Update!
As I wrote my last blog almost immediately after my failed surgery; I wanted to post a little follow up about the complications of the surgery. While the actual surgery that I endured was painful, what I felt as I was healing was perhaps even worse. About 3 days afterwards, one of my eyes began to get very swollen. After a trip to the doctor, I was put on a 10 day course of anti-inflammatories and anti-biotics.
(Eye infection - Four days post surgery)
The healing of the infection was horrendous, along with the stomach turning side effect of the pills themselves. My vision was blurred, I couldn’t wear makeup, it was outrageously painful and any time I touched my eye, (even slightly) blood would gather in my eye. My left eye would bleed multiple times a day for about a week.
(10 days post-surgery)
I have since recovered and was able to participate in my work Halloween party…
I am currently searching for another Doctor to complete my Blepharoplasty operation. The stress of not knowing when my eyes will be fixed is a little heartbreaking. I feel like I’ve been through the worst of it however and as long as nothing I’m going through is life threatening like some of my other needed operations; I am ok with a little waiting to find the right surgeon for me.
I am still overwhelmed about the support I received while recovering. Thank you to my family for catering to my every need’s, thank you to my boyfriend for trying to make me smile when I was at my grumpiest and thank you to my work for offering unlimited hugs upon my return to the office.
Did you know?
My blog is turning ONE YEAR OLD!
On November 15th, my family will be celebrating all the success of Graves Disease awareness this last year has brought via a wonderful night out together.
(If you would like to join, you know how to contact me!)
As I reflect back on all the wonderful messages I have received from readers literally around the world; my heart is full of love. I have been blessed with an abundance of support from other Graves Disease sufferers and others who were simply touched or inspired by my story. To hear that my writing has stirred up deep feelings and emotions while reading is the highest compliment to me. I promised myself since day one that this blog would be real, honest and accurately capture the up’s and downs of this illness. Complete strangers have written me heart wrenching e-mails about their own struggles with the disease and left me in tears as well. Some of these people included every detail about their story, both happy and dire because they don’t have supports in their life to listen or help while battling Graves. Just as you have mentioned your appreciation for my blog, I appreciate you confiding your story in me as well. I have been touched and moved by your words and I thank each and every one of you for taking the time to write me, tweet me or add me on Facebook.
As I wrote my last blog almost immediately after my failed surgery; I wanted to post a little follow up about the complications of the surgery. While the actual surgery that I endured was painful, what I felt as I was healing was perhaps even worse. About 3 days afterwards, one of my eyes began to get very swollen. After a trip to the doctor, I was put on a 10 day course of anti-inflammatories and anti-biotics.
(Eye infection - Four days post surgery)
The healing of the infection was horrendous, along with the stomach turning side effect of the pills themselves. My vision was blurred, I couldn’t wear makeup, it was outrageously painful and any time I touched my eye, (even slightly) blood would gather in my eye. My left eye would bleed multiple times a day for about a week.
(10 days post-surgery)
I have since recovered and was able to participate in my work Halloween party…
I am currently searching for another Doctor to complete my Blepharoplasty operation. The stress of not knowing when my eyes will be fixed is a little heartbreaking. I feel like I’ve been through the worst of it however and as long as nothing I’m going through is life threatening like some of my other needed operations; I am ok with a little waiting to find the right surgeon for me.
I am still overwhelmed about the support I received while recovering. Thank you to my family for catering to my every need’s, thank you to my boyfriend for trying to make me smile when I was at my grumpiest and thank you to my work for offering unlimited hugs upon my return to the office.
Did you know?
My blog is turning ONE YEAR OLD!
On November 15th, my family will be celebrating all the success of Graves Disease awareness this last year has brought via a wonderful night out together.
(If you would like to join, you know how to contact me!)
As I reflect back on all the wonderful messages I have received from readers literally around the world; my heart is full of love. I have been blessed with an abundance of support from other Graves Disease sufferers and others who were simply touched or inspired by my story. To hear that my writing has stirred up deep feelings and emotions while reading is the highest compliment to me. I promised myself since day one that this blog would be real, honest and accurately capture the up’s and downs of this illness. Complete strangers have written me heart wrenching e-mails about their own struggles with the disease and left me in tears as well. Some of these people included every detail about their story, both happy and dire because they don’t have supports in their life to listen or help while battling Graves. Just as you have mentioned your appreciation for my blog, I appreciate you confiding your story in me as well. I have been touched and moved by your words and I thank each and every one of you for taking the time to write me, tweet me or add me on Facebook.
My goal for my one year anniversary of this blog is to get to 10,000 reads!
What I ask of you, is that if you have been reading along or perhaps moved by anything you have ever read on here… please share, tweet, post (or even shout off a room top!) my blog address. If you know anyone in your life who you think could benefit from either learning about thyroid issues, graves disease, surgery or just needs to hear a genuine feel-good story, please pass the link onto them. Together we can reach the goal of 10,000 reads!
Over this last year, I have also been invited by numerous media outlets across Edmonton and beyond to discuss my story and I am grateful to each and every one of them for helping to spread the message about Graves Disease. I have a few more media appearances coming soon that I will keep followers updated on as they happen.
As the holidays approach, I encourage you to see the good in every day; even if that means looking a little harder some days. The thing I appreciate most that this illness has put me though, is learning to see the beauty in nearly any situation. I find myself stopping at amazement in simple objects or places I never noticed before and snapping pictures lately. I am truly thankful for each new day. Perhaps we should all be a little more thankful for today, since it is the only one we know we have for sure. (Pictures below are moments I captured!)
I also hope that you all get to spend more time with you family. Don’t wait for something bad to happen before you take the time to tell everyone in your life how much they mean to you. So to my friends, family, co-workers, readers and followers; thank you for taking the time to check in with me over this last year in particular to see how I have been doing. It has been ‘one hell of a year’ and I am only getting stronger after every needle, stitch, surgery and complication that Graves Disease has forced upon me.While this disease has prepared me to expect the unexpected, I am ready to take on whatever life decides to have in store for me, good or bad. Thank you for being a part of this journey with me.
"There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle.
The other is as though everything is a miracle."
-Rayanne
