My friends and family have responded unbelievably again, as has my husband. Our “care calendar” has been so helpful. I’ve mentioned it on a previous entry, but it seems worth mentioning in its own post. It has helped us beyond belief.

This is an online calendar that you or a friend can set up at carecalendar.org. You enter things you need, like rides to the doctor, groceries, errands, help with the kids, the lawn, laundry, even just a daily visitor, whatever. Then you send an email to everyone that has offered and asked you “let me know what I can do”. They log on and just click and sign-up for things that work for their schedule. The program sends them automatic reminders to their email or cell phone. We had home cooked meals for 5 weeks after my first surgery, and now I have friends signed up to take my 7 month old everyday for 4 weeks following my second surgery. You don’t have to make 20 phone calls, or keep track of it yourself. Its great.

Knowing how many people are out there willing to help you, also helps in your recovery. I had friends, teammates, mothers of my kids friends, acquaintances, PTA members, you name it helping us out. Its been unbelievable.

It has made planting it on the couch a much better reality for me this time. I had people helping with the baby last time, but was feeling like “I’m not even her mother”. After the repurture, I’ve learned to get over that this time - but its still hard. I guess I’m still working on that ;)