sunday musings

Greetings from sunny Florida where yours truly is recuperating at home following surgery.

These days I spend most of my waking hours on the couch, either reading, sleeping or watching TV. The latter usually only at night.

Yesterday I had a visit from my beading buddy Keli who brought me the latest issue of Bead Style magazine.

She's moving away soon and I'm going to miss her like crazy. Keli's the one who helped me "get serious" about beading.

Speaking of which, I was able to do a bit of work on a rosary while I was in the hospital, but I haven't been able to do anything since I got home. I can't seem to sit for any length of time in any kind of regular chair because it hurts. Darn!

Tomorrow I'm going to dispatch the spouse to Wal-Mart in search of a TV tray with short feet or some kind of breakfast tray I can rest over my tummy. I gotta be able to bead over the next couple weeks or yours truly will go stark raving bonkers! Meanwhile, I've been drooling over all the projects in the Bead Style magazine and dreaming of all the projects I want to make once I get well.

A hearty thank-you and shout out to all the great doctors, nurses and support staff at Baptist Hospital downtown, especially Shirley, Angela, Elaine, Elsa, Imelda, Kristin, Marisha, Marlene, Angel, Mary and, of course, Baby Jane. You all are the best nurses ever and I thank each and every one of your for the special brand of TLC you provided me.

thanks to *M* and *S* for helping me post this.

Fish in the Waiting Room

When we were walking through Baptist Hospital to the PACE Center get my pre-op stuff done this morning, we passed this fabulous aquarium full of the most beautiful fish. I couldn't resist taking some pix. The one little guy with the mouthful of teeth seemed as interested in us as we were in him! One of these days, I'd like to have an aquarium again. They're so relaxing to watch. These are salt water fish. Lots of work -- but they certainly are beautiful!

Everything went fine for the pre-op stuff. Chest x-ray and EKG. When the woman was taking my blood (three vials!) she asked me, "Are you all right?" "Oh, I'm just reciting a poem to myself," I said. "It's what I do to keep my mind off what you're doing."

Doc sez I'll be in the hospital anywhere from 3 to 5 days after, depending on what he finds once he gets in there. The more extensive the repair job, the longer it'll be before I can get home to Daniel and the kitties. But the good news is, he said I can go back to work as soon as I feel able...and he signs my medical release. YAY!!

I can wear makeup (oh, thank goodness for that!!) but no jewelry and no finger nail polish. And of course, I gotta remove ye olde choppers. I made the intake nurse write it in the chart -- please do not let my husband see me without my teeth! hahahahaha

Tomorrow afternoon, I have to go in search of a nightgown. Turns out I won't be able to wear the new pj's I bought because my tummy will be too tender. I gotta get some BIG granny panties, a robe and some slippers. Looks like a trip to Wally World is in order. I don't usually wear nightgowns because I don't like the way they get all bunched up when I thrash around in bed trying to sleep. So annoying!

I'm thinking about taking a couple beading projects to work on while I'm laid up at the hospital. Maybe I can interest some of the nurses in my work, huh? I may even make up a couple little keychains to bring with me just to give to the nurses who wait on me. Those women work long hours and deserve to be rewarded for their compassionate care.

Anywho - that's what's up in my corner of the world.

Thoughts for a Sunday morning

Just for the heck of it one day, I searched Twitter for Jane Fonda and was delighted to find her there. Not only is Jane a prolific Twitterer, she blogs profusely as well. She's been a hero of mine since way back when and I'm thoroughly enjoying perusing her writings on a daily basis. At 71, she's still kicking ass. Go ahead, girl! 

From her "Matters That Move Me" pages, I offer you this:  

If you read the front page story of the SF Chronicle, you would have read about a female humpback whale who had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines. She was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused her to struggle to stay afloat. She also had hundreds of yards of line rope wrapped around her body, her tail, her torso, a line tugging in her mouth. 

A fisherman spotted her just east of the Farralone Islands (outside the Golden Gate ) and radioed an environmental group for help. Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was so bad off, the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her.  

A very dangerous proposition. One slap of the tail could kill a rescuer. They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed her. 

When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous circles. She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time, and nudged them, pushed gently around-she thanked them. Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives. The man who cut the rope out of her mouth says her eye was following him the whole time, and he will never be the same.  

May you, and all those you love, be so blessed and fortunate to be surrounded by people who will swim with you in the deep waters that may engulf you, and who will help you become untangled from the things that bind you. And, may you always know the joy of giving and receiving gratitude. 

thanks to Rick I and Craig Neal for passing this to me.  

Be sure to read the comments here. 

And read SF Bay Whale Watcher blog.  

We truly do need to realize, once and for all, that animals and birds are our brothers and sisters on this planet...and behave accordingly.  

