The week

Hello everyone.  This afternoon, Mark came back to the Clinic to bring both Carole and I home.  She had all the preliminary tests for the surgery, and needs to be seen by the surgeon on 2/12 before they will schedule.  Up to this point, they have decided on the TAVR surgery, which is using a catheter to insert a new valve, sort of like a stent.  The valve is pulled through one of three sites, encased in stent-like material that is expanded with a balloon once in place without removing the old valve.  Huge difference in recuperation and procedure, offered to older patients considered high risk for open heart.  I tried to talk her into the traditional but being put on a heart-lung bypass machine is something she can not deal with, not after the "simple" procedure disaster this summer.  Instead of the usual 40mg dose of Lasix, she is taking 80mg twice a day.  Very rough on the kidneys and we are hoping they can withstand the abuse until she goes in.  She is somewhat better without the excess fluid from the heart failure but we don't know how long that will last.

While there, not sleeping and living on unbalanced meals, I spent quite a bit of time stitching.  I started and completed Notforgotten Farm's Pennsylvania Pillowe and plan on aging the fabric and making a pouch.  I used the charted colors, and added an additional key under the numbers.  Harriet was also worked on but their lighting was so off, and my green looked putrid.  Just couldn't seem to work on it. 

 

 I had my tablet there and couldn't believe how strong the color was on my blog page compared to the computer screen.  I took a video of the tree that fascinated me and can't seem to load it here for you to see - I'll keep trying.

 

Did you ever hang a sampler and like it less every year?  I have a few times.  Some of my favorites from years ago still are but some that really appealed to me in the beginning, are fading from favor.  My recent finish of the interesting and primitive Mary Lamin from Homespun Elegance is really catching my eye more than I expected and I've moved her a few times.  I'm sure it won't be the last.

I can't wait for my head to hit my pillow, my body a real mattress, and get a full night of sleep.  I'm really exhausted and I can see the next several months will keep me busy.  This kitchen will never be completed and to be frank, I've lost interest.
I don't know if I mentioned it, but Carole's son received good news on the biopsy.  He is still not well, can't speak without coughing to the point of choking and losing his breath.  After seeing a specialist the other day, he found that his vocal cords are damaged from throwing up acid/bile for over a week while being sent home from the ER time after time before being admitted.  The doctor that insisted on admission, is the same that transferred Carole to Cleveland.  Why the cardiologists did not see aortic stenosis on her echocardiogram at 0.7 is beyond me.  Same hospital for both cases.  Thank God he transferred her and admitted Chris.

I'm off to bed.
Have a safe and peaceful Sunday.

Thanks for visiting.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~