Keeping my mind busy

Saying goodbye to March 2014 and hello April! While in Toronto it is leaving like a lamb, I think the lion is about to pounce on Thunder Bay! Up to 50cm of snow?!

As the weather has been improving here, I have been able to walk to the hospital again. The daylight is lasting longer but not as late as home. It's very noticeable when I'm FaceTiming in the evening with someone at home & there is sunlight streaming in the Thunder Bay windows while the darkness has already settled in here.
Facebook not only entertains & connects me, but I always discover lessons.  

I found this timely & inspiring message that I'll share

This past weekend I pulled out my unfinished quilting projects that gave accumulated since I took up quilting in 2006. I made a point of hauling the monstrous tote full of fabric plus all my sewing equipment down here & have not opened it in the 5 months I've been here. 

It has been sitting in my bedroom but I always found an excuse not to start. On Thursday, knowing I am not expecting visitors soon, I pulled it out & spread the projects around my apartment. I had to pick one, try to remember what all the prices were & what needed to be done. My creative mess will be decorating my space for the month of April!

My pull-out sofa now has another use. It's a good space to lay out my quilt pieces rather than the floor. The 12 quilt blocks in the center of this layout were a Block-of-the-Month that I did in 2007. 

I had the other fabrics & somewhat of a plan, so this weekend I cut & sewed the blue border plus all those coloured strips I pieced together in a piano key pattern for the outer border. I had to take lots of breaks & a number of naps. It's amazing how tiring cutting & sewing can be, but it's coming along!

I also started watching Season 2 of "House of Cards" on Netflix while I quilted. So good...I had been holding off watching it because I know it'll be awhile before the next season is released. 

Yup, I was the person who never burned the nice candles or used the good china - I'm still learning to enjoy the journey. 

March 20, 2014

First day of SPRING! .......Finally. 

The most anticipated & welcome day for me every year since March 20, 1981, when I welcomed my first son, Brad. 

Happy Birthday Brad!

(I can't wait to see you tonight). 

Spring is a time of hope & beginnings. 

I love the way these tough little crocus can burst through the snow to bloom!

Last weekend I was blessed with the company of my son, Mitch for 4 days. We watched movies, ate all kinds of food and spent quality time together. The time went by too quickly. 

It was sooo good to see him. 

I am now into my fifth month on the waiting list & yesterday was my bi-monthly Tx Clinic day. Fasting bloodwork, chest X-ray, pulmonary function test - every department was running behind schedule so I just kept moving, always passing the Tim Hortons when the line was too long....

I had hoped to fit in the support group meeting & lunch with the group, but never got a pause. Even the elevators were holding everyone up, it was so busy. 

When I finally grabbed coffee & a snack, landed in the clinic waiting room, I was called in immediately.

I barely got my coffee open in the exam room when the Nurse Practitioner arrived. This was a new (to me) team member. I got the impression she had taken the time to read my file & was familiar with my history. She considered me to be stable & though my lung function dropped a further 1% to 16%, I was keeping up in my physio & my bloodwork numbers were satisfactory.

My blood pressure was good, but when she listened to my lungs she said it didn't sound like a lot was going through them. 

I'm just grateful for no crackling, wheezing or serious coughing, which seems to have eased up a lot since I have avoided any infections for the first winter in a few years. 

I had a few questions saved up for my appointment regarding the surgery, antibodies & other details. We had a good informative discussion & it helped boost my confidence again. 

After briefing the respirologist who would be seeing me, they came in & basically confirmed everything we had already discussed, including the fact that I would remain at Status 1. (Status 2 is higher priority for Tx). It's a good news/bad news kind of thing. 

They told me my next clinic appointment in May would coincide with my 9 year post-Tx assessment. 

That kind of snuck up on me - wow!

It was a short & quick clinic because sometimes the wait can be 3-4 hours. I tried to fit in my physio afterward, but sadly it was an early close day at the treadmill room so I wasn't able to do my full workout. I felt like a kid let out of school early!

Breathing

Something most people take for granted is breathing. 

Until you can't.....

I'm praying today for all who are fighting to breathe. 

God bless us all.