recovering

I've been laying low for a week now, recovering from outpatient surgery.  Yes....for the second time in less than 9 months I had my abdomen invaded.  The same little booger that likely caused us to resort to IVF to get pregnant (endometriosis) came back with a vengeance post-twins.  So last Wednesday my talented doctor removed the evil endometriosis....at least until it grows back.

I learned a lot in the last 7 days, and I wanted to share a few of these lessons.

• Facing any procedure, no matter how major or minor, is much scarier once you are a parent.  The night before surgery I couldn't stop thinking about what I would want the twins to know if I failed to wake up after anesthesia.  Depressing, yes, but part of every parent's reality.  I cannot imagine parenting with a chronic illness that required continuous treatment...
• Fasting for approximately 36 hours when breastfeeding twins is hell.  I have never felt so physically terrible.  I would rather have to have a layover in the Atlanta airport for every flight for the rest of my life than do that again....that's how bad it was.
• Recovering from anesthesia is actually a skill that you can improve.  I have famously told nurses I was going to die post-surgery.  After being put to sleep four times in four years, I now wake up ready for chicken fingers.
• When in a hospital, always order chicken fingers.  They are always your safest option.  And ignore the nurse who says you have to order a liquid tray first. 
• Good babysitters are a true treasure.  Two of our fabulous sitters kept the twins on surgery day from 6:30 a.m. until after 7:00 p.m.  Not having to worry about whether the babies were okay made the day oh so much easier.
• If you are lucky enough to have a spouse or partner who treats your health as a team sport, be thankful.  A trip to a hospital is a stark reminder of just how grateful you should be for your support system.  I am so, so blessed to have Andrew as my partner in this crazy life.