Has it really been so long?

Posted on | March 10, 2009 | 6 Comments

I’ve been so bad about blogging this year. It’s mid-March and so much is going on!

First, an update on the wrist. I’m weaning off of the wrist splint and doing some strengthening exercises. As I type this, I have no splint on. It makes typing MUCH easier! I am able to write better, draw again, and create. Cutting fabric is much easier without a splint in the middle of your hand!

Painted journal cover for Victoria

I did some sewing to keep myself sane during this whole thing. Nothing major. Just some fooling around with the machine. When we were in Boston in January, I spent some time with my friend’s daughter, Victoria. I showed Victoria, a budding young artist, my sketchbook. She was excited to learn about how I used it and so I offered to get one together for her. One of the projects I worked on was a journal cover for Victoria. I decided that since she’s still only 7, it might be nice for her to have a cover that can be used over again and the journal itself can be replaced. I found a 5″ x 7″ 140# Cold Press watercolor journal, and I made  a cover for it out of fabric that I had painted. With the wrist problems, it took a long time and I finally completed the journal cover yesterday! I’m happy with the results and will put it in the mail tomorrow. I hope Victoria likes it!

In the midst of the wrist issue, I had some other health issues. I’ve talked before about my chronic illness on this blog, but rarely about things that are not related to that. Well, these issues are not related to my chronic illness, but to just being a woman in my 40s. Women’s stuff. Basically, I am having a hysterectomy on March 18th. This is a decision I am completely comfortable with. For over a year, we have tried to manage my symptoms with medications and this is no longer working. It is time for a more permanent solution. Adding to this decision is that I am also part of a family that has a history of ovarian cancer, so while the surgeon is in there, I’m going to have her remove my ovaries. Better safe than sorry. The surgery is scheduled to be laparoscopic, assuming all looks good when the doctor gets in there. We’re hopeful that it will be an easy surgery.

Six weeks after the surgery, I expect to be “released” from my restrictions. A few days later, we are actually heading out to Europe. Dave has been asked to speak in Venice, Italy at a conference. Last year, wen we were in France for another conference, we talked about our wishes to go to Italy this year. Well, life is pretty amazing. and it’s like the Universe heard our wish and it was granted! We are going for two weeks, and, because it is so soon after my surgery, we’re planning a relaxing trip. We’re just going to focus on Norther Italy – Lake Como area, Venice, Florence, and Milan. We do expect to go back at some point in the next few years, so we’re saving Rome and Tuscany for that time. I know myself well enough to know that I would push myself in Rome. Florence will already be pushing it, since it is toward the end of our trip, but I won’t miss seeing the David statue and the Duomo.

So, since my surgery is a week away, I’ve been preparing for the trip. Dave and I spent time booking hotels, renting a car, scheduling flights, ordering my allergy translation card, updating our passports… All the things you need to do before a trip. Our itinerary is set, but leaves us some room for day trips and such. Now, I just need to learn some Italian phrases so I can get around, order food, and ask for a bathroom!

So there you have it, my update. I hope to have some drawings or other art to share with you soon.

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