned down a bit too low last night!
Then the real fun begins. Because my “summer vacation”, as you all know, has so far been spent recovering from plastic surgery. We won’t bore you with the details – here’s the Cliff’s Notes version – Weight Loss Surgery, Excess Skin, Tummy Tuck, Infection. And the next turn on the road of summer fun we’re having so far takes me back where it all began. Paoli Hospital.
I’m not even gonna post pictures of what my wound looks like. Ewww.
So how did I get here? Bad travel agent? Cheap GPS? Didn’t book through Travelocity?
This is what happened – a perfectly well thought out plan occurred. I’d have gastric bypass surgery; lose a bunch of weight; have plastic surgery to take care of the ugly remnants of my former self; get a contract with the Ford Modeling Agency for Rapidly Aging Mothers; and if nothing else, at least not have to sweat my ass off in Spanx (God love them) every time I go to FL.
When I researched my surgery ahead of time, like a diligent non-emergency surgical consumer should, I thought I did a great job. I checked out doctors and their credentials. I looked into costs and variations. I looked into the different types of procedures that might be available to me. And I checked out hospitals and their spa like surroundings. I had all of my pre-op ducks in a row – making sure the will was up to date, the kids were taken care of, and I had a ride to the hospital and a way to get home.
But the one part I sort of glazed over was the “risks and complications” area. Because, after all, I’ve had a number of surgeries, and I bounce back really well. I was up and caring for babies within hours of two of my c-sections. I was playing on the floor with a not quite one year old Eilis the day after my gall bladder was taken out. I was back in the car line for school one day later when my kidney stones were removed. And how many times do you have to hear that I did Disney World 10 days after gastric bypass surgery? I tell everyone that! Who would think there would be risks and complications? That just doesn’t happen to me.
So now that I have risks, complications, and at least four different bacteria – all bad – living among my bits and pieces (including a staph infection and a gram negative bacteria), I want you guys to know that you have to be better researchers than I was. I am learning the hard way there is no such thing as being Unbreakable. And I learned that I need to better follow doctors’ orders. But if you’re a mom, you know how hard it is not to do the things your family needs or wants you to do. You have to do it.
That’s my trip report on this summer’s journey. Not as fascinating as a trip cross country. Not as exciting as a cruise through the British Isles. Not even as interesting as a trip to Milwaukee for Irish Weekend. But you can consider this my Public Service Announcement of the moment. Before you embark on any journey, remember not to just focus on the destination. Make sure you map out all the twists and turns.
