Does it feel like January 74th instead of 31st to anyone else?  Needless to say, January is coming to a close and 2024 is well on its way!  I got back from Arizona a few weeks ago and it's been right back to the grind of drs appts, taking care of myself, applying for jobs, and having interviews.  The silver lining of being between jobs was having the ability to spend extra time at Christmas with the family.  It was really nice and while the weather started out warm, it quickly turned unseasonably cold.  My besties were the hostesses with the mostesses when I visited them in NorCal for New Years.  Came back to Boston with a full heart (and a sore swollen ankle from rolling it....again - IYKYK) and ready to take on whatever it is God has planned for me!

If you're still with me, thank you for following my journey the last year and a half.  I'm feeling really good physically.  Mentally is a little tougher while I'm applying to jobs in a highly competitive market and facing rejection for the littlest things that shouldn't matter and wouldn't matter in a different hiring environment (please send prayers or job recs my way!). But my body is feeling like I'm in a good groove and even starting to feel more "normal" even if "normal" looks a little different than a couple years ago.  

Right knee surgery #6 is in the books since I last posted. This should be it for a very long time! It was a quick surgery. I was awake IN the OR more than I ever have been. I transferred to the table and laid there for awhile while the attending anesthesiologist was coming (his resident was already there). During this time my surgeon started draping and scrubbing my leg. Kinda weird to be awake for that part but I was off to la la land in no time.  I woke up in the OR too and laid there chatting with the residents for awhile until they were ready for me in the PACU.  When they called the OR, the resident anesthesiologist told them I could have walked out of the OR because I basically recovered while I was laying there.  As a reminder, this procedure was to take a screw out that had been backing out from the ACL reconstruction in July of 2022.  It was quick and the recovery wasn't bad.  The most surprising but not surprising part was how bruised I was since I was on my blood thinner through the surgery.  Saw my surgeon today for my last follow up appointment.  THIS IS A HUGE MILESTONE! I can't believe this whole medical saga started with a routine ACL surgery. It's a bittersweet day since we've been on this journey together for probably almost 2 years since I first went to him for an evaluation.  I appreciate everything he has done for me and I would highly recommend him.  I hope there is not a next time but if I needed another knee surgery I'd certainly go back to him.  

I started another round of iron infusions last week too.  Essentially I will have to continue these as long as I am on the blood thinner that triggers certain things to happen with my body that then cause the iron deficiency. I had blood work a few weeks after the October infusions and I was no longer anemic though I could feel my energy trending down.  Had blood work again when I got back from AZ and it had continued to drop but was still technically normal (on the low side of a large normal range).  We weren't sure if insurance would approve another round yet or if I'd have to wait for the numbers to get worse (and to feel worse).  Luckily they approved it and approved all 5 sessions.  I'm stoked to get a full dose since last round I only had 3 sessions.  I'm hoping this boosts me high enough that it takes longer to drop.  It's wild how low iron affects your energy.

That being said, I'm hoping to have a conversation in the next couple months with my Cardiovascular doctor overseeing my blood thinner to see if I can come off it.  I feel like I'm a year and a half out from provoked PEs, yes I almost died, but I'm starting to think my risks are low at this point and the cons of being on it are starting to outweight the pros.  There are certain situations in the future that I would take it ad hoc for (long flights, post op, etc).  This would be another huge milestone!

Hope everyone's new year is off to a good start.  I saw a post on Instagram that I thought was beautiful and it spoke to me on how I want to kick off my new year.   I'll leave you with this:

January.

New Year. Same God.

Trusting God with every plan and dream

walking at a pace of grace, not perfection

simplifying, quieting the noise, and keeping Him first.

I certainly plan to keep Him at the center of everything I do.  But "walking at a pace of grace, not perfection"..... wow.  May your February make for a really good 2nd chapter to your year (I know I'm manifesting good things)!

- Alexis

But forget all that - it is nothing compared to what I'm going to do.  For I am about to do something new.  See, I have already begun!  Do you not see it?  I will make a pathway through the wilderness.  I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.  (Isaiah 43:18-19 NLT)