Hear your heart. Heart your health.

I am by NO means comparing myself to Matt Long, but this ad gave me chills - and I think it's worth sharing because he is the embodiment of "the tough get going," is nothing short of inspiring & apparently so is the doctor (and his family) who treated him. Plus, this is the hospital where Griffin was born & where I was recently treated in the ER.

I'm certainly not looking for any sympathy, but I've been gone for a long time, so let me just shout out some words to highlight the last four months of my post-birth recovery & to allow a little insight into the rocky start of my 2011: 

Fever, mastitis, lactation consultant, antibiotics, fever, mastitis #2, allergic reaction to antibiotics, breast specialist, fever, mastitis #3, breast specialist, abscess, antibiotics, C Diff, Emergency Room, antibiotics, C Diff #2, antibiotics, colonoscopy, probiotics, antibiotics.

Lots of ugly in this list.  Like a good sneeze, let's hope it's all out.  The good news is that I'm finally feeling better, Griffin is healthy, and I have a whole new appreciation for being healthy.  In fact, I think this experience warrants a What I've Learned List. 

So here we go - what I've learned in four short, amazing, rocky, and exciting months:

1) Never ever ever take my health for granted.
2) I gave birth.  I can do anything.
3) #2 doesn't mean I should put up with pain.
4) My gut is usually right.
5) Doctors aren't always right.
6) They really do grow up so fast.
7) Never ever take my family for granted.
8) It's okay to ask for help.
9) I'm still working on #8.
10) Giving birth was the easy part.

Thanks to everyone for hanging in there with me.  Here's to a healthy rest of 2011!

["Hear your heart. Heart your health."  - Faith Seehill]