I’ll Be Back To Work Soon :)

A couple weeks ago, on February 1st 2013, I had major surgery. While I knew it was eventually going to happen, it wasn't exactly planned.

I went in to see my doctor that Monday, and the surgery was scheduled for Friday the same week.

I didn't have a lot of time to prepare for the downtime. I had 72 hours to do pre-op blood work, get a root canal (necessary, before I could "go under"), and set up a clean and comfortable recovery space here at home.

To be honest, I wasn't expecting the recovery to be as rough as it was. I figured I would spend most of the first week in bed enjoying books and movies and just resting. Unfortunately I had a bad reaction to the anesthesia that left me with blurred vision, nausea and "brain fog" - I was unable to comprehend anything much more than about the size of a tweet, lol. Ugh!

I'm much more alert and focused now, but it's been over two weeks and I am still on bed rest. Being up on my feet very long at all causes me pain and exhaustion.

This is not something I'm used to. I'm one with a very high tolerance. Even with that nasty flu for two+ weeks in January, I still ran circles around everyone! It takes a lot to put me down - but this damn well did it. 😛

I can't sit up for very long, so I haven't been able to host my Brainstorming Hour sessions I usually do twice a week. And my focus is still seriously lacking.

I do miss my work, and look forward to getting back in the swing of things when I can. And I really appreciate the understanding and patience. Everyone has been so kind. Thank you for that. 🙂

My health is my top priority right now. It will take me some time to be able to work for even a few hours a day, and to get caught up and back on a roll.

I'm okay with that - zero stress. While I don't like the idea of letting anyone down or things falling through the cracks, and certainly didn't intend to be unable to work for this long, I know you prefer me well and back at my best.

My surgery was of a personal nature so I didn't talk very openly about it. I had a partial hysterectomy due to a large tumor in my uterus they discovered last June, and another tumor removed at the same time. They were both benign, but I have been unwell with it all for quite some time, and am very happy to have all of this behind me. The "rush" came when the tumor grew to a point that the weight of it caused my uterus to drop. Thus the lack of time and preparation I was expecting to have. (Apologies if that was a bit too much detail for you.)

I am so very grateful for my local friends who have helped me out so much through all of this, and for the love and support I've received from my friends and connections all over the world. There were days where I spent hours on end sitting still and unable to sleep, and a card in the mail or an online message totally made my day.

I've met so many wonderful people through my work over the years. As much as I love the work that I do, it's the people that make the real difference. Thank you for being there for me. 😀

In your own work, always remember that every visitor and every conversion and every support ticket... is a real person on the other side of the screen.

Make solid connections, work with others in your industry, and get out to live events and meet people in person every chance you can - even local meetups. Not only is it good for your business, but it's a wonderful thing to grow a peer group of like minded people. You'll make some amazing friends that way.

And outside of work, in your everyday life, go out of your way to be the best friend you can be. I've learned some powerful lessons through this experience. Love and friendship are invaluable. We are not meant to live alone and isolated. We all need some sense of community, of belonging, and to love and be loved.

Rescue a pet that needs you. Take a home cooked meal to an elderly neighbor. Send birthday cards. Call your friends more often. Meet new people. Give hugs, they're free! You never know when you might need a good friend yourself... 😉

Best,