Update after a long silence

e-mail sent on June 11th

Dear Friends,

Sorry for the silence and the lack of updates on the blog
(http://ruths-journey.blogspot.com/). Now you will receive quite a few over
the next days. I have been doing well. Maybe doing more then I
should in some ways but some of it is what is making me feel better.
It is a struggle to want life to be back to normal, but I need
patience in waiting for that. In my attempt to get normal, I
ventured out to work for 4 hours on Thursday, and that led to
another extravaganza of leaving the house the next morning at 7:30am
(because I had a kind offer of transport to work) in order to be there in
time for a 9am lab photo shoot. I did get an hour of work in before the
lab photo. The comments from people at work as well as friends were
very uplifting. It is nice to know that they are happy to see me
around again. One colleague said, "I am sorry Ruth, but you do not
look at all like you just had an operation. No one would know that
you just had major surgery." Yes, I have had good coloring since
even in the recovery room and maybe even look healthier than before
the operation. Guess my body was really fighting that cancer. BUT
maybe I should just take off my shirt and show my wounds to prove it
(just kidding). No, it is not easy. I may look very good on the
outside and be expressive and myself, BUT there is still a lot of
healing that needs to take place on the inside. My doctor said he
had to do a great job because he knew his work was going to be
checked. And I must say, they all say the incisions look great.
I have been having a lot of trouble sleeping but it has been a bit
better the last couple of nights since every day I am more mobile
and can sleep in different positions now.
My frustration is that there is no book to tell me what to expect
and to know what is normal or not normal. So everything is new and
leaves a lot of room for imagination; therefore, I am so thankful
for my friend Jon and other medical doctor friends who have really been
able to provide the most support in this area. I am comfortable
with my looks but not sure what is going on when I am having slight
elevations in my temperature or "fluid build up" (if that is what it
is and it is uncomfortable), pain (none before and some now but more
uncomfortable than pain, great though to have quite a bit of arm
movement and to be able to bend over with out feeling the implant).
Previously I had more discomfort than I did pain. I have been off
pain meds for quite a while and was using them to prevent the pain
but not because of the pain. All in all, everyone says I am doing
well everything considered. Please pray for my patience with the
recovery and that I would not feel overwhelmed with trying to figure
out how to juggle everything (eating right, drinking, transport,
exercise, sleeping, working (Verami has gotten busy), rest, visits,
calls, etc.).

Thanks for being alongside of me on this journey, and I do
appreciate your visits, calls, food, flowers, and other gifts of love and
kindness and most importantly prayers. I enjoy having the time to
visit and see friends I have not seen for a long time. I even had a
visit from Germany yesterday unexpectedly.

Blessings,
Ruth