Groce Family

This is us. Matt, Lacey, Mayson (6), Gavin (4) and our little maltese Chloe. In order to save pictures, pass the pandemic time, and not flood Facebook all the time (because let's be real, it can suck you in quickly). I decided to start this blog to journal our lives in a way that 1) I remember everything and 2) I can show the boys later in life, a scrapbook of sorts. So let's start with a little about us right now. 

Matt is working for Duke Realty as a Tax analyst (still to this day do not have a clue what he does exactly, I just know he is smart with numbers and it makes him pretty good with this job).  He continues to be obsess with Dr. Pepper and candy, habits I don't think we will ever break. He teases everyone he loves and is a jokester 95% of the time. In November 2019 he started having back pain radiating down his leg. Oh no, here we go again right? After a discetomy in 2015 while I was pregnant, we hoped this wouldn't ever occur again. He was given some medications, felt a little better until January 2020. Then he began having increased pain and it was determined he needed and MRI. This revealed the disk at L4-L5 had indeed herniated again and was the cause of his pain. After discussing options (and with my persistence), we decided to go more conservatively and trial PT and if needed an injection. Little did we know that the COVID pandemic would strike making it impossible to complete these things just a few short weeks after the decision was made. It's ok, he was tolerating the pain for awhile, but then it got worse. I'm talking worse to the point he couldn't drive. So, we called the PCP and another MRI was ordered. This time, the MRI was worse and surgery was the only option. Due the the COVID pandemic, the only option was for Matt to go to the ER, alone, and discuss  what was going on and have emergency surgery. (Did I mention he was alone?).  So he did just that. Today we are a week out from surgery and he is 90% back to normal. I'm so thankful that he was safe and was able to have this completed and not forced to wait until his consult June 2nd! We have our Matt back. 

I got an offer for a new job with a great organization in December and after months of being unhappy at the current job, I accepted that position. The new office gave me a start date of March 23, 3 months later, as that is the time needed to continue with credentialing. I was so excited and counted down the days (literally had a countdown on my phone to "FREEDOM"). Covid started coming around right around March 10. My last week at the previous office, I received a call from my new office letting me know they were going to be closing the office and no longer seeing face to face patients. Virtual care is now a major thing in all of healthcare. They said it would be ok for me and I would still start on time, my orientation would just look a little different. Ok, great, I can handle that. So, March 23 I did start my new job. I successfully completed virtual onboarding classes, spent a few days orienting in the office under my collaborating physician, saw a few virtual care patients, and then due to needs elsewhere, volunteered to be relocated to the triage line working from home. This would allow other more qualified APP to work in the hospital setting taking care of more acute patients. I began night shift 3 days a week, from home, helping to guide patient's to their next steps for care as well as completing telehealth when appropriate. It's been interesting, but I really miss patient care. Otherwise, I'm continuing to work on fitness and making healthy changes for me. 

 

The boys have been adjusting to a slowed down life with just the company of each other.  We have gone from sports nearly daily to relaxing and enjoying one another. Mayson continues soccer training and we miss our sports' families so very much. We are doing E-learning activities throughout the week and most days we can get through without a struggle (more on E-learning to come another day). Mayson lost his third tooth with another to go soon. (One of his teeth was pulled by the dentist, but we are still counting it). Gavin, he is just Gavin. Lately, he has become quite obsessed with Chloe, it is really adorable. These boys enjoy life and each day is different with them. I'm so blessed to be their mom and sure hope they know how much I enjoy this time of being home with them. They won't remember COVID or social distancing or missing out on half a school year and having mom as your sort of teacher. But I sure will, but not for the negatives that can totally come with it, but for the positives. I prayed to God that I would find a job closer to home that would allow me more time with the boys. Look what I got, a job ten minutes from home, that put me currently working FROM home to have more time with the boys. Now I may not have asked for all the other stuff, but hey, I know God listened.  They are growing too fast and now is my chance to enjoy each moment. 

I will leave with this thought. Find the positive in each day. Don't take foregranted the little moments God has given you. There is something to smile about daily. Find it.