@rwinney Hey again! So, I went back to work this past week and it was really tough, both mentally and physically. I'm on light duty and have changed my position at work temporarily so I can continue to work and get paid etc, and not compromise this last surgery's success. The first two days were horrible, physically. And, I attribute that to "not being ready" to return to work + my body's unfortunate ability of absorbing everyone's energy and all the stresses around / inside of me. I'm "off" on Wednesdays and can never seem to find time to rest, but I did try my best. The next two days were OK, but still in moderate pain, despite my efforts to manipulate (change/play around with) the settings on my implant's remote. Thankfully, this is nothing new to me and so the level of pain (even tho it was completely off the charts) did not catch me off guard, at the end of the day. All I can really do is accept each day as it comes, move on and be thankful for what I have. So, this weekend, I'm doing my best to mentally detox, but it's still busy. But, I'm looking forward to reengaging in school again, tho I'm also enjoying the "time off" because I know I'll be very busy for the next 4 months. Overall, though, I'm doing good and the pain has significantly subsided since yesterday. Thanks for the well wishes and good thoughts, I always appreciate the encouragement from everyone on here, and that is a huge element in what keeps me going. 🙂 On another note, I just found out my poor Mom has a very bad case of shingles, and she's dealing with probably a more severe amount of nerve pain than I ever did (I can only presume, not for certain) and, though, it's horrible for her, it's good for me because I can relate and empathize. She's watched me go thru this for so long now, that she's "familiar from a distance" with all the battles. And, I think, that helps her with keeping her mindset positive and knowing how to find ways to face each day and always move forward. I wish I could take it away, but I know I cannot. This is her battle - I can only hold the shield in front of her while she wields the sword, so-to-speak. Sorry lol, I'm a writer, daydreamer and adventurous child at heart, so I often catch myself speaking in metaphors and illustrations, because that's how I know to communicate best. 🙂 Hope you're doing okay, wishing you all the best and joy in the world! <3

@rwinney And yes, I'll try my best to do better about getting on here more often to post updates. If there is anything I can do to help or encourage anyone struggling on here, please don't hesitate to send them my way, or tag me.