Month: April 2025

don’t overlook the little joys

My journey notes:
Venturing out today… the incision area is looking a little less scary this morning. So hopefully, I won’t scare the littles when we meet up for our Easter picnic/family dinner later this afternoon.

My lists are getting a little longer — but they’re paying off as items that need to be taken care of get done in a timely fashion and bills don’t go unpaid. I’ve been able to enjoy some creative time as well, but it’s looking like I need to beef up a couple of areas in that arena too — some tips and techniques are sliding from memory and they are things I use frequently, so it’s time for those to be organized and written down and additional samples made so I can do things as long as my eyes and hands and mind will let me.

I’m thrilled that a daughter-in-law has picked up shuttle tatting. I’m so excited for her and she’s doing well at it. She participates in a tatting group that meets monthly near her. I’ve picked up my shuttles a time or two in the last few months…. I think it’s time to do it again, but hang with it longer than a day or two. It can be very relaxing.

:)

My Journey Notes:
Stitches out. Healing progressing as anticipated. This thing itches like crazy though and the PA had to pull a bit of the scabbing away to clip the stitches. She sure did them better and with less pain than the tech did when removing the drain. I was able to clean up the site a little yesterday — but hoping to do a little more today and apply another layer of antibacterial ointment…

Next appointment on the calendar and labs too. We’ll see how things unfold in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, there are still restrictions and movement limitations remain.

blessings

My Journey Notes:
Could it be that the new med for thyroid replacement will be the answer for the migraine meds we’ve been trying to find? We’ll have to see since today is the first day of a two day weather shift (rainy/snow). I did wake up overnight with a barometer migraine, but a single tylenol helped a lot to temper the pain and I was able to go back to sleep much easier.

Sutures come out today. Pathology report dropped yesterday. No malignancy. That was good and I think the relief that I wouldn’t have to do the radioactive iodine was palpable.

The creative must do list grew a bit longer yesterday… but I do have a pile of cuts for next month’s stack of cards ready and hope to finish up the remaining two elements today. Hoping to also get another design finished up today so that card can be cut, assembled and ready to mail by the weekend.

smile with your words

My Journey Notes:
Drain is out and today I should be able to do more side to side movement instead of having to turn my whole head to see something to the left or the right. No pathology report as of yesterday, but the tech said she should be able to have the report for Thursday’s appointment since I would be seeing her and the PA for the removal of the sutures. Then, I’ll be headed back again in another week or so for bloodwork to see where we are and if adjustments need to be made for the now missing thyroid and for the parathyroid levels which were a little lower than anticipated, but thankfully, I’m not showing any of the symptoms of low calcium.

On the funny side: Scared the pest control guy yesterday when I answered the door. He took a few steps back and wanted to know what had happened. His final words after reporting his visit was for me to rest and take care. Not sure if his look and response was much different than a few others at the dr’s office yesterday – though I felt sorry for the kids that were in the reception area. You just can’t hide the 5 inch line of stitches that run across the front of your neck.

Take this to heart…

My Journey Notes:
First of two dr appointments for the week is today. Hoping the drain is coming out today – but if not, that they’ll reset it slightly so it’s not pulling quite so hard at the incision area. I’ve pinned things up to keep it from pulling as much, but it’s still a bit painful at times.

Woke up this morning with another migraine – day 3 of 5. I hope we can find something that will be within budget and work soon. Starting again with the interim stuff that only works for a little bit of relief… I need to function today as I’m falling terribly behind on things for next month’s birthdays and mailings.

Look for the beauty

My Journey Notes:
Home again after having to spend a post surgery overnighter at the surgery facility. Grateful for no complications and excellent care at every step there and no big problems when I got home. No pain meds since Thursday pm other than a 500 mg plain ol’ Tylenol as needed since coming home. I will be glad when the drain comes out on Monday, but it’s working as it should. New med on board and that will take a little adjustment since I can’t just lump it in with the rest of the morning bunch. Oh well. At least there’s a way to replace the hormone easily.

own it!

My Journey Notes:
Today’s the big day. It’s a late start as far as surgeries go — like the last one on the schedule at the center for the day – around noon. I’ve been fasting since 10pm. Luckily, only two pills to down this morning instead of the normal bunch, with a couple of sips of water to wash them down an all too dry throat.

I did get some good news yesterday — my insurance is going to cover the dr’s fees 100%. That was a huge relief, but still a bit annoying because the business office had no intention of calling and letting me know – I’m glad I did made another call bright and early yesterday. The gal I spoke with just kind of laughed it off…. Umm, do you think you’d laugh off the possibility of having a multi-thousand dollar bill due the day before the surgery? Nah, neither do I.