Amen. End of sermon. ;)

Gearing up for surgery

Met with my surgeon yesterday. Quite young, only in practice since 2005 but exceptionally qualified and very bright - graduated magna cum laude. Sweet, friendly, compassionate - shall I go on? The most adorable thing about him - besides the most pinchable cheeks! - is his cute little accent. At first I thought it might be Austrian, but when I looked up his bio, under languages it says "Polish." Ah, the homeland of my favorite composer, Chopin. ;)
Anyway, he probed my plumbing sure hope we're nearing the end of all those invasions, thank you very much! and confirmed that yes, back in 1993 when they did my hysterectomy, they left a bit of ye olde cervix in there, from whence originated the abnormal cells which so alarmed Dr. G.
Dr. McCutie said he thought he'd be able to do the surgery week after next. He must have read the "oh, no!" expression clearly written on my face because he quickly amended to say he'd try to work me in this coming week.
Thank God/Goddess because it's becoming increasingly difficult to maintain my lifestyle when any extended sitting, standing, or walking causes discomfort and pain. I told him how this whole thing was infringing on my passion in this instance, I'm referring my ability to work the arts+crafts fair circuit . He not only didn't brush off my remark, he actually asked me about it. Other, older docs could take lessons from this young fellow - it's called building rapport, guys. Making your patient feel as if she matters, that her comfort and quality of life mean something to you. Get it?
So now my project is putting together a CD to play before and maybe even during my surgery. I heard this story on NPR the other morning and it gave me the idea for the project.
I'm going to start it off with the theme from "Enterprise" --Faith of the Heart. It's my understanding that the astronauts like that song. Hey, if it's good enough forthose guys, it's good enough for me! Here are a few other types of songs I thought of including....  

Classical I love me some Chopin, baby! 

Broadway Climb Every Mountain from Sound of Music gets me every time 

Pop You are Beautiful by Christina Aguilera 

Folk just about anything by John Denver 

Gospel You'll Never Walk Alone - an oldie but a goodie and of course, In The Chapel by Elvis. 

Hymns It Is Well With My Soul and Softly and Tenderly from "A Trip to Bountiful"  

If you happen to know the best site for finding and downloading songs preferably for free!, I'd love to know that. Tell me your favorites! Help me build my CD Thanks, guys! 

Visible Praise

Sundress two is almost complete. Will do finishing touches and post photos this afternoon/evening. I intend to wear it to my first appointment with the surgeon at St. Vincent's tomorrow. 

Yes, it's finally FINALLY going to happen--and it's all thanks to my hero, Dr. G. 

Words cannot express my joy. Knowing that all this horrendous discomfort will soon be over is such an overwhelming relief!

True, I'm not that thrilled about having to undergo the scalpel once again but hey, if that's what it takes, bring it on!

At long last, a reason to smile!

To make my feelings of gratitude visible, I created this last night -- freshwater pearls and Celestial Crystal beads with an aurora borealis finish set off a beautiful silverplated crucifix.

God is Good!!

click image to enlarge

It's enough to make you want to scream

Got home Friday and Daniel said the clinic had called about 9 or 10 a.m. about my application for medical assistance. Said she didn't want to call me @ work. 

Bottom line: after all that legwork, no local help for me. 

Called Dr. G's office  as soon as I composed myself but he doesn't work on Fridays. 
Maybe he'll call on Monday. Don't really know what he can do. He's tried his best, bless his heart. He's a very compassionate physician. Unlike the one who told me he couldn't help me because I have no health insurance. Jerk. But even with Dr. G's input and the medical info from Shands, they still said no.

They offered some other alternatives, none of which will do me much good because they involve having the work done here in my hometown - which isn't possible. 

I've been networking like mad all weekend, sending e-mails hither and yon trying to find some answers or turn up some options. If nothing comes thru by Tuesday, I guess Daniel and I will head to St. Vincent's -- my last hope. 

It just is so incredibly frustrating . Here I am, out there every day, working, trying to be a productive citizen. Can't get health insurance from work because I'm only part time. Can't afford to buy it. So when a health crisis comes up - I'm stuck! It's not right! If I were unemployed or 65, I could get the work done no problem. 

Phew! 

Meanwhile, to take my mind off all this, I started another sundress. Didn't have enough scraps to make the whole thing out of one material but I think the two I'm pairing look well together. I'm taking a bit more time with this one, reinforcing seams and adding a bit of lace at the neckline and on the pockets. I love lace. Must be the girly girl in me - or maybe I am just feeling nostalgic for all the girly girl clothes I didn't get to make for my daughter after she was swept away from me by my ex-husband. 

Anyway -- it's almost time to start thinking about supper.  Sorry to dump on y'all. Sometimes a person just needs to vent.

Life goes on.

Sundress One

The first of two sundresses I'm making from leftover fabric was completed last night. The bottom is seersucker - which I adore and can't seem to find much anymore - the top is a simple cotton. You can't see the tiny motif on it from this picture.
I won't be making a fashion statement wearing it, but it's cool and comfortable and that's what matters...to me, anyway.
I went through my fabrics last night and put together enough scraps to begin another one. Maybe I'll get started on that this afternoon. We'll see.

Pay no attention to the weary face or the bad hair, but here's a quick snapshot of the dress. I added an overblouse (which I didn't make) and of course some of my fabulous jewelry (which I DID make--lol)

It'll do..for now.

click on photo for closer view.