Where has the time gone?

I cannot believe how the time has flown since I last posted!  

Here is an update on me....

I have now spent over 150 days in the hospital in the last 5 years--almost all of it for pneumonia. I am on 4 liters of oxygen 24/7. I have a large hiatal hernia in which my stomach contents hide.  This hernia is inoperable.  They would have to split my diaphragm to get it out.  One of my doctor's commented "having that surgery "would be a fatal mistake. So, I go to bed semi-healthy and wake up very sick....reflux followed by aspiration (my hiatal hernia has decided to feed my lungs.)   

My weight and the wear and tear pneumonia has put on my lungs has caused some cardiac problems.  In 2020, I had my left knee replaced and in 2021, I had the right knee replaced.  Right rotator cuff (both shoulders were messed up by crutch use) surgery was scheduled three times in 2022 but each time derailed because of hospitalization for pneumonia which required new clearances from my primary, pulmonologist, and cardiologist.  I am still becoming anemic to the point of getting either iron or a blood transfusion which with the help of my iron pills will keep me in the safe zone for a few months.  I have been given an infusion of gamma globulin each month since January 2022 trying to boost my immune system..  I continue dealing with my fibromyalgia and my sleeping disorder.  I get to go to labs, doctor's offices and hospitals but otherwise have basically been isolating since August or September of 2019 (before the pandemic!)

Because of my sleeping disorder, I fall asleep without warning.  If I am tatting, there is a good chance that I will continue tatting in my sleep...Let's put it this way, I make complicated knots in my thread that in no way enhance the tatting that was being done when awake.  I spend a lot of time picking out what I don't remember putting in.  

Sarah and Josh were some of my Christian Youth in Action kids years ago.  This doily is going
to be an Anniversary present, because it was not finished as the wedding present that I intended it to be.  The pattern is by Selma Marin (one of the editors of the old Workbasket magazine) it is called Queen Anns Lace.  It is done in Lizbeth size 20 in their wedding colors - Navy and Burgundy.   It is probably one of the most challenging projects that I have done--and it has nothing to do with the pattern--instead it was the dark dark colors of the thread making it difficult to count stitches and more grueling to remove the knots made during my naps..       

This is your official invite to join the LaceMakers Guild of Oklahoma's Lace Embrace!  This free, open to the public event will be October 7, 2023 (the first Saturday in October).  I can only tell you what I know from past Lace Embraces....There have been vendors, free classes and free presentations.  There are prizes for contests, great goodie bags, and make it/take it workshops.  Lunch is usually served at that location -a good value for about $5.  This year Lace Embrace will be held at a mall and as I have not been to a meeting since (I can't remember when), I cannot tell you what has changed.  If you are interested and would like more information--please contact me at patricialyn@sbcglobal.net and I will send you a copy of the special newsletters that are sent out pre and post Lace Embrace.