God makes beauty from ashes

I wanted to write tonight's blog on my hysterectomy recovery as I've been looking online about it to see if I'm normal or alone in what I'm going through and although there are quite a few 'vlogs' on girls after their hysterectomies - they were recorded sometimes as much as 10 years ago and there is nothing recent. I want to try to change that. For me, it was a really blessed operation. It was meant to be laparoscopic (key-hole surgery that isn't as evasive and people recover from it a lot faster as there is a lot less injury) but because I had such big fibroids (non-cancerous growths) in my uterus as well, I guess Dr Penis (haha) decided to go "full abdominal" which meant cutting open my stomach from one hip right across to the other. A 'c section', basically - but sideways along my lower abdomen rather than vertically up my stomach. For that I'm very thankful. Alun checked over my wound as they were changing the dressing on it t...

Hey, Just a quick one - if you're new to my blog (WELCOME!!!) or if I haven't told you earlier, I have had this personal blog - basically online DIARY OF JANET - going for 9 years now. I see this blog as the author so I have different settings/views for it but I've tried it 'as a guest' and if you click the 3 lines on the top right of the screen, a menu will drop down. Select "Archive" You'll then see ALL my blog posts over these long years. Click on "See All/See more (?)" and it will list blog titles right back to 2010. I'd love for you to read over all of them so you get a more complete picture of me - not just these weird, random blogs I've been doing lately. Haha. My friends Marc, Becci, Sam and Claudie will message me when they want to ask a question or point something out and I really enjoy the feedback so if you have any questions/suggestions - please message me, I'd love to hear from you. To my loyal follower...

Hey you, I'm typing away this evening with rain spattering the roof and windows. It's really cold and I feel so warm, safe and comfy on the sofa, surrounded in pillows and blankets. I absolutely LOVE this and I'm so thankful I'm recovering from my hysterectomy in weather that I like the best. I'm definitely a winter girl. I love the cosiness of winter and I'm thankful I'm not trying to get better in the heat of an Aussie summer. I went into the city yesterday to sign up with a new Government job agency. It seems like they have a lot of reception roles coming in every day so I feel excited to be going back into work. I just need to make sure I don't take up any job offers that begin before July 26th as I will be working (woo!) in Dept of Planning until then. I'm looking forward to going back and working on their reception desk again. It was a job I was really happy in and I know it's primarily just answering the phones so I know it won't...

Haha I'm home on my own for weeks on end so guess what? You're going to get A LOT OF BLOGGING FROM ME. Lucky you, eh? Hahaahahahahah *evil laugh* I wanted to write today about how incredibly blessed we are to have each other. We are so blessed to have people in our lives who love us. I take it for granted or I'm oblivious to it most of the time (haha) but I have so many amazing people in my life and sometimes life gives me a big nudge to remind me of that. I remember it so well - the feeling of being blessed - when the Admissions Nurse on the phone asked "is someone going to drive you home after your operation?" as she ran through questions with me the day before my hysterectomy. My first thought was " Of Course " and then I was struck by that and really humbled. How blessed am I that immediately Alun's gorgeous face came to mind? I know that Alun will move heaven and earth to look after me, to be by my side, to support me and to chee...

Hey hey everyone :) And by everyone, I mean hello Becci, Claudie and maybe Marc :) hahahaha omg I am so glad for you guys - at least someone is reading along with me, eh? You guys brighten my world and remind me I'm not alone. On that note, if you are reading my blog and I don't know it (i.e. - you're not one of the 3 who contact me every now and then and say "I just read your blog!" haha - please let me know so I can talk to you and hear more from you, ok?) It's 2 weeks after the operation and I think of my life in terms of "BEFORE" and "AFTER" I had a womb. I don't know what else is missing, really. The Surgeon "Dr Penis" (don't ask) asked me the day after surgery "do you have any questions" but I was so drugged up on pain medications I could only shake my head and smile "no thanks, I'm all good" Now I DO have questions: What did you take out? How big was the massive fibroid that starte...

Since the operation, I've just been resting. I've been doing what I've wanted to do for a very long time - a lot of naps in the day - as many as I want - and long sleeps in the night followed by sleep-ins every morning. This is wonderful. Everyone I love in my life is encouraging me to rest. To 'take it easy' and to 'not do too much', especially Alu n. Feels like I've died and gone to heaven, really. This is all I've ever wanted - guilt-free time to rest. And yet, I can't seem to let go. I can't seem to just enjoy this wonderful time. I'm convinced I'm a burden - especially to Alun - so I'm pushing myself every day to do housework. I'm not resting. I'm stressing. I'm anxious to do things so that I'm "useful" at home. It. Is. Knackering. Today was so sunny and bright out that I couldn't help but go out into the world. So I walked to Maylands - just one train stop up from our home stop o...

It's funny how things stick in our memory and they end up being the most obscure things. It's a week after my last blog and these are the things I remember: - Feeling so thankful for Alun's sense of calm as we checked into the Fancy Hospital a few hours before the operation. I felt anxious and this was displaying itself in my constant talking and nervous movements. Alun is always calm and I'm thankful I could lean on that as my fear got bigger and bigger. - They were holding a bake sale in the lobby of the Hospital - which was a lot more like a nice hotel than a hospital with a fancy reception. I liked seeing the cupcakes in pink icing. Alun bought me 2 cakes and we put them into a paper bag "for after the op" - Alun and I both took out our phones and took photos of my Hospital room because the view was so pretty - right over the South Perth Bay. Sailboats were lined up by the shore and they all looked so pretty. - I remember the Anaesthesiologist in...

Tomorrow I go in for a hysterectomy operation. ARGH!!! I've had 3 months to prepare for this moment and have I done anything to help get through the operation as best I can? No. I have not. JANET!! I drive MYSELF nuts, I tell you. The house is pretty messy but nothing too huge - nothing I couldn't get done in a few hours. But I haven't moved from bed. ARGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!