He knows my name!

My life verse: "I will give you the treasures of darkness And hidden riches of secret places, That you may know that I, the Lord, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel." (Isaiah 45:3). For me, "the treasures of darkness" has been the medically-treated depression that I have suffered off and on with for years. More than anything else in my life, I think this has made me realize how much my Savior loves me and has deepened my relationship with God. The "hidden riches of secret places" are my wonderful family and this fabulous craft--tatting! I thank God for both!
I think it is awesome that God knows my name! Did you know that He knows yours?

Sunday, May 21, 2023

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.

4 comments:

  1. The doily has come out beautifully despite all the travails. Hope you have more recreation days than recuperation days. 🌿🌺🌿

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  2. Thank you! I may someday do this pattern again--however not in those two colors!
    I love the alliteration of recreation and recuperation--I read this early this morning and have been rolling those two words around in my brain off and on all day....I think recreating instead of recuperating may be my next "goal phrase"!.

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  3. Your doily is beautiful, I also have Fibromalgia, and I know there are days when you cannot do anything, I really hope that all the other parts of your illness are getting better and that you can start to rebuild on your tatting. take care sending you a hug

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  4. Thank you.
    I think it takes someone with fibro to understand the weird things that fibro does to you (which is a strange statement since fibro i've read that it can have over 60 different symptoms and affects everyone differently!) I feel like either I'm doing really well at doing badly (so bad doesn't feel like bad-just like normal) or maybe I am finally making some progress. Praying the good health days become normal (for both of us)!

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