Wow! I didn't realize how long it has been since I journaled. But I've been really crazy busy trying to get so much done before I go on medical leave with my next, and hopefully FINAL surgery. Summer has been really nuts and extremely hot here in Missouri. Having to use disposable incontinence products has been a pain in the rear. They don't breathe like my favorite Jockey cotton undies and they are really hot! Boy is that whiny or what?

Because of all the bladder problems and knowing I was going to need the time off for surgery, I haven't taken any vacation time which means I haven't seen my family since Christmas!! That's been a real bummer because I usually see them 3-4 times a year. This is the first year since my nephew was born 17 years ago and my niece 11 years ago that I have not made it to Arkansas for their birthdays (August 25 and September 4, respectively.) I usually take a week of vacation around Labor Day and spend time with them and the rest of the family. So this has been a bummer summer! Hopefully, I'll be healed and able to get home for Christmas! I can only hope.

I am scheduled for my fistula repair surgery on September 11 at 9 a.m. I had my preoperative tests done on Thursday at the hospital. Blood work, EKG, physical, a bunch of questions and a meeting with the anesthesiologist's ANP. Glad to have that all behind me. I have opted to have the abdominal surgery versus the laprascopic procedure. I may have mentioned that before. It means a bit more down time, but the doc assures me that the success rate for the abdominal approach is higher - 98%. I just pray I'm not the 2% exception. That would really be a downer!

Things at work have been really good considering that we haven't actually had a "boss" for 6 months. However, I now have a new boss. My previous Director of Operations resigned 2 weeks before I returned to work from medical leave in March and as sometimes happens in large companies, he was given the opportunity to leave without working out his 30-day notice. So he was gone when I got back. He was a wonderful, supportive supervisor and just this week, several of my colleagues and I were at our annual healthcare convention and all of us agreed that we really miss him. Anyway, we have a new DO and it's a female. Oddly, that makes some folks really nervous and I'm not sure why. Our industry is a largely female work force at all levels - except upper management, usually. Not sure why that is, but it is. I've notice over the years that some women have trouble working for another woman. I don't get that. I guess my philosphy has always been - just do your job, don't worry about the politics of the organization and things will happen as they should. The new DO seems very knowledgable about long-term care and she is very experienced. She doesn't know our company, but that is to be expected. I'm sure she will learn quickly and we have a vast range of resources to help her. Unfortunately, I'll be off for the next 4-6 weeks, so I won't get to really know her as quickly as I would like. Oh, well, I'm sure we'll have lots of opportunity down the road!

Hope you've all had a great summer. I'll probably be dropping in more frequently in the next few weeks since I'll be home from the hospital and recovering. I'll be picking up the new season of "As the Bladder Drains"! Enjoy your Labor Day.