December 2019

Goodbye 2019!  Not a good year so I'm glad to see it go!

December 30, 2019

Hard to believe I haven't written since the first of September.   Don't worry nothing exciting happened with the other house.  Lots of drywall taken down around the exterior walls.  More rot and termite damage than we originally thought.  Furnace isn't working so as the weather has gotten colder Bruce hasn't rushed down there to work.  We bought a bunch of insulation yesterday, so hopefully that will help some.  

Lots of birthdays took place since September.  Molly turned 8 on the 5th of December.  Alissa and I had our birthdays in October.

Thanksgiving was at the kids house and delicious as always.  They cook well together.  Seems every year it tastes better!  

Christmas came early again this year due to Nick's work schedule.  We had them over for Christmas Eve dinner on the 23rd.  Then the next day (24th) we went there for the day.  Santa is so good about coming early for firefighter kids!  Another delicious meal of prime rib.  On the actual Christmas day Alissa and the kids came for most of the day.  They took a few hours to visit Daddy down at the fire house.  Bruce and I napped!

Waited a long time to see an orthopedist about my hip and swollen arm.  He was absolutely no help.  Told me if I lost weight my hip would feel better and my arm won't be fat (not swollen, but fat).   I've taken matters into my own hands about my hip.  Figured if the MRIs and x-rays didn't show problems with the hip, maybe it's my back.  So I've been using my "Hang-Up" - hanging by my ankles, I can feel my back "pop".  Gives me instant relief.  Doesn't last too long, but the more I've done it the better it's getting.  I go for an MRI of the back on January 3rd to compare to the ones done in 2014.  

As far as my swollen arm (yes, it's swollen not just fat), my doctor finally figured out it is lymphadema.  I've been seeing a lymph system therapist this month.  Apparently when I dislocated my shoulder years ago I did damage to the lymph system and the fluid has been collection in my arm and shoulder.  She's been massaging it and has Bruce do it in between appointments.  Can see a difference in one part of my arm already.

Because of my arm I haven't been able to use my long arm machine.  Pieced a top though.  Anxious to get it quilted, plus the one I started before August but haven't been able to finish.  My niece Nika is coming in a few weeks and asked if I would make a quilt for a friend that's going through Chemo.  Got all the material and will start piecing tomorrow.  Maybe I can get Alissa to do the quilting for me!   Here's a picture of the top I made in class last month.  The pattern is called Percolate.  I used dark gray inserts where as the pattern called for silver.

Happy New Year everyone.  Hope the new year is good to you!