Off A Roll

Had to say that...OFF a roll, as in I'm no longer 'on a roll'.  I had managed to get a number of posts up on consecutive days on Webs of Thread, but the last few days have been off-kilter.  Do you have days like that?  

I have been tired, as all get out.  And grumpy, but maintaining control of my mouth!  And just not feeling very 'connected'.  I'm not sick.  In fact, I've recently been to the doctor for a complete physical with the usual blood work tests, a carotid ultrasound, even an MRI for the vertigo.  All is normal, or close enough to it that there are no concerns.  Yesterday was so bad that I took two naps and could easily have spent the entire afternoon and evening in bed.

Yesterday was my daughter's birthday...and I didn't get her card in the mail until yesterday.  I couldn't call her because her phone bit the dust, and she doesn't have a land line.  I did send her a message on Facebook chat.

This little cutie entered this world in the wee hours of the morning on election day in 1981.  She was eager to get here, arriving five weeks early.  Thankfully, she was perfectly healthy aside from a wee bit of jaundice.  Her dad and I had to take her to the local hospital everyday for nearly a week to have a blood sample taken from her heel.  She was born at 5-lbs and was at 4-lb. 8-oz when we took her home.  Her length was only 17".  She didn't take long to catch up in all things and was walking before a year, and talking very well even earlier than many her age.  She's now half-way to 70 ;p  and she lives too far away (along with her husband and my two grandbabies).  I miss her, and them.

This week was also the Costco run (a monthly task) and a trip to WalMart and I visited with my friends Panda and Renee.  Renee is doing better from her health scare over a month ago.  

I'm looking forward to this election year being over.  I'm not happy with either candidate, and I'm not happy with how politicians in general have nothing to offer aside from scathing attacks on their opponents.  It's really shameful...and they have no shame.

Prayer Request - UPDATE!

Thanking those who prayed, and thanking God that Nick's 'ailment' is not serious, at least not from a cardio issue.  He's feeling much better this afternoon, and after another EKG, and an abdominal ultrasound of the heart, there appears to be no heart problem.  Oddly enough though, even that EKG was "abnormal", and the doctor said it could just be that's how his EKGs will be.  I hope that's legit.  

In discussion with this doctor and Nick re-describing his symptoms, it's sounding very much more like the issue is either allergy or pulmonary, and she suspects allergy/asthma and suggested we start in that arena.  

It's probably a good time, now that the weather has turned a definitive corner (we had some rain! and it's getting into the 40s at night!), for both of us to get out and start some exercise...walking around the block would be a good start!  Marty goes to the gym twice a week, and hikes a local trail every Sat. morning...and he has worse BP and cholesterol levels than Nick and I...go figure.  That's in part, why I don't buy into all the so-called "expert" advice that continually changes.  All things in moderation.  Still, it won't hurt to try working in more fruit, veggies, and grains - we've not been totally devoid of them but could use more. :)

Prayer Please

The first thing, and it's no biggy, but I cut my right hand ring finger last night and nicked the pinky...Cutco serrated knife in freshly drawn dishwater.  I'd placed several knives in with only about 2" of water, grabbed a pizza pan and sponge thinking I'd get it out of the other side of the sink, all the while in my brain saying "remember the knives" and promptly ran that sponge along the submerged edge of the pan right against that blade, yowie!  It bled quite a bit.  DH arrived just as I was grabbing paper towels to put pressure on it.  Dinner was cooking.  Wasn't sure if I should head to urgent care or not and was willing to 'wait and see'.   About that time....

...Nick comes into the kitchen saying he was having trouble breathing and was feeling odd in his chest.  The boy just turned 17 a few weeks ago, so that concerned me, but I wasn't sure what to make of it.  His only allergy is peanuts but he hadn't been in contact with them but I had taken a small container that had peanut butter and cleaned it out putting the peanut butter in a zippered bag in the trash.  He's not been sensitive to the allergen except when consumed or extended time in a restaurant that served peanuts in the shell and the shells were scattered on the floor, and then he was only bothered minimally, so there was no known cause for him to be having trouble breathing.  As a toddler, he had some wheezing issues after being sick and we utilized a nebulizer, but he hasn't been sick and we haven't used it for him in years and years, but have for myself.   

