I'm Back

I just got back from visiting family for Thanksgiving. DH and I went to visit his family for the holiday. It was a 17 hour car ride, which of course wreaked havoc with my back. Though, it wasn't as bad as it has been in the past. I was hurting pretty good when we arrived, but I wasn't in a pain crisis and I could still limp around. This surprised me, but it was a nice surprise.

Thanksgiving was wonderful! I love my DH's family and they love me. We had a lot of fun, great food, and wonderful company. DH had to go to a class for his job on the Monday after Thanksgiving, so I stayed at his dad's house while he was gone. I went shopping with my mother-in-law, drove to WI to pick up my daughter (who was meeting her boyfriend for a few days since we would be closer than we usualy are) and my mother-in-law went with me (drove most of the way there and back also). We had wonderful conversations during the week and lots of laughter.

We had dinner at his sister's house the night after Thanksgiving I believe it was. I'm not 100% sure because I got sick. For 3 days all I did was cough a lot and sleep almost non-stop. Around noon at my DSIL's house, I went to lay down and slept until Ron woke me up at about 5 or 5:30pm. The dinner was wonderful! My DFIL made his baked beans and my DSIL made a delicious ham. There was a lot of talk and laughter during the meal. I love his family a lot! After we ate we went back to his dad's house and I went back to sleep.

DH returned on Friday the 4th of December, which was our 9th wedding anniversary. I never thought I would have a relationship with a man that would last this long and still be happy and healthy. I was wrong and this is one of those few times that I am so glad to be wrong LOL We've been together for 9 years and I love him more now than I did at the beginning. He is always there for me, listens to me even when he doesn't really understand what I am rambling about, makes me smile, doesn't hold my disabilities and pain against me, doesn't treat me like I am less of a human being, he is just wonderful in most areas. I am looking forward to our next 9 years together!

We stayed 2 days longer than we had originally planned because the family had scheduled their annual Christmas Dinner (family) for Saturday the 5th. This is earlier than they usually do it and Ron thought that it might be because they knew he was going to be up there around that date. So we stayed and went to the dinner. It was a lot of fun and I got to meet even more of his family. They all seemed very nice and I got to talk to quite a few. Sadly we had to leave a bit early because my back freaked out on me. I had woken up that morning with lots of pain and sciatica which normally would have kept me home, but I did not want to miss the dinner so I went anyway. I brought a pillow with me to sit on in the hopes that it would keep the pain from going too high. It worked for a little while, but not as long as I wanted. I felt so bad but when the pain hit a 9, I had to leave. Ron, of course, went with me to make sure I went to bed when we got back to the house and I feel so guilty. Some of the family members that were there were people he had not seen in 20 years or so and he had been enjoying conversations with them. He said he wasn't upset, that he was happy that I had gone despite a high level of pain to begin with, though he was a tad annoyed that I had worked so hard to hide the pain I was in.

We started home that night and I drove from just a bit after Nashville to our house, about 5 hours. When we were about 2 hours from home, Ron was finally asleep in the backseat and my pain went way up. I chose not to pull over and wake Ron up because I knew how tired he was, so I pushed myself a bit and drove all the way home. I hit pain crisis when I got out of the van at home and both legs wouldn't hold me up. We went to bed when we got home and slept for a while.

We've been getting back into the routine of things around here. I love visiting his family, but its still nice to be home. I am very grateful that my chronic pain didn't interfere with our visit as much as it could have and has in the past. All in all my back and pelvis held up pretty well and I am very glad!