Much needed vacation!

Well it is finally Friday and we are officially on vacation!!!! I have been looking forward to this for awhile now and after the news that I got from the doctor today, I especially need the rest and relaxation with my family.

I started occupational therapy last week and we have just been working on massage and finger movement because I have been in so much pain and my hand and arm have been swelling so much. My hand has been turning purple on and off and I get these terrible shooting pains up my arm that bring me to tears but I have been trying not to complain too much because I know it has only been a month since surgery and I am still healing. Well I knew that something was wrong and when the doc walked in the room today he looked at me and said you don't look so good and I said I don't feel so good. He looked at my hand and arm and said that I had RSD...Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy which is a chronic regional pain syndrome. I am still doing research on it. He said some people get it after a surgery like this and some don't. They don't know why some do or why they do. He had talked at one point about doing another surgery on my arm but now that he has diagnosed me with the RSD....he said no more surgeries. He said if I had another surgery the chance of RSD would be more severe. We talked at great length today about my situation and although I knew it was coming...it was hard to hear the words...I need to deal with the fact that my arm and hand will never be normal again...it was very emotional for me! For two years this has interrupted my life in many ways and has taken a great toll on me. This is the end of the road as far as surgeries and now it is time to prepare my case and try to move forward.

So we are getting ready to go on vacation...first going to Chicago for Ashlee's college orientation...which is something else that has been very emotional for me lately. I am having a hard time with the thought of Ashlee leaving and going off on her own. I know it is what she wants and I want it for her and I know she is going to have so much fun...but I just can't imagine not having her around the house. I am very excited to see where she will be living and going to school. She will be living in a suite with 3 other girls. She is so excited!!!

We are going to Wisconsin Dells and staying at the Kalahari Resort for 3 days on the way home from Chicago. The Kalahari is my favorite place to go and relax!!

I am going for my mani and pedi tomorrow morning. I requested Anne so I can ask her to be gentle with my hand...it will be a good start to my relaxing vacation. Then I will come home and finish packing.

We are having Ashlee's going away party on August 18th. It is going to be a Hawaiian themed Luau and we rented a hot tub!! I will be sending out invites...so stop by and say Aloha. She moves into her apartment in Chicago on August 22nd!!!!

Well, I will have my laptop on vaca so I will update again while we are gone. Have a great week!!