We deliberated as to whether to take him to urgent care, but he was hungry so wanted to eat first.  So we did.  We then hemmed and hawed for awhile longer and finally decided to better be safe than sorry, and went...for both of our issues.   Mine, the ultimate outcome was "superglue" instead of stitches, along with a tetanus shot.  I feared the latter more.  The 'nurse' was excellent, I didn't even feel the jab let alone the input of the fluid!  But Nick's outcome is a little more worrisome.

They performed an EKG, which came back with abnormal readings.  Also, for one his age and slenderness, his BP was a little elevated.  The recommendation was to have him see a pediatric cardiologist this week, so we were actually able to get an appointment this afternoon but have to drive a ways away to their alternate offices, otherwise couldn't get in until next Monday.  While we were at urgent care and out of the house, he was saying he was feeling better and almost 'normal'.  But after being home a short time, he was having trouble breathing again with the same sensation in his chest.  The U.C. doctor didn't perform any pulmonary type tests other than listening through a stethoscope, so I don't know if that could be a problem as well. 

I know housekeeping here isn't the greatest, and his room is pretty dusty. I changed his sheets before he went to bed as well and gave him a clean blanket.  I have done anything in his room in ages, since at his age, he should be responsible to change his sheets on occasion.  I'm thinking maybe that hasn't happened in months! :/   I also let him have a breathing treatment since I had Albuterol here from my last need and it's within date and he's "adult" dosage and has used it before.  He said he felt better after, but this morning said he only slept about four hours and wasn't feeling much better overall, very tired.  He went ahead to school, but will be home in about 45 minutes for the rest of the day and to go to the doctor appt.

Please pray for doctors' wisdom, and most importantly that there is nothing serious with his heart.  I hear stories of young ones with unknown defects who lose their lives suddenly, and it scares me.  He's commented too that he's felt fluttering in his chest (like PVCs), and to have the U.C. doctor say abnormal reading which could  indicate wall thickening, I'm actually terrified.  My young man hasn't had the best diet, doesn't care much for greens and veggies though will eat some and loves all the bad things: pizza, burgers, cheese, cream soups, used to love corn dogs, cocoa milk for breakfast, and Mountain Dew. Yeah, I know, I'm the mom and I do the shopping - guilty with no good excuse, these are all the foods DH & I like too!  We told him last night his diet will likely be changing if there is a real heart-related issue.  Wouldn't hurt any of us, though I've not been one to be on the "cholesterol" and "saturated fats" band-wagon; I'm more in the inflammation camp, but then haven't steered clear of a lot of processed foods in recent years either.  He also doesn't get much exercise being a computer nerd-type and no PE class this year, and no interest in extra-curricular sports.  Life may necessitate some changes in the household and none of us are going to be too happy about that :( but my son's health is more important than anything.

Life in the Slow Lane

I see my last post here on D.O.O.W. was already a week ago...definitely in the slow lane.  To say 2014 threw me off-kilter is putting it mildly, but I've been home for two full months, and one would think I'd be back in gear by now, yet I'm not.  I'm not sure if that still has to do with the grieving process from losing my mom, knowing I still have to contend with my dad's ongoing issues and trips back to the northern wet land, or just a build up of many issues these last few years.  What I do know is that motivation and enthusiasm aren't real strong right now, so things get put off and left undone and then they build up and that adds to the feelings of being overwhelmed and it seems an endless cycle.  I'm tired just thinking of all that needs to be done!

One specific thing that popped up while I've been home, and I'll try not to expend too many words on it, but about a month ago, I started getting sustained heart palpitations.  I went to my usual urgent care facility, which is also where my regular doctor is, but when you just walk in you see whomever is available and this time it was the Physician's Assistant (how does one formally address them? they aren't Dr.  So-and-So) who diagnosed them as PVC's (premature ventricular contractions) which typically are more bothersome than threatening.  She referred me to a local cardiologist for a stress test but when I went, her equipment wasn't working and I just didn't have a good feeling about her office and staff in general so did not make a subsequent appointment.  I found a different cardiologist; the appointment was yesterday.  I really liked him, his staff and his office set up - stuff like that is really important in my book!  I explained the stresses of this past year and gave my health history along with any family health issues.  He fit in a stress test while I was there.  During that test, my BP went up to 240/100 so they stopped the test and will do another one again in a couple months.  In the meantime, they fitted me with a 24-hour monitor (the top lead is so itchy!) and have me scheduled for further tests in February.  He recommended I take the usual baby aspirin dosage and take magnesium (oxide), which has a natural bp-lowering affect and wants me to continue monitoring my BP at home.  He doesn't think there's any reason I should postpone my trip back up to the wet land around the 20th.  

