Nothing cements the end of a cross country move like an unexpected surgery!
Our little fam has been praying about moving to a bigger city for years, and each time it was a resounding “not yet”. Until this year, when God finally gave us the clear message that now is the time to go. And so we listened.
It happened so very fast from the second we nudged the ball to get it rolling.
Apartment found and lease signed – check.
Boxes packed, and repacked, and even MORE boxes packed – check.
Getting car services and tyres check for the 12+ journey – check.
Movers arranged and bigger furniture sold before we left – check.
Taking our pupper for a check up and getting her some meds for the road – check.
Spending some quality time with the loved ones we were leaving behind – check.
And then we hit the road. All 3 of safety belted, armed with coffee and breakfast buns. No coffee for pupper obviously… but she had a lovely breakfast to wash her relaxant down with.
The driving part, in my opinion, is one of the most fun parts of a trip. The opportunity to see new surroundings, listen to good music, eat yummy snacks and chat about anything and everything.
We thought this trip would be no different. We thought we would have nothing to worry about except taking breaks for the pupper and make sure we reach our destination within a reasonable time.
But as is par for the course for me when on the verge a big life change, I once again, publicly and embarrassingly, took a tumble. I misstepped off the sidewalk into a ditch and landed with all my weight on my leg. There was a definite “crunch”.
We are thankful to the four strangers who rushed to help us. We were in such a state we didn’t get their names. I was in full ugly cry mode and hubby was in full superman mode – even in his unfit state he lifted my overweight body like it was nothing and carried me to the car.
This was the first time in my life I broke anything. I used to be more of a scrape-or-bruise kind of gal. When the dust settled we learnt I broke not one, not even two… but THREE bones in my ankle area. The breaks themselves were clean, but the number required surgery to make sure it would all heal properly. It had me in tears again not that I didn’t want to have my leg fixed, but the idea of sleeping in a hospital is still a trigger for me.
Thankfully, we found a wonderful orthopedic surgeon with lots of experience and a kind heart. With it being a low risk surgery being admitted to a day hospital was perfectly fine – no need for me to sleep over in hospital.
We are so grateful for the people God handpicked to be there on the day from the receptionist to the nursing staff who handled my discharge. They were all beyond kind and willing to go the extra mile to the strangers still getting their bearings in a new city.
The surgery was two days ago now and went well. Despite my wide range of medical treatments and procedures, this is the first one that called for a nerve block. I’ve heard about it before, but never needed one.
It was so strange. My leg from the calf down was numb. The kind of numb when your foot has fallen asleep, and it was just before pins and needles would start. Every time I woke up from a nap I felt it, my brain automatically sounded the alarms to get that leg moving to return some blood flow. But the leg was fine and the blood still circulating.
The anesthesiologist joked that I would miss the nerve block once it wore off. And, man, was he 100% correct. This broken leg is one of the most painful moments of my life – second only to the horrendous back pain I woke to after 6+ hours of surgery with no physical way for me to sit up straight yet.
Despite the medical madness, the chaos still can’t steal the joy we are feeling about our new adventure, new plans and new home.
It may look different from the dream in our heads or not be working with our initial plan, but let’s be honest – life rarely does follow the “plan”. In between the pain and hardwork the move has still been so much fun.
It’s all worth it because I know:
- We followed God’s timing and we are now where He wants us to be.
- I have one amazing husband to share everything with.
Shattered Warrior 