Life Lately + Big News!

Something I never imagined is happening...

We last left off at my husband's emergency surgery on May 1st. The infection was in the tissue around the surgical site and in the bone that had been repaired in his previous surgery—there was so much infection that the surgery took twice as long as expected. The one night, maybe two, we were told to expect became four. Four loooooong nights. He was sent home with a midline and IV antibiotics for at least four weeks, maybe six. Considering all of it, he’s doing very well 🙌🏼

By the end of his stay, my body was not doing well. My pain escalated each day as my mobility lessened. My cane and my rollator were simply not enough, and I wished so badly I’d had a wheelchair already. My body had nothing to give, and I had no choice but to keep pushing it beyond its limits.

The day after we came home, my body decided to act a fool. I mean, I knew I needed to lie in bed for a couple days to recover from the depletion. My body was barely functioning, though I (thankfully) didn’t have any muscle freeze events. Buuuuuttt…I had a crazy gastric thing that lasted for days (like didn’t eat a meal from Tue night until Fri night, just liquids and saltines), plus sharp pain in my chest that radiated to my shoulders and neck. It was so bad that my husband [the night after he got home from the hospital] asked if I needed to go to the ER. As someone who deals with chronic pain and abnormal health events, it takes a lot for me to go. It also takes a lot for him to ask since he’s been involved in extreme sports for quite a long time, and injuries have to be severe for him to go…I was surprised at how worried he was, but I knew it would pass.

Anyway, we are both doing better now. I have been pacing myself well and feel like things are back to normal. So much so that I decided to dive into my next big endeavor sooner than planned…

---

I was recently accepted to MSU Denver for a BS (and MS after) in Social Work!!! Instead of starting this Fall, I’m starting this Summer—in just over 3 weeks 🙀 I am beyond excited! I dropped out of FIU in 2008, after 3 semesters, due to my mental health and home situation. I have since believed my goal of being a therapist was out of reach. I thought eight years of schooling was the only way. Thankfully, my friend who is an LCSW kept nudging me—she told me several times I’d be so good at it, and I think so, too! I realized that this was attainable, especially being a fully online program, and I am ready. I am so ready! I honestly thought I’d never go back to school, and I couldn’t be happier for this next step in life 🥳

As I do need to work while I’m in school, I am starting conservatively with six credits each semester. I’m hoping, after Summer and Fall, that I’ll be able to handle nine per semester so I can graduate with my BS closer to four years instead of five. With having such dynamic disabilities, my capacity can change quickly when life is life-ing and stress rises, so I don’t want to take on too much at any one time.

If you are disabled or chronically ill and are in or have been in school while sick, I’d love tips on pacing school work! I will be reaching out for accommodations, but I know it’s going to be a lot of trial and error to understand how I need to work it to make it work for me.

Anyway, I am determined to work my way back to writing here 1-2x a week. I miss you, I miss connecting with myself, and I miss the flow of words pouring out of me…

More soon 💖

---

Thanks for reading Chronically Vulnerable 🙏🏼 If you know someone who could benefit from reading this post, please send it their way. We are a village 💖

Subscription not for you? Venmo once to offer your support for this publication! Thank yoouuuu 🙏🏼