In other news, the furnace has been repaired as of yesterday.  There was a part that normally opens & closes and it was sticking closed, so had to be replaced.  All is good, and warm, now = happiness :)

After the cold snap of several nights with sub-freezing temperatures, I took inventory of how our outdoor plants survived.  Here are some photos of their really sad condition:

Jade plant, normally stands about three feet high, was looking very round and full and in bloom.  Very sadly drooping.

All of those fleshy 'petals' froze and are too damaged to recover.  If left alone, they will turn black, dry up and fall off.  If the main stem(s) weren't damaged too much, they will produce new growth and the plant will come back even fuller...unless I prune them back lower to the ground.

Some areas that weren't quite so exposed, were unharmed.  These plants get these clusters of star-shaped flowers (no fragrance) usually around December, but I think these plants actually were getting them in October this past year.

The second plant at the other end of the window is more exposed and suffered more damage.  It isn't dead, but sure doesn't look very pretty.

The geranium plant didn't fare very well either, though the "Red Apple" plant that hasn't been tended to all year did fine.  It doesn't belong IN the geranium pot, but not much has been maintained in these areas in my absences of 2014.

The aloe on the doorstep is fine - it's well protected, but does need to be cleaned up of the old dried 'leaves'.  That's a good-sized plant in a large pot.

In the back yard, the Schefflera suffered significant leaf damage, already turning brown.  It has long needed some maintenance and pruning, so it may finally get some...or not.

This 'frond' was the only one damaged on the large epiphyllum.  It's also long over due for pruning care.

The Naked Lady lily variety suffered as well.  The exposed leaves froze but it still lives.  I noticed a second plant was appearing a few feet away from the mother plant.  It's been planted here for about 17 years without much care other than to occasionally pull away the dead dry leaves.

I know this doesn't look like much, but if you note the far left corner you'll see a bit of green.  That's how this Airplane plant aka Spider plant aka Chlorophytum comosum 'Vittatum' plant is supposed to look, and I suppose there's a whole lot left under all the dead leaves, but most of the leaves that were exposed are now those dead, dark looking streaks in this photo.  This is one of those plants that self-propagates by sending out runners with baby plants, so it's virtually indestructible.  It will be back.

And what did I spy in my bulb pots?  New growth!  This is just one of them but all three or four pots had new shoots popping up. 

Oh Flame, I know you're not squawking at me; nice yawn!  Truly life in the slow lane.

Flame, stop laughing at me!  Flame and Raven enjoying a small patch of sun hitting the bed.  With double-paned windows, it's really hard to get a really good patch of sun in which to bask, but they try.  More remarkable is that they are this close together while laying down!

Next week starts off with Nick back to school on Monday and me taking "the girls" to visit the torture device.  That'll be one more thing off my list. Nick's asking for me to arrange for music or voice lessons again.  Unless he miraculously is endowed with a car, it would have to be arranged to have someone come to our home; not sure I'm comfortable with that during those times I'm gone.  What to do, what to do. 

A Marty Update

Marty is still in need of prayer for finding a job.  He did not get the job that he'd interviewed for with three interviews, it's still not out of the question, but hiring has been put off for five months.  He also did not get another one that he interviewed on; that was ok, he wasn't gung-ho about it anyway.  He has a second interview with the company that's 46 miles away, on Monday afternoon.

Today, Marty went under the knife for an out-patient surgery that has a short healing time.  He's on pain-meds and icing the wound for at least the next couple of days.  He's not to lift anything and returns to the doctor in two weeks.

It was a wacky day with getting Marty to the surgery, that part went ok, but then the timing of his getting out of surgery and my need to get to Nick's school to pick him up and take him to his piano lesson became an issue.  This factor was not discussed with me in advance :( of scheduling the surgery.

Long story short, it did NOT go according to how I would have liked or needed it to go, but in retrospect, God set everything in the right sequence, and I was able to pick Marty up when the surgery center needed me to by calling upon my friend whose son no longer goes to Nick's school and finding out her son didn't have school today so was able to pick Nick up, and which gave the boys some time together - it had been awhile - and I was able to reschedule the piano lesson to Friday because it couldn't be done today with the timing...the instructor actually had a Friday cancellation.  How cool is that.  Oh, and did I mention that I had already been en-route to pick Nick up when the surgery call came in and I didn't handle it very well?  That's right, I had a real mental panic session and really didn't respond very well and later apologized to the nurse I nearly went ballistic on (I'd tried to work out the timing to no avail before leaving Marty there).  This was one more incident where I should have realized I needed to just stop and pray...only after the fact, when I could see how God arranged my friend's availability and the lesson schedule change did I recognize that.  So then I had to bring that to the Lord too.  I can sure be a knot-head sometimes.

