Mom Update:  Mom has been having several complications recently.  She is having a congestive heart failure flare up and the cardiologist made some adjustments to a couple of medications that has caused decreased kidney function.  Her kidney function was already only about 30% and with this last medication adjustment, her kidney function has decreased to 20%.  In addition to the decreased kidney function, there has been fluid retention not only in her legs, but in her lungs and around her heart.  

It's frustrating when there are several different doctors involved and they aren't communicating with each other.  Each doctor gets a copy of all labs regardless of which doctor ordered them.  Now we're getting different, conflicting orders from each doctor and it's becoming more difficult to know which order to follow.  Certainly there has to be a better way.  If mom were in the hospital, the doctors and nurses would be having daily conferences on her status and what the treatment plan would be.  There should be a system in place for the same type of conferences to take place when a patient is not in a hospital.

We saw the oncologist today and mom has begun a new chemo treatment plan.  She will have a treatment every two months for the next two years.  The hope is that the lymphoma will be in remission at the end of the two years.  If, during the two year treatment period, the lymphoma worsens, then the treatment will have to be changed to another, stronger chemo medication.

The coming weeks will be filled with more tests, labwork and doctor appointments.  My calendar for June is already filled with just mom's medical stuff.  I was hoping my vacation time would be spent on vacation, not medical appointments.

Don't misunderstand, I'm thankful that I still have my mom here, but all this medical stuff has been going on for such a long time.  Even though I have three other siblings, I'm the only one carrying the full responsibility for my mom.

Thanks for listening and all your support and prayers.  They mean so much to me!   

I THINK I’VE FIGURED IT OUT!
Remember that post back on April 24?  You know the one -- it’s the one when I spoke about visualization and how I had heard that visualizing yourself working out actually provided the same benefits as if you’d actually done the workout.

Well, right after that post, I lost my stitching mojo.  Even though I didn’t actually sit down and stitch with a workout video playing, I think my brain connected stitching with working out and decided it didn’t want any part of that!

So, I told myself that the working out visualization thing is not something I’m going to try.  I also forced myself to pull out one of the ornaments I had ready to stitch.  With Hubby snoring in his chair and the TV program he was really interested in on in the background, I managed to stitch for about an hour.  Not much progress, I admit, but at least it’s a start.

I’ve also signed up for an exchange, so I’m looking for the perfect chart to stitch for my partner.  Sorry, no details to share so you’ll just have to keep watching for more to come.


NEW FLOWERS FOR MY GARDEN

Hubby went to a farmer’s market over the weekend and picked out these two flowering perennials for my garden.  He always tells me he could bring me fresh flowers, but he’d rather bring me ones that keep coming back so I’ll always remember him when I see them blooming again and again.  Awww..... isn’t that so sweet!

We didn’t get to do anything for our anniversary because I spent most of the weekend in bed with a bad migraine.  It’s starting to ease some, but I still definitely know it’s there.

Hope you all have a great week!

Happy Stitchin’

NO COMPUTER AND STILL NO STITCHING
I'm writing this from my phone because my laptop was in the shop being repaired, but after Hubby came home with it tonight, our power went out and is not expected to be restored until after 2 am.  I've never posted from my phone before, and I don't know how it will work, but this will be short due to the difficulty of typing on a mobile device.  Sorry about the photo quality.  I took these pics and posted them through my phone.

I still haven't done any stitching.  Instead, I did some STASH organization.  I have the 2011 LHN ornaments on my Ornament To-Do List, so I got all the fabric and threads pulled.  I also got a few other charts kitted up.  I put a piece of fabric inside the bag with each chart so all I have to do is grab a bag, the threads and my pouch with the needles, scissors and all the other stitching necessities and I can get started. 

HA, it's the getting started part that I'm having trouble with.

I WON A GIVE-AWAY

Alissa, from Starry Nights Studio  hosted a May Give-Away and I was the lucky winner of three friendship themed designs!  Thanks so much Alissa!

LILY PENCIL DRAWING

My youngest daughter drew this for my mom when my mom was in the hospital this last time.  In the hospital, it was tacked up to the bulletin board.  Now that my mom is home, we have framed it and hung it in my mom's bedroom.  I think it turned out really nice and my mom just loves it.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.  Hubby and I are celebrating our 23rd wedding anniversary on Sunday.  Not sure what we'll do other than relax, but that's ok with me.

Until next time...
Happy Stitchin'