An attempt to not be Debbie Downer (A nod to all of those SNL fans)

I feel like lately I have been Debbie Downer. I get through one challenge only to have something new to complain about. So, I am going to briefly update what is happening with my leg and then talk about more pleasant topics. On April 18, Dr. Booth decided that the tunnel in my leg would not heal without intervention. He numbed my leg and then with a scalpel, cut open my leg down to the tunnel so that my leg could heal from the base up to the surface. I know it seems strange to cut a leg open to heal it, but my tunnel would persist, be an area for possible infection and continued drainage. This was a painful procedure and I did not recover like I thought I should. I went back on Thursday, and Dr. Booth had determined that I had cellulitis in my leg, but it was not in my wound, but in the area that I have had problems with scar tissue and suspected an additional tumor. He told me to go the ER and that I would be in patient for 2 to 3 days if it was simply cellulitis, but if it was an abscess, I needed to head back to Salt Lake for more surgery and interventions. I was scared and wouldn't you know it, it was one of the few times I went alone to wound clinic. I went and picked up Kortney and hugged Grandma as I headed to the ER. Once there, I was treated like a hypochondriac who did not know what she was talking about. The ball had been dropped between the old campus of the hospital and the new hospital. After 4 hours at the ER, they had determined that it was cellulitis but my white count was not high enough to be too concerned. (Apparently I can show up normal on blood work and yet have cancer-That was 15 months ago.) So I was referred to Infusion therapy through the holiday weekend to receive daily infusions of Rocefin and to take it easy and try and elevate my leg as much as possible. No problem because all I wanted to do was sleep, I felt like crud. I am now on more oral antibiotics and trying to feel stronger, but my allergies are also kicking my trash. This week I was referred for Hyperbaric therapy. I thought it was no big deal before I saw what that entails. Hyperbaric treatment involves wearing this clear plastic hood over your head with it locked on a collar you put on first so that you get 100% oxygen while you are in this pressurized tank. Did not look like a pleasure cruise to me. I would also have to get my little friend back on my leg. My little friend is a temperamental little machine called a wound vac. The other difficulty is that they want me to commit to 2 hour sessions 5 days a week for 6 weeks. That is a huge commitment to accompany my internship.
Okay, on to pleasantries. I am going back to Southwest Mental Health Youth Division for my final 15 weeks of internship. This is where I did my first 30 weeks and I enjoyed it immensely. It is difficult to work with children, but I love thinking that if I can teach an 8 year old a skill that will serve them the rest of their lives, how much happier they will be. I have run into some wonderful, fun kids there and I am glad they can accommodate me for these final weeks. I was really concerned that I did not have an internship site because I am so close to finishing that no one would want to invest the time in me. I start back on Monday, May 2nd. I will be working with a different population these final weeks. I will be working with troubled teenage boys. I love helping kids and seeing them learn something about themselves that can enhance their lives. Not to mention, I get to play with toys, draw and color, and play all day long. It is fabulous. The other good news is that I am graduating with my Masters in Counseling-Mental Health on Saturday May 7th. And I am walking at graduation. I decided that I need to celebrate the good things in my life. I had wanted to have all my family and my cute husband to be there but the fates did not quite align for that to happen. I am going to graduation with very exceptional parents whom I know I could not have survived without during this last part of my life. We will have to all celebrate during my birthday in July. I have realized that any graduation is worth celebrating, any victory is worth celebrating because life is short and we should be trying to build each other up rather than the doldrums of every day. That is the other bit of good news. I am going to have another birthday this year. And as much as I would rather be turning 26 than 36, I am glad that my Heavenly Father gave me another year in this mortal existence and I am excited to have my family including my cute husband around me while I blow out my candles. Thank heavens there is a bright side to every dark cloud.