Of Quilts and Other Things

I missed getting a post in for Design Wall Monday - there's nothing ON my design wall except a photo and the Dresden Plate block that's been there for months - both pinned to one far edge, along with a dozen or so pins.

Finished piecing is Bella Luce.  It now goes into the UFO black hole.  But I'll share some pics of it first:  

The finished top.  Should I ever do another of this quilt, I will make it square and add another row on the left that matches the row on the right.  I like symmetry, and this tweaks my brain.  I suppose if you cock your head to the right and look at it that way it could be symmetrical.  I like the inner border fabric even though I still wasn't sure while at the store.  I think I may use it as the binding too.

Hey, wait, who's this having a ball on the quilt top? Flame says "it's MY quilt, mom, see, it even matches my color, and I love it!".  She truly behaved as if it was made just for her.

"Oh, no wait a minute, there's black in this quilt too!" says Raven.  "Maybe mom made it for ME."  Funny kitties :)

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We entertained endured the final contractor bid appointments (Contractors #3 and #4) this past week.  We also had a cabinet man through Contractor #3, stop by for precise measurements, and are now awaiting their bids.  It's truly amazing how in talking with them they can give such contradictory comments as to the city code requirements etc.  I made a 3-D graph paper model so they all KNOW what I'm wanting as to general layout, but each has their own opinions too.  I do not care for any of this and am in awe of those who've survived the process (I know, we did the bathrooms in 2012, but we were absolutely crunched for time, and knew nothing, and got great bathrooms, but at a price that may have been too high but the quality and workmanship are great - just not sure it was all 'right' for this old house!).  I marvel too at those who may have built a home from the ground up and have dealt with the whole process too.  Personally, I'd be really thrilled with a magic wand and have it all done in an instant, but I guess it's true - No Pain, No Gain, and I wouldn't learn much by just waving a wand now would I?

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Marty got his new (to him) vehicle (his Camry was indeed totaled).  A Toyota 4Runner, 2008 model, bright red.  His area of 'buyer's remorse'?....it reeks of cigarette smoke.  Oh the joy of trying to get that out.  I haven't offered much advice except to keep the windows down to air out when it's in the garage.  Maybe Fabreze?, vinegar? alternate fragrances?  I'm open to suggestions.

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My back doctor referred me to a pain management specialist who in turn wants to inject my back with something and burn the nerves, and I'm really wondering if I should be getting a second opinion.  I wasn't crazy about the back doctor, and while the pain doctor examined me fully, I just don't know that I want to go that route.  He wrote his info in doctor shorthand which I can't even make out, and I've already forgotten what  he called some things, so can't look up on the internet.  Oy!

Wahoo Wednesday

Well, something like that. :)  It's two "W"s so it sounds good, right?

Quilt-y stuff:  The MOST Wahoo! part of today, was that my learning-to-quilt student and I were finally able to resume our lessons.  She is such a dear, sweet young woman, and eager to learn.  She homeschools three young ones, so there are some interruptions, and I have to say "Better her than me."  The kids are good, and she's very good with them, and I'm sitting there trying to stifle laughs because of the dialog at times.  

She is starting with a very simple structure of just 5" squares pieced end to end in rows, with no specific pattern - scrappy.  She got pre-cuts for most of the blocks, but also cut some of her own because she found a fabric she really liked.  (Isn't that how a stash is born?) And I was amused as she showed me the tools she used with which to cut them.  She had a cutting mat and a rotary cutter - all good though the blade seemed a bit dull.  However, she didn't have an acrylic ruler, so she laid her fabric along the marked lines on the mat and using those and a metal ruler (like an engineer? might have) was able to cut her fabric.  I think she will be purchasing an acrylic ruler in the near future!  I suppose she could have gone completely retro and used scissors :)

I also showed her a few gizmos that I personally like to use, and a few tips to sew an accurate 1/4" seam.  She has a basic machine but doesn't yet have the 1/4" foot, nor does her machine allow her to change needle position and the feed dogs extend well beyond 1/4" to the right of the needle.  It does have a small indented mark that reads 1/4" about an inch or two in front of the needle.  I placed blue painters tape in a line along the front of her machine as a guide - the machine also has the top loading, visible bobbin, so the tape couldn't be placed over that unless she wanted to remove it every time she needed to change the bobbin. 

