As the Journal Continues Part 2

Well, the day has finally come that I got to go back to Birmingham. I would actually go back tomorrow if I was really keeping up with the dates. I have had many sleepless nights because of the stupid bag and have cried myself to sleep so many times I can't count! I called on Thursday before my Pouchogram to ask Emily, Dr. Cannon's nurse, a few questions. I can bet I know what you're thinking. And yes I did ask that question! I asked if everything looked good the next day could I have surgery next week. I wanted it done before Labor Day. She said I could and put me down for 8 am the following Thursday if everything looked good! I was so excited. I called everyone and told them that they needed to keep next Thursday down on their calendar for me for surgery! Plus Andrew had something going on at work on Labor day weekend, and I really wanted him there. Everyone in my family wanted the surgery to be the last weekend in August because of everything going on. My dad was working 60 hours a week and that's about the same for Andrew. It just so happened that everything kind of claimed down that weekend.
I went to Birmingham on an empty stomach. This now made about six trips to Birmingham on an empty stomach!! I was starving! I went in with a huge smile on my face because I just knew that I would be having surgery next week. I went to the third floor to have the test ran then upstairs to Dr. Cannon's waiting room. Mike, my father-in-law, went with me again! Everyone else was in school, and my parents wanted to keep their days for when I had surgery so they could be there the whole time to help us. I was finally called back to see Dr. Cannon, and she could tell on my face that I was sick of the bag and was ready to get reid of it!
Dr. Cannon told me that the problem spot, which was scar tissue, that she saw last time was still there, but it was fine! I could have the surgery! I was so excited!! My prayers have been answered! She left the room to check her calendar. When, she came back she said that she could do it on the week before Labor Day. I wanted to cry. I asked her, "What about the reservation that I made yesterday for last week?" with tears in my eyes! She said oh yea that is you at 8 a.m. next Thursday morning! She went to get Emily to start my paperwork for next week! I have never been that happy to know that I was going to have surgery the every next week!! I know I'm dumb for wanting to have surgery but with all the trouble that I had had with that stupid bag I was excited about that surgery!! Dr. Cannon kept telling me that I would more than likely have the hang of it when it was time to get reid of the bag, and she was right. By this time, I was myself getting a bag to stay on for about 3 to 4 days!! That was great because it had been every day or two!
When we got out of the dr., I got on the phone with Andrew to tell him the news then my parents so they all could take off to be there! Then as my father-in-law date day was going on we went to our favorite restuarant for lunch!! Nikki's West!! That was such a great meal!
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Before I went to the dr., the ladies at church started a bible study on Thursday nights. I started not knowing what I would learn from it! The study was Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow. I was excited about this class because it gave me something to do because Andrew and I thought it would be best if I sat this semster out of school due to the surgery and recovery that I was going to go through. Like I said in earlier post this was a really hard time for the both of us. This study also was hard for me to do. It was exactly what I needed that put me closer to God and my husband. I cried while reading most of the first few chapters. I also was still in some ways still mad at God. I was yet to figure out why I was going through all of this. I also kept telling Andrew and everyone at chruch that I wanted to come home to Hernando to recover from this last surgery. I wanted to be home because that's where I thought I need to be.
One day before I left for my last surgery, Paige and I went to eat lunch, and we spent the rest of the afternoon together. She told me a few days before to be reading Isaiah 43. We discussed this over lunch. For the ones of you that don't know, Paige was in a really bad car wreck a few years ago. She's in ICU for over seven weeks. Her husband, Brian, was told everyday that she wasn't going to make it. When she finally got out, she was like me mad at God. She went to these verses that helped her through this really tough time in her life, and they really help me as well.
One Saturday night I was sitting in my bed asking God, What am I suppose to learn from this. I was almost in tears. Then, I started thinking about all the nurses that helped me while I was in the hospital. I was thinking God are you serious that you want me to become a nurse. He was telling me yes. I was thinking I don't know if I can do this. I'm just one year away from graduating from U of Mississippi with a degree in Education! You mean you want me to start over! That's what He wanted. I told Andrew the next day because he was working late and wasn't home until about 2:30that next morning. He was happy for me and this idea. Christina, whom I go to church with and have gotten really close to, had told her mom several months earlier how much you want to bet that she will change her major to nursing after all is said and done! I was shocked to know that so many people had started to think this. Andrew had had the feeling too! I know why it took me so long to understand is because I didn't want to hear it! I didn't want to be a nurse now. I did when I was young but not now. It's hard to get into, and it's hard to go to school for it.
I was so happy with all the support I had gotten from everyone about changing my major! God will do anything to put you on the journey that He wants you to go on. I have also noticed that He hasn't ever left my side during this whole journey when at times I thought He had!