Current Status: Recovery

Dear Friends,

This week marked a first in the life of Sarah Johnson. Tuesday morning I found myself in a hospital gown (one of the awkward ones what flies open in the back when you least expect it), quadrouple checking which knee the doctor was going to fix. The anesthesiologist came in and explained to me how I would have the joy of "sleeping" through the entire procedure. What was about to happen was my first experience of going "under the knife". Well, the arthroscopic knife. I was nervous as heck. This irrational fear of not waking up from the drugs kept filling my head. And the only comfort I could find from that thought was words spoken from my friends Mike and Kyle....

A couple days earlier Mike, Kyle, and I went and played frisbee golf (our typical trio-activity). Afterwards we decided to take on a ridiculously random challenge together. What was the random challenge? We decided to drink an entire gallon of water as quickly as possible - each. So, Kyle and I went to Fred Meyer and purchased three gallons of filtered water. Then the three of us gathered at Telulah (Kyle's house) and sat in the dining room, chugging away at our gallons of water and making funny faces at each other, wondering why we decided to attempt such a feat. In less than 45 minutes, a couple bathroom trips each, and a sad loss of half a gallon through oral projectalization (I may have thrown a good amount of my gallon up towards the end), we all completed our gallons. The Gallon Challenge of December 2007 was complete, and we marked the victory by autographing each other's gallon jugs. Ridiculous. Wonderful. A cherished moment with two of my favorite Bellingham boys.

The reason I tell you this story is not only to brag about my ability to play with the boys (well, sort of - neither of them threw up their gallons), but also to give you a little insight into my random, encouraging friends. Mike and Kyle are two of my Bellingham friends who I pretty much don't hesitate telling my fears, worries, goals, and dreams to. They help me process life. They help me process faith. They are good for my souls.

Kyle and Mike both kept reassuring me that I was going to wake up from the medicine and that my surgery was going to go through with flying colors. They prayed with me and for me, they gave me hugs of encouragement, and they smiled me through my anxious pre-surgery day moments. It was those moments and prayers that reassured my anxious heart. I knew my fears were irrational, but they were still very real. And my boys were good to remind me that it was okay to be afraid, and it was all going to be alright.

And those boys were right on the money. I am sitting at my sister's kitchen table next to her and her husband. My head is a little foggy and a little spinny on vicodin, and my knee is swollen and stiff, but I am awake. I survived! Looking back, it was silly to be worried as much as I was. But, I have friends who let me be silly. They let me worry. They listen to me, they reassure me, they comfort me, they make me laugh. They ease my mind.

Thanks Mike and Kyle! Thanks for being so ridiculously wonderful. Thank you to all of you who took the time to leave me messages, give me "recovery" items, such as magazines and M&Ms, and remind me that you'll be around to make fun of me as I limp around in a groggy state. I cherish each and every single one of you.