Health stuff :  I'm praising God that my health is returning, though there's still just a little yuckiness feeling in my chest.  The back pain is back to 'normal' - note, I did not say gone for it is never gone, just better than the days (weeks) it flares up.  The yuckiest part of today, is I think I'm going through medication withdrawals.  Over the last few weeks/couple of months, I've had rounds of antibiotics, Vicodin, codeine cough syrup, and six consecutive days of a Prednisone (steroid) treatment.  The steroid has been the most recent having finished up the night before last, and this morning I woke up feeling very much equivalent of 'medicine head' or jittery and shaky, very weird and not something I'm acquainted with.  It didn't dawn on me that that was what it could be until I was on my way to my PT appointment and confirmed as likely after talking with a friend who was on steroids awhile back for an even longer period of time who had experienced the exact same feelings.   I am feeling much better now.

I'm having PT 3x / week, and was assigned stretching exercises today to do before I get out of bed and after I go to bed...and anytime during the day I feel I want to lay down and do them, hehe.  The part I enjoy about PT the most is having the electrodes attached to my lower back and then I get to lay on this giganto moist heat pad with my knees bent for 15 minutes.  Today, she didn't hear the timer go off and left me there for about 30 minutes...aaahhhhh :)

Seriously, Again? and The Hobbit

For the last few days, I've been again feeling a dull ache in my chest, and sure enough, started coughing again yesterday.   Will this crud ever leave?  And of course, Marty's been home with the flu (verified) all week, then I hear on the news that there are three strains going around, of which you can catch all at different times.  So this morning I decided I'd nip this in the bud right off the bat and headed straight to my doctor's office (it's also an urgent care center so don't have to make appointments).  It wasn't real busy yet, unlike when I went in right before Christmas, and I was seen and out and off to the pharmacy and home in just a little over an hour - that's good  time here!  They did a flu test, negative, thank You Lord!, temp was normal, bp was ok, I've lost about 5 pounds :) and he didn't hear any 'loose stuff' in my lungs.  No real 'diagnosis'.  But I'm coughing and my chest is tight like before, so he prescribed some cough syrup, and some Lidocaine patches for my lower back. Also an antibiotic Rx for if "(I'm) not better by Monday". 

Marty said I'm grumpy when I'm sick.  And here I thought I was less grumpy because I wasn't talking as much back in December.  Funny huh?

Despite this condition and believing I'm not contagious, and because the movie is getting toward the end of its run, we decided we better get out to see The Hobbit.  In the series, that's the only book I've read, and that, only within the last couple of years, but I still found myself not remembering what was to happen nor in what sequence those things I did remember.  I enjoyed the movie and thought it moved along quite well for being nearly three hours long, but there were a few spots I just plainly found silly or corny.  I didn't find the fat Orc King to be cohesive with all the other orcs (the make-up etc).  He was CGI and to me it just didn't fit with everything else and made me think it was a bit of an attempt at a pseudo Jabba the Hutt.  Just didn't work for me.  I still give it a good thumbs up.  Originally I'd wanted to see both the IMAX 3D and the normal screening, but at this late date only the IMAX 3D was still out at our theater, so I had to hunt down some old contacts I still had - hate wearing 3D glasses over my regular glasses.  I'm actually glad it was still in 3D as otherwise, I'd never get to see it that way.

Oh Monday!

Really? Monday? Already? And tomorrow's New Year's Day 2013. My oh my but the time, it be a flyin'!

It's Design Wall Monday.  Hmmm.  Nothing "there" but I have been busy working on stuff.  One thing is Easy Street (no Monday link up today, but Step 7 IS released!).  I have two other projects I've been somewhat working with, but will post on those at another time.

Easy Street Components through Step 6

Bella Luce

Results of last week's lumbar x-ray came back and I'm being referred to an orthopedist.  Osteoporosis and some manner of degeneration.  I'm scheduled for an MRI this coming Friday.  I hate to think what this could mean.  Don't we always tend to see things in the darkest way? God is the healer, He will see me through all of this too.