My word for 2014

I would like to say something super great that I haven't said before over the past month or so, but I got nothin'. We are, you guessed it, still in Iowa City. However, as I type this it is Monday and I was told that the goal is to discharge us on Thursday. Of course, you also know that this ain't my first rodeo and I refuse to get my hopes up and will only be excited when they say, “Guess what? You're going home today!” Until then, we wait.

Last week they did in fact remove Blake's nephrostomy tube and we haven't had any major issues with that. On Thursday, he got his port and that is such a nice thing to have. Surgery was quick and no more pokes to my baby boy is a good thing. 

On Friday, the nurse taught me how to catheterize Blake. I think I've told you before he will have to have a catheter for life. However, it's not quite as bad as you think. They made a small hole next to his belly button and created a channel using his appendix. The little hole leads to his bladder. We just have to stick a small tube in there and drain him. When we're done we pull out the tube and throw it away. That's it. No tube in all the time (except for bedtime). No leg bag or anything like that. In the scheme of everything, it's not ideal, but I don't think it's a huge deal. 

Blake will have to go home on IV nutrition, so they are working to get him the right mix of nutrition right now. His glucose has been just a little high. Blake might have to be hooked-up for 16 hours a day, which again, isn't ideal, but at least we'd be at home! I love that word...HOME. 

While I've been sitting in the hospital and had all this time to think about things I've been thinking about 2014. A new year (even though it doesn't completely feel like it to me since we haven't had Christmas) and a new slate. I saw on some blogs I follow that these bloggers picked one word as their goal for the new year. It made me think about what word I would choose.

After much thought, I chose the word EMBRACE. Not the literal meaning exactly, but I want to embrace life. All parts of my life. The good. And the bad. In December, I saw how quickly life can change. I don't want to have regrets about things. I want to enjoy my husband. My kids. My friends and family. The people I meet. The experiences I have. The goals I want to meet. 

I saw this and thought it seemed fitting. It's from the movie, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” which I haven't seen, but I liked this quote any way:

“For what it's worth: It's never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There's no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you're proud of. If you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.”

So, what's your word for 2014? Joy, healthy, opportunity, unpredictable, thrive, amaze, transform, fearless... Whatever, it is, I hope it's the best year for you yet, but that's just the way I see it.