Monday, November 16, 2009

What a week....

I have been run-down lately, fighting off some bug or another. It has made getting organized for craft fairs very hard and I was behind schedule. And then I noticed a lump like a cyst on my neck. Strange, but the kind that just goes away on its own, so no panic. And then the cold that I thought was gone CAME BACK and I was flat out again. And two days later the lump got big and I mean BIG!

I went to the doctor and he said that I was fighting a virus and it was just a lymph node that was enlarged and that it would go away in a week on its own. Great! So I went home. Over the weekend it got bigger and red and hot to the touch. So Monday I went back to the same doctor and he gave me antibiotics and told me it was an abscess. After taking six strong antibiotics and it getting slightly worse, I was worried. I went after hours to another doctor and she said "You aren't going to like this, but you have to go to the hospital right away and get that seen to." Damn.

I organized small boy and myself and got to hospital. The doctor was kind but he collapsed the vein in my right hand trying to put an IV in, which did nothing for my nerves whatsoever. He inserted a needle into the abscess three times (I did not kick, run, or scream) to drain it, but couldn't get anything out. He got me a bed and I settled in on IV antibiotics.

I spent three days in hospital crocheting nervously. The lump was the size of my fist. They finally said that the antibiotics weren't working because the fluid needed to be drained. The infection had graduated to cellulitis. They sprayed something on me to numb the site, but it didn't work and they cut a small hole and drained it. I was shaking so hard I though the bed would start drifting. But in the morning anyone could see that there was good improvement. I was discharged with a scrip for more antibiotics and sent home to small boy who was missing me (and I him).

Soooo, I cancelled the craft fairs as I am just plain exhausted. As much as I was looking forward to it, I was relieved to let it go as I had not got nearly enough finished for sale. It will give me time for the Christmas presents that need to be completed. It's a bit boring, but I don't want this virus back again (I have a sneaking suspicion that its not totally gone yet) at Christmas. It's eating well, sleeping plenty, and keeping stress at a minimum!

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Quiet Saturdays...

Another wild weather day and I am home crocheting. I seem to have some sort of virus and my glands are all swollen and I am tired. I have a rather disturbing lump on my throat that the doctor tells me is enlarged lymph nodes and so I must take all activities down a notch. So crocheting fits into that category quite nicely.

I have a blanket that must get done in the next few weeks and I am going to start a new coat for myself (yes, ME!) I have so many craft projects to get at that it makes me dizzy to think of them, but I have to ignore them at the moment and get well or there will be no craft fair. The blanket is red wool from Donegal Wools and is for my son for Christmas. He wanted red and I am going to felt alien creatures and baste in so when I machine felt it, they will be in the surface design. He is all monsters, aliens, robots these days at age six.

For myself, I was watching the live-action 102 Dalmatians and admiring Glenn Close's amazing costumes that she got to wear as Cruella de Ville. I am going to make myself a black and cream Cruella de Ville coat--long and sweeping with vertical stripes (since I haven't Cruella's sharp edges!) and perhaps a hint of red along the collar.

I have a new nephew and I must start a pram blanket for him, but that might have to wait for another time. I did get some lovely alpaca and merino wool at the Knit and Stitch Show in Dublin. If I get that done in the next couple of weeks, it will be fine.

All the ornaments and jewelry that need to be done are talking to me, but just don't see it happening unless I am in flying form tomorrow. I am hoping I will get more done during the week in the afternoons. I have beading and embroidery work to do, and that is fairly low energy stuff. Being sick at this time of year is a bugger as this is always a busy time of year for me.

Think healthy thoughts for me!

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Yes, I am alive....

I meant to get a good few blogs in last week and then I came down with a cold and Small Boy came down with a stomach bug. That's was our week shot. I thought I was well when I went up to Dublin for the Knitting and Stitching Show, but obviously wasn't as I relapsed as soon as I got back. I am on the mend again and determined to stay healthy!!

Even at less than 100% energy, the Knitting and Stitching Show was fab, Fab, FAB!! I took an embroidery/beading class with the Dublin Embroidery Guild and a surface decoration class from Colourcrafts (Markal paint sticks, Procion dyes, angelina fibres). Both were great although too much was crammed into the Colourcraft class. And there was gorgeous stuff to buy and see as far as the eye could wander. I got oodles of beads from Totally Beads (http://www.totallybeads.co.uk/) at great prices and met the lovely girls at This is Knit and The Yarn Room, where I have ordered wool previously. I am in complete awe of Oliver's Twists with her gorgeous hand-dyed silks, scrim, embroidery threads, and velvet. I bought a natural sampler pack of silks so I can practice with my acid dyes, but I could have bought as much as money (and Ryanair) would permit. The colours are/were stunning. You can buy her things through http://www.rainbowsilks.co.uk/ but the camera doesn't do her lovely jewel-tones justice. Buy and know the real thing in your hand will be even more beautiful!!

I had a quick bite and then went back out for another foray down the booths. As is always the way, I ran out of money before I could finish up buying. There were several excellent booths of craft books (www.sewgoodbooks.co.uk), but I knew it would make my bag too heavy for my 10 kilo limit on Ryanair. I noted a lovely series on surface decoration that was excellent AND inexpensive for my FETAC Textiles course from Double Trouble Enterprises (Jean Littlejohn and Jan Beaney) and several books by Maggie Grey (magstitch.blogspot.com) that Santy might have to bring me. The Double Trouble books are like a FETAC course in itself! You can get an overview on http://www.doubletrouble-ent.com/.

I would have bought lots of heavenly Manos de Uruguay yarn and more Noro, but I did get some nice, soft Artesano merino/alpaca for my new nephew's baby blanket. I was sorry that I didn't buy Woolfish's great deal on Manos de Uruguay since I have been coveting that yarn for a long time. But I did manage to find everything that I needed, so there is probably a lesson there if I look at it closely enough.

Must go light fire before the rainy day seeps into the house!