With Many Thanks!!

I have been doing some bits of sewing and knitting since my last post, I am working the free motion quilting on my quilt for my cousin, and some blocks for my brother and sister in law's wedding quilt (making it official this year!!) I am starting on the heel of the second sock for Katy...so progress is being made, but not much to photograph. One thing I can show is the Paddy's Day quilt hanging up on the entryway quilt shelf!
 

What I do have to photograph are some wonderful pieces of mail I've received in the last week or so...

These gorgeous fabrics arrived from South Africa from Elise, whose daughter lives here in Ballina/Killaloe. I gave her some fabric and freezer paper, I think I won out on this trade!!

This gorgeous postcard came to cheer me up from Zizzy in Florida. I love it!! Thank you so much!!

Katy sent over lots of goodies: two of our DJ blocks for our exchange...the sampler we are doing for our sock for a sampler swap...a gorgeous card and some yummy japanese taupe fabrics!!

Jane sent over a lovely card, this covered journal, Mary Engelbreit card making bits, and 3 gorgeous FQs. So thoughtful, and much appreciated. Thank you!!

Ann sent these gorgeous cards from Brittany to cheer me up and wish me Happy Birthday (next Wed the 25th, lol!!)

Andrea sent another lovely package today. Craft projects and chocolate for the girls (long gone before I took photo!!), some gorgeous sock yarn and civil war FQs and a great little bits and bobs bag with ribbons bows lace and zips. Thank you so much!!

I really appreciate all the cards and presents people have sent to cheer me up, totally unnecessary, but very much appreciated. The blogosphere is a great place, thank you so much for your constant encouragement and support, even before all this happened!

Hospital Finishes and First March Finish!

I did a lot of waiting in the hospital for tests and was mostly feeling well, except for the numb foot thing! So..when taken out of my normal fast moving routines with the kids, I got a lot done!!

I finished 3 books: Eat. Pray. Love. by Elizabeth Gilbert, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer  and The Visible World by Mark Slouka. Once the MRI results were nearing, I couldn't concentrate on reading and moved on to knitting. In the meantime, I had also hand pieced two Dear Jane blocks for my swap with Katy.


Once I received word that it looked like the MRI showed evidence of MS and that I would be doing a lumbar puncture next, I was a bit of an emotional mess and alone in a hospital, so picked up the knitting and went to town... Here is the sock I finished in the hospital. This is also going to Katy! I am a few inches into the second sock and plan to bring it for car knitting when I head off on Thursday with our patchwork group for a quilting exhibition in Dublin. Will take photos for a new post.


Here is a quilt I did on Sunday and have been doing the stitchery for the last few days...it will be my Paddy's Day seasonal quilt for my entryway quilt shelf, just need to sew down the binding at our patchwork group meeting tomorrow.

I am slowly getting my head around it all, and the numbness is getting a bit better now. I will start medication in a few weeks and hope it will help further attacks from happening or happening as often. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the huge outpouring of support. Nearly everyone seems to know someone who has MS and who is getting on great in life. It is all very inspiring! I hope to reply to everyone, but haven't gotten a start yet... Just know that it means so much to me to be supported by my blogging friends.

Not So Good News

I have MS. The MRI results I was waiting for didn't have great news. My symptoms are mild, but will start meds in a few weeks. Have to decide what kind of medicine I want to inject myself with daily. My emotions have been all over the place ranging from tears to bravery to terror... but I think I will be able to be brave about this soon. Just need to get my head around the whole thing.

Believe it or not while in hospital I finished three books, 2 Dear Jane blocks and a SOCK, lol! Will do a post about my hospital finishes soon.

I plan on keeping doing as much as I can that I have always done, maybe just not the salsa dancing for a while, lol!!

Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers!

Weight Loss Challenge: Week 8

I am going to do this post early, as I went to the doctor on Wednesday about that trapped nerve and they sent me to the ER to rule out scary things like MS. They seem to think that it isn't neurological so that is a relief, but they admitted me to hospital Wed night and Fri morning I had an MRI. Due to a technical glitch the results won't be on the system for the doc to read till Monday, so I am home for the day (have to return each night to sleep in hospital to keep bed...) so am home and just wanted to check in and say if anyone can send good vibes, karma, prayers, thoughts, my way I'd really appreciate them, esp on Monday. I will be home for a few more hours tonight and then tomorrow for the day. I really am nervous about what is happening with my numb foot/leg, so hope they can come up with reasons for why it is happening then, preferably something not too scary!!

I hope to be back to my weighins next week, but finding it hard to concentrate at the moment while waiting for results.

Thanks :) Cathi

Weight Loss Challenge: Week 7

Current weight: 177.4 lbs/ 12 stone 9.4 lbs/ 80.6 kilos
Total Lost: 14.4 lbs

I was down 1.2 lbs this week! I hit the stone mark!! (14 lbs gone!) I promise that next week I will mix it up and gain some weight as I was bad bad bad over the weekend again and won't be working out as much this week. I have a trapped nerve, numb foot/leg thing going on...time to go to the doctor...got it after shimmying too hard at salsa dancing last week...it is very strange and I hope that it can be sorted out soon...

I got started swimming last week and hope to get back on track with my exercise soon! No yoga or dancing till I get the trapped nerve sorted out. Sigh.

First February Finishes

Say  that 5 times fast!!

I have been so busy lately, I barely know how to start... I have managed to do a few quick quilts since my last crafty update. Here is little quilt I did for Katy's birthday boy, I hear it came in a distant second to Karol Ann's  totally cool dinosaur tshirt he got, but hey, who could compete with such cool shirts!  I have been trying to improve my freemotion quilting with my small wallhangings and so I have done small stippling on this and quilted some bamboo in the pandas hand :) and Alex's name...


I also decided to whip up a quick strippy scrappy valentines day quiltlet for my little quilt shelf...I am working on making my meandering much smaller when I do free motion, and I just love to quilt wavy lines, love the texture they give.



I also finished the quilt top for my cousin in St. Louis Missouri. The center block is a Missouri Puzzle chose for obvious reasons!! I used a photo she sent of the room she wants a quilt for and hope she likes it. Next time we get together I need to get her started quilting. She is a doctor and it might be a relaxing hobby after a long day?? Can anyone suggest a good St. Louis patchwork shop with beginning quilting classes, in case she is interested?


Aine has her first two loose teeth and so last weekend we made a Tooth Fairy Tin together. She designed the top and I used my Xyron 900 to turn it into a magnet to put on the tin!! We made a little pillow to put the tooth on, so now she is all ready for when the tooth fairy comes avisiting!




I have started on a pair of socks for a trade with Katy. I am making her another pair of cotton hand knit socks and she is doing a cute cross stitch sampler for me!

Weight Loss Challenge 2009: Week 6

Current weight: 178.6 lbs/ 12 stone 10.6 lbs/ 81.2 kilos
Total Lost: 13.2 lbs

I made it into the 170s, yeah, it has been ages since I've seen them! And next week I hope to lose .8 lb again if I can manage it (though had a bad weekend, they are really my downfall!!). The reason for the .8 goal will be appreciated by any UK/Irish readers: I'll have lost 14 lbs, a full stone!

I have salsa dancing class tonight but have also signed up for the swimming pool again today!!! I hope to get my laps in 2-3 times a week to add to my exercise regime...might try to add a walk or two eventually as well...plus the swim membership gives me weights and cardio gym time and other classes...hope to add the weights in a few months maybe...can't be doing everything all at once!!

How are all the other "losers" doing??

I have that promised crafty post from last week still coming, but will get it done for tomorrow!!