The Journey of a Major Injury

On January 24th 2014, I had to wake up earlier than normal to await the arrival of my Christmas gift from my husband, a new elliptical machine!! It was top of the line, gym quality, he said I was worth it though I cringed at the price tag. When it arrived and was set up and the delivery men left, I did my first (& last work out since) for thirty minutes! I was in love, I was so excited at the thought of being able to get back in shape, lose my baby belly( ahem, 3 children & 8 years later!) in the comfort of my home. But, hours later my life would change forever.

At 3pm, I gave a late afternoon bath to my smaller kiddo's, Brody and Gracelynn. I was leaving the bathroom holding Gracelynn, wet and bundled in her cozy towel, we were snuggled and I was just smelling her sweet baby clean skin. I stepped out of the door and our Golden Retriever, Lucy, was laying in the threshold. In fear of waking her, I made a split decision that would change the course of my life, one tiny moment and the wrong decision, such a petty decision to step over her! In that moment, I took one leg(all while holding Grace) and placed it on the other side of the dog to walk over, Lucy was startled and jumped up very quick! This caused my other leg to buckle completely sideways, it was a very non-classy fall. The baby fell out of my arms as I crashed to the floor and in that instant, terror shook through my core. The baby was screaming, I was yelling "oh God, please help me!" I was scared she was hurt & I had no way of getting to her because I was in the worst pain of my life. Brody was still in the bath just feet away and my screaming terrified him so much he jumped up and ran to us, he was my little hero. I told him "I think mommy broke her leg, please go find my phone!" Because at that moment, that's all I could think was it had to be broken with the amount of sheer instant pain and the way I had fallen.

I didn't know that day what had happened inside my knee,  my husband & I thought maybe just a tough sprain. I went the ER the next day which happened to be our daughters shared birthday party! Tons of guests were on their way to our home and I felt like a mess. I couldn't cancel with hours notice and my amazing helpmate and husband was by my side assuring the show went on! & it did.

During the next week, I sat and gradually felt better four days later until the unthinkable happened, AGAIN!
I was holding Gracelynn in our living room looking out the front door as my little man got our mail out front. For no reason, my leg buckled before me and gave way, baby & I fell, I screamed and the same pain was there immediately. This time, I knew something major was happening, my husband came home in an instant from work and calls were made.

Two days later, tests were taken, my first MRI(which was a great 40 minutes with just God and myself in silence). Days after that came the phone call, I had completely torn my ACL in half, it was totally shredded. The most severe knee injury you can achieve, I got it, by falling over my goofy dog. Only *I* can do that one! :)

So here I am in this ACL journey, one I never would have guessed I would be on, after all this is a journey you associate with athletes! Which I am not! Not in the least!

Who says Stay At Home Moms have it easy?! I am proof this is a tough job!! Ha!

I have grown soooo close with Jesus the last two months(just realizing it was exactly two months ago today I fell!). I have grown soo close with my mother as well, what a help she has been, 28 and I still need my own mother. I have also grown more deeper in love with my Kevin, I know he would be here today with me if he could. As I sit and cry and lay in pain, duty calls and I am still a mom! My first day, three weeks after reconstructive surgery, that I'm home with the children. It's 10am, we've made it three hours so far!

This is mainly to journal my journey, to show I am human, I cry, I suffer, I cry out to Jesus in my weakest moments for His strength because my own is so small, I could not make if not for HIM! I struggle, I have feelings, I fall, but I GET UP! I'm up!!! I have 6-9 months left of this initial recovery so I'm sure more blogs will cover my ACL Journey. I fell in January so this is pretty much my 2014! Lots to learn about myself, about the strength & purpose of God and those who are by my side supporting me through it all.

Blessings friends! IF you fall, YOU CAN GET up, but only in God's arms as HE lifts you to your feet!!