Prepping Gracie and Meal Offers

So last night I decided to start talking to Gracie about my surgery. She was playing with a sheet of bubble wrap and I told her that I had a boo boo on my head and that I was going to have to go to the hospital to see a doctor so that he could take the boo boo away. I told her that the doctor was going to put a big band-aid on my head. She responded by saying "That's not good."

I said "No. It's not but the doctor will take Mommy's boo boo away and then I will be all better". I then explained that I would have to have sleepovers at the hospital and that Daddy or Grandma would put her to bed at night.

She said "Can I see your boo boo?"

I said "No because it is inside my head."

Gracie answered "The doctor can't take the boo boo away because you have hair on your head."

I said "The doctor and nurses are going to cut my hair."

She replied "That is sad."

I then said "Yes. I don't want to have my hair cut off. But it will grow back!!!"

She then said "OK!" and then asked me to help her pop her bubble wrap :) She seemed concerned but not scared.

Then she woke up in the middle of the night. She seemed out of it and half unconscious. She asked me to sleep in her bed (which is not uncommon) and when I climbed into bed she asked "Is your head all better?"
I said "Not yet, but the doctor is going to fix it." she then kissed me on my noggin and then rolled over and immediately started snoring. Poor little thing.

On the way home today she said to me "I will be sad when you don't want to be a mommy anymore."
I had to hold back tears and say "I will always be your Mommy. That will NEVER CHANGE no matter what."

And then tonight as I put her to bed she got quite upset and didn't want me to leave. She said "I don't want you to leave for the hospital." She wouldn't calm down until I convinced her that I was not leaving tonight.
She is obviously nervous and worried about this. I'll be honest, so am I. I am going to miss her so much. I don't know whether she will be allowed to visit me in the hospital or not. I don't even know if it is a good idea for her to visit me. It all depends on how I am feeling and what kind of shape I look like afterwards.


Many of you have asked about making meals for me and my family. I have been warned by the doctor that I may not be able to open my mouth very wide after the surgery. I may require some physiotherapy to gain back all my mobility. This is caused by an incision that will be made through the muscle located at my right temple. This muscle controls my jaw. (If you place your hand at your temple and then bite down you can feel the muscle that I'm talking about.) Anyways, because of this I may have diet restrictions. I will know more once I have had my surgery. Although I may be stuck eating soup and apple sauce I am sure that Gracie and Kevin will appreciate a nice hearty meal. Thank you to all of you who have offered.
That's it for tonight. Today was my last full day at work for a few months. Tomorrow I have an MRI...a really long one...one hour staying as still as possible. On Monday I meet with the anesthesiologist and on Tuesday I register Gracie for JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN next year!!!!! I can't believe how big she is getting! The picture of us was taken on Thanksgiving at Hogs Back.