Some Days it Just Doesn't Pay....

Let me set the scene:

I had not been able to figure out why I had been so tired, until Kim reminded me about Hibernation Syndrome.  The definition:

Hibernation syndrome

Two to four weeks after surgery, your body reacts to the smaller amount of food. You feel tired, lethargic and often depressed. Your body wants to slow down until the old food supply returns.

The best way to deal with this is to recognize the symptoms and know they are normal. Start to exercise so your body gets used to using body fat as a source of energy.

When your body adjusts, the hibernation syndrome will end. This may take six to eight weeks.

I am so there right now.

Scenario 1:

The church "Volunteer" came in today for no apparent reason other than to annoy me.  Seriously.  I had told her yesterday that we were going away next week and she didn't seem to have any qualms about it.  But today she comes in all in a tizzy about needing to get to me by Friday who the altar flowers are for for May 18th.  See, nobody fills in for me when I am away.  The work has to be done early and that is generally not a big deal, unless you are The Volunteer (ie, sixty something year old pessamistic woman who hates change).  She then goes on to say that when SHE did the bulletin (she is still bitter that the bulletin was taken away from her and given to me, the actual secretary of the church.  She used to do it on her typewriter, which was fine, until computers were invented.) she never had to do one early because she never had SURGERY (a direct knock to me) that caused her to miss time and that when she and her late husband would go on vacation, she would always be back by Friday to do the bulletin for Sunday because SHE felt the bulletin was a committment.  Translation: I can apparently never have a whole week off by her standards, despite the fact that I have three weeks vacation time.  She then said, "Well, you don't even seem worried about it!"  I explained that I wasn't worried about it because I already had the bulletins for the 11th and the 18th finished and if there were any additional announcements, someone could give them verbally.  She still went onto to blather about how the 18th was such an important Sunday (the day we vote on a new pastor) and it wouldn't be fair to make the retired pastor who was officiating the service give announcements (Hello? Retired pastor!  I'm betting he's done last minute announcements before).  I elected not to say anything lest I say something I might regret later.

Scenario 2:

I had been dreading telling my mother about Florida for two reasons.  One, we would be gone for Mother's Day and two, my brother and sister in law had called to tell my mom they were coming to visit next week.  The Brit and I had two possible weeks to chose from to go to Florida when his parents were there.  One is next week and the other would have been the following week.  Going the following week meant both of us being gone from work all week and then getting back and two days later, The Brit had his surgery.  It gave neither of us time to catch up at work after already being off for a week and it would mean he would miss three consecutive weeks of work.  The first week was a total no-brainer.  We haven't been to Florida in about four years and with Hibernation Syndrome going on for me, I am desperate for a break to just relax and sleep in a bit and try to nurse my body through this part of the process.  It was just appealing the whole way around for me.

So, I finally call mom and tell her that I can be her Show and Tell for her TOPS group Friday night and then I said, "And now I'm going to piss you off and I'm sorry."  I told her about going away and she told me she was not pissed off at all.  I was pleasantly surprised and we made plans to meet after I got off work to go to the thrift store and to The Walmart.  We met up and went second hand shopping and I found about 6 shirts to the tune of $20 which I thought was awesome.  We left there and got back in the car and out of nowhere, she says "I can't believe you picked next week to go away with your brother coming and it being Mother's Day."

So, I re-explained all I just explained to all of you about why we are going next week.  I actually felt a bit better going next week BECAUSE my brother will be here to spend time with her while I'm away.  I adore my brother and my sister-in-law and am sorry we are going to miss them, but we were deliberating which week to go to Florida when we found out they were coming.  I am very sad we will miss their visit, but on the same token, my body needs the break of getting away right now.  It needs to not be up at 6:00 or 7:00 in the morning to get kids off to school and it needs to not be at work where The Volunteer can try my patience at a very trying time at the moment.  I need to get over this hump and I know that once I do, this is all going to become so GOOD.  So my going away is not about visiting siblings, or missing Mother's Day (and she will get her gift before we go).  It's about me right now needing to feel better and The Brit getting to spend time with his parents and to have some fun before his surgery.  That's all it's about.  I didn't do it to offend or piss off anyone.  It was an opportunity and I took it.  As simple as that.

And with that being said, I still think I should have just stayed in bed this morning.