Cover Reveal

#CoverReveal #TeaserTuesday #Enforcer #EnforcerSeries

Sorry to be so short winded, but here's the new cover! Special thanks to Shauna Kruse of Kruse Images and Photography. Model is Matthew Hosea. Cover Designer is Rebel Edit and Design. 

#KruseImages #MatthewHosea 

My Experience with Septoplasty

My Experience with Septoplasty

*** The opinions expressed on my blog are based on my own thoughts, knowledge, and experiences. Please keep in mind that I am NOT a Doctor or other health professional so please consult the appropriate professional. All information presented on this website should be regarded as friendly advice and opinions based on my experience and research. This information is for educational purposes and should not be interpreted as medical advice. No responsibility is assumed by the author nor anyone connected with this website for the use of this information and no guarantees of any kind are made for the performance or effectiveness of the recommendations provided. ***

Things to have on hand before surgery for convenience:

Qtips
Hydrogen peroxide
Anitbiotic Ointment
Gauze(2x2 or 4x4 seemed to work best for me)
Tape(Non irritating for frequent changes)
Throat Spray like Chloraseptic
Bendy Straws
Ice Pack(Frozen Peas, the hospital sent me home with an icepack that I could reuse)
Neck Travel Pillow
If you can pick up prescriptions early do it(Antibiotics and Pain Meds)
Homemade make up remover pads(see link)

Pre-surgery

I picked up my prescriptions. I also looked at various juicing recipes. I do not own a juicer, but there's a place in my town called Juice it Up. I bought a big drink called the "Optimizer" which includes: Beet, Carrot, Celery, Cucumber, Pineapple, Red Grapes. I did have juice left over from the night before, so I sipped on that after surgery. Sweet Tea is also a vice of mine. I had time before my surgery. I bought a tea from Chick - Fil - A and poured it in my Yeti cup for storing it in my fridge for after the surgery. I used a bendy straw through the lid because you're suppose to keep your head upright as much as possible.
Also knowing I'd be on antibiotics, I purchased some Kombucha. I'm sensitive to dairy, but yogurt or kefir would be beneficial as well to replace the good gut bacteria the antibiotics will kill off.
Some other things I did, I consumed a fair amount of lemon water, limited caffeine. I was also taking chewable Vitamin C, cinnamon and garlic capsules. I've also struggled with anemia. I only had a 6 day wait before surgery, so every other day I took a Blood Builder.
I also premade these makeup remover pads. I knew it would be a few days before I could properly shower.

Day of Surgery/First 24 Hours(Tuesday)

Take a shower, it will be a few days before you can take one. I wore an older T-shirt and comfy clothes that were easy to get on and off. Wear a t-shirt you don't care about dripping blood on. If you do get blood on a beloved shirt, the hydrogen peroxide should get it off easily.
*If a family member, that wants to help out after surgery, gets queasy at the sight of blood, I recommend they wait a few days.*
My surgeon recommended with every gauze change( or at least 8-10 times the first day), that I use a Qtip dipped in hydrogen peroxide to clean the blood off and prevent "crusties". After the peroxide use another Qtip and apply a thin layer of antibiotic ointment. In reality, the first day there's clots and the bleeding is slow not much clotting or "crusties", but I followed his advice anyways.
I'm very sensitive to narcotics, so I have not been hungry. I was given a variety of anti nausea meds via IV before leaving the hospital. The surgeon ending up adding another prescription for steroids. Which a family member picked up for me along with more gauze and tape. I'm basically sipping between juice, sweet tea and lemon water.
I have some tape residue from being Endoctracheal intubated that the makeup remover pads could not get that off, but in general it did clean my face better than a baby wipe.
I'm suppose to eat a meal to take the steroids. Solid foods are more difficult to swallow, but I bought a few pouches of baby food just in case. I did try to drink some kombucha earlier this morning but the carbonation irritated my throat so I will wait a few more days before I try again.

25 hours- 48 Hours After Surgery(Wednesday-Thursday)

The bleeding isn't as bad as the first day. It oozes after I Qtip clean. Stuffiness and headaches are normal. The ice pack is coming in handy. I haven't needed the pain meds as much, and I'm trying not to use them as they make me more nauseous. I am flat out starving but I can only swallow liquids and soft foods. My glasses have been irritating the shunt/splints in my nose, but the ice pack has been helping.
The pain isn't bad, the pressure from the swelling is causing most of my discomfort. Nap as much as possible. The bleeding has slowed down a lot, but I feel more stuffy and blocked up. The throat spray is being used more today than previous days.

