Well, the angiogram procedure last Friday was completed without any complications. Except for the fact that we were in the waiting room for an hour and a half before anyone called us to complete paperwork and go up to pre-op, thus delaying the procedure time from 1 pm to 2:45 p.m. ; I did not get home until after 8 p.m., and was completely exhausted.
Tony took care of me all weekend because I was not allowed to walk. lift, bend or drive for the first 48 hours. But, all week my body has been wiped out of spoons, running on empty, and completely exhausted. This simple procedure has triggered a fibromyalgia flare. I won’t see the pulmonary specialist until next month; hopefully, there will be something she can do for this never ending chest pain.
Thank goodness for kitty love. Today I took a video of Reina with my iPhone. She loves to suck on my fingers even though she is too old of a cat to be teething. I know all is good when she spends time giving me kitty kisses and sucks on a finger or two.
I just love my baby girl Reina … Today she stood still long enough to take these new photos of her! Tomorrow I have the angiogram procedure for the right side of my heart. So, today is just all about getting kitty hugs. Nothing is better for a tired heart than kitty hugs!
So, my days are still filled with doctor appointments and more medical tests. My pulmonary specialist wants me to get an angiogram test done on the right side of my heart first before seeing her for the first appointment. My Rheumy has also ordered a CT scan of my chest and some breathing tests, but I have to wait for insurance approvals before I can get those tests scheduled.
My angiogram is scheduled for next week. I know that it is a common procedure, and I don’t have anything to be nervous about. But, I am.
Last weekend, I took an epsom salt bath to help my body with my hives, and had a reality check. In the middle of the bath, I found myself having intense pain and having a hard time breathing. I needed air. I got out of the bathroom tub but couldn’t get to the bathroom door to open it. Luckily I was able to scream for Tony for help. Later I read that saunas and hot baths are not good for anyone with heart problems. Crap. I really do have a heart problem and it is serious.
I really am tired of new diagnoses, medical tests and procedures. So many of us with chronic illness seem to be stuck on a roller coaster and medical merry go round, and we all want to get off this ride! Going from one diagnosis and doctor, needing tests but waiting for approvals from the insurance companies. Going from a good day, back quickly to a bad day. Having more than our share of ups and downs with our pain levels and prognosis.
I know I try to keep a positive attitude about my life despite all the challenges I face with my our chronic journey. But, let’s be clear about one thing. Living with chronic illness is not fun or an attempt to get attention from your family and friends. It actually chases most of your family and friends away. Most people don’t want to be reminded of their vulnerabilities, the reality that our bodies are not made of steel and will not be healthy forever.
This past week , I have been feeling like a semi-truck has run me over. Then my body flipped on the road and the semi-truck backed up and ran me over again. And, again. My chest really hurts. My back, butt and legs hurt. More than everything hurts, and I have run out of spoons and steam.
So the Chronic Stitchers group on Ravelry seems to be hooked on shawl knitting! I think it is because shawls are practical and comforting to those who receive them. And, the gift of a handmade shawl can be like a hug from across the miles.
We seem to be addicted to several shawl patterns on Ravelry, including the Wide Eyed pattern found here. You have to join Ravelry in order to purchase this pattern for $5.
I made my shawl with a skein of Pagewood Farm Denali Sock Yarn. The colors were rustic red and oranges, and reminded me of summer.
Indian Summer Shawl as a Scarf
The skein I had was 450 yards, and I used almost every inch of it. The pattern itself calls for 390 yards, but I wanted to make my shawl bigger with the extra yarn. I used a larger sized needle with my shawl, a US Size 7, and adjusted the pattern for the extra yardage. My notes for the pattern can be found here on my Ravelry project page.
I did not have blocking mats to block the shawl, but Tony found me some foam puzzle mats in the exercise section of Target that worked perfectly. I was able to put the shawl and pins on the mat without damaging the mat at all. My package came in a set of 4 mats, each 21×21 inches. They are made by Embark and can be found here on the Target web site. Another option would be to look for the more colorful ones, made for kids’ play areas, at your local toy store.
This pattern was fun to do, and others have called it a “quick” knit. One person I know was able to finish her shawl in a few days! I am knitting extra slow these days because of extreme fatigue and pain, so my shawl took 10 days to complete. That was the only frustrating part for me. I also learned a new way to bind off with this pattern; one that leaves a stretchy but pretty edge to the shawl. This pattern really shows off variegated yarns really well and can be easily modified for other weight yarns.
So, I am going to start knitting the squares for a lapghan the Chronic Stitchers group is working on for one of its members fighting cancer, and undergoing another round of chemotherapy treatments. This is on top of dealing with her other chronic health conditions.
I plan to do a basketweave square mentioned in the previous post here. But, I also want to do a knitted lattice stitch pattern that my friend Marie shared with me. Most lattice stitch patterns I have seen requires a left of right twist stitch, something that isn’t difficult to do. But, it is not an easy stitch to remember in moments of fibro fog. So, we were looking for a version of the stitch that was a combination of knits and purls.
Well, Marie found the stitch! I have put it in a PDF file here, but this is the pattern if any of you want to use it for your projects.
For a 10 inch square, I used a US size 6 needle and cast on 43 stitches. I worked 10 sets of the pattern below:
Knitted Lattice Stitch Pattern
Multiples of 6, plus 1
Row 1 (RS): k3, * p1, k5, repeat from * to last 4 stitches, p1, k3
Row 2 (WS): p2, * k1, p1, k1, p3; repeat from * to last 5 stitches, k1, p1, k1, p2
OMG! The kindness and generosity of women, knitters, crafters is so amazing! I recently got two more random acts of kindness (RAKs) that simply blew me away. Tasha sent me a box full of scrapbooking items so I can make more altered tins and cards, and everything crafty! And, then Kathryn sent me an overstuffed box full of amazing fabric for my sewing addiction, plus a hand-painted tote with a sock monkey on vacation in Florida! LOL …. Knitting, sewing, altered tins, spinning wool … so many crafts to choose from!
Fabric RAK
On top of everything, the Ravelry women in Chronic Stitchers have been busy knitting and crocheting squares for two group projects – an afghan and a lapghan. Both projects are being put together from women around the world to two members of our group who are fighting for their lives and battling cancer.
Hand-Painted Sock Monkey Tote
I finished three squares for the group afghan using the basketweave stitch. The squares are 10 inches. I am just starting squares for the lapghan. Living with chronic illness doesn’t mean we can’t contribute value to the world; we are still able to generous and kind to one another, and support each other with courage and strength.
Plus the group is having fun doing a summer knit/crochet-a-long. We seem to be collectively addicted to shawls and wraps right now. Items that bring comfort and hugs.
Basketweave Squares
Here is the pattern for the 10 inch Basketweave Square:
Kkhymn's Corner 