Grateful for the Little Things

WOOOOOOP!! (say it with me.. come on, nice and loud) WOOOOOOP!! sometimes it's nice to just get a lil crazy and let out some emotion. For me, the wooooop sounded a little more like AGHKEJSUDHLJF… yeah, try and figure that one out. Mix a growing dose of cabin fever with a fairly high pain threshold paired with some drugs, I really don't know what I'm saying anymore. 

Anyway, hi there! Thought I would post an update regarding my status post-surgery. The big day was Thursday, March 12th and I was at the hospital pretty much all day. For all you medical peeps out there, they used an autograft from my hamstring to make a new and improved ACL ligament, and repaired my medial meniscus via sutures. They also found a wittle surprise when they got in there and had to cut out part of my lateral meniscus cuz it tore too. --i know fútbol got kinda crazy, but really Brie?--

mom and me pre-surgery!

home post-op..
pretty drugged

Before

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and

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After

Today I saw the doc again for my post-op-take-the-bandaids-off-give-me-a-lollipop-appointment. except I didn't get a lollipop :( He took the surgery suction sock off and all the bandages, and gave me the go ahead to take a shower! no more sponge bath for me! 
it's the little things, folks.

Disclaimer: the following content may be inappropriate for children (or those acting like children) 

Graphic images included, viewer discretion is advised.

hey that's me! poor lil knee...

self-disintegrating stitches! they make those?!

Sorry for the orange hue of ma leg… 
couldn't stay away from the self-tanner ;)

























Because they repaired my meniscus (stitched it back up rather than chop it up and take it out) that is good for the long run, cuz I'll need all that cushioning in my knee for the next long while of my wonderfully active life! Only downside is the month-long non-weight-bearing rehab.
^aka no walking. "armpit bruises for days!" sincerely, crutches.
BUT that's okay! Cuz after 4-6 weeks I can start walking… then I can start biking and jogging… then before I know it I'll be able to do anything! --except maybe play soccer. or teleport.--

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One of the many blessings of being slightly immobile is learning to be grateful for the little things.

Here are some things that may seem little, 

but I am sure as heck grateful for em!

-food-making skills. you go mom! Keep doing mom things, because all that 'mom'ing is really helpin me out.
really though, I can't even fill up my water bottle and take it to the couch myself…

-disney movies. do you realize how much do-good-be-nice-be-happy stuff is in those shows?! Big Hero 6 has my vote right now. Watch it on Norco and you'll like it even more.

-down time. I know it's only been a month and a half since the injury, but I am really likin the "forced to sit down and just BE" lifestyle. it's amazing how many types of roses you actually notice when you take the time to stop and smell them.

Referring back to the opening word of this post...

 WOOOOOP!!

that's what I said when I opened my email inbox this morning… Missionary Monday means emails from all my fellow mission buds! I have a lot of friends who have been out serving for awhile now, but this particular week hit me hard... Because of my Peru MTC friends. They left for their individual mission fields last week… and I would have been with them. So, without getting into the juicy deets and feels (that was my last post) I'll just tell you that I was more than excited to read everyone's update about their first week out serving the Lord :)

thanks for sending all those prayers up to the Big Man for me… they were felt on my end, and definitely heard on His. I am in good hands… I am on the road to recovery!

Thank you Chinese Fortune… you know me so well.