49 hours+ Surgery(Friday to Post Op)

My sore throat has not improved. I'm still eating soft foods like chia seeds and baby food. I haven't had to keep the gauze on my nose as much. Which is nice because the tape has dried out my skin quite a bit. I'm hoping once these stints/shunts come out I can breathe better and I will be able to eat. Or at least breathe through my nose so it won't irritate my throat as much.
My face doesn't look swollen, but parts of it are numb. I can't really move my upper lip. I randomly get short dizzy spells, although this could be from not being able to eat I'm not sure.

Post Op Appointment - 8 days

I have another post op for suctioning 5 days from now. I took/drove myself. The suctioning was awful. The stint/shunt removal was mostly pressure. The suctioning was pressure and pain. The sprays he used to open up my sinuses as well as numb them made me sick to my stomach and gag. He did try to numb it but it's hard to numb when there's blood and mucus blocking the way. I felt the pressure from suctioning in my teeth and cheek. I am breathing a lot better. I wish I hadn't drove myself. I suggest having some kind of reward lined up for afterwards. A cookie, a pedi, something to make you feel not as icky. I went home and napped because I was shaky and just didn't feel well after the whole process. In my opinion, this was the worst part of the whole ordeal. So far I'm breathing so much better and I'm not even fully healed yet.

I'm use to working out 3-5 days a week, and I'm on my feet a lot at work. I had a hard time staying still. No heavy lifting for 10 days was difficult.

#DeviatedSeptum #Septoplasty #SinusSurgery

New Cover for Enforcer

I'm hoping to unveil a new cover for Enforcer this summer sometime. I have worked with Shauna Kruse to pick another image. That image happens to include Matthew Hosea. Since Enforcer was my debut novel, I'm also working on edits.

I have not forgotten about Nathan & Mackenzie's story. My main focus is finishing that story before I release or re-release anything else. I have also started working on Q and Wilson's stories, but do not have a timeline for when they will be released.

#Enforcer #NathanMackenzie #TreasureStateSeries #EnforcerSeries

Giveaway on Goodreads

#AnnieRandy #TreasureStateSeries #AuthorRyleighRhodes #books #Giveaway

Giveaway will Open on October 23rd!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Annie & Randy

by Ryleigh Rhodes

Giveaway ends January 04, 2016.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

#TeaserTuesday

It's #TeaserTuesday I decided to have a cover reveal. The lovely Aurora O'Brien is on the cover. Special thanks to Shauna Kruse and LM Creations. Please check out my Facebook for a few giveaways! 

#TreasureStateSeries #NathanMackenzie #AuthorRyleighRhodes

Hoping to release be released by the end of the year! #Fall2015

Worst Blogger Ever!

I realize I'm the worst blogger ever. I wouldn't even call this a blog, but this is what I've been up to the past few weeks/months. I assure you I am still writing it's just slow goings. But keep an eye out. I'm hoping to have a cover reveal for Nathan's book soon!

#TreasureStateSeries #AuthorRyleighRhodes #NathanMackenzie

#RanchLife

#TexasReds #Bryan #Texas #Wine

#TexasReds #KidsZone 

#RanchLife #AmericanDream #Cattle

Another Pinterest Recipe Tryout

Spaghetti Squash and Bacon

The ingredients they called for:
1 medium spaghetti squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
6 slices bacon, cut in 1-inch pieces (more like 8 or 9 pieces)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 5-ounce bag baby spinach
2 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled (I used more like 5 oz)

I thought about adding garlic at the time but didn't, and I regret not adding it. 

Cut squash in half remove seeds, coat baking sheet and squash with oil. I used Spectrum coconut cooking spray oil. Salt and pepper both sides of squash then bake at 400 degrees for 40 mins. 

Cut bacon into small pieces start cooking on high heat once bacon starts browning lower heat. 

Once bacon is completely cooked add the rice wine vinegar, using a wooden spoon, scrape the pan free of and stuck on "bacon flavor" once that is done add the maple syrup. Once that is mixed add one handful of spinach at a time. Once spinach has wilted add another hand full.

After all the spinach is added to the pan remove from heat, and stir in cooked spaghetti squash and top with Feta 

Besides needing garlic this was tasty, even my 3 year old ate it.