Time flies...

Blogging may not be my forte...

Maybe some day I'll get into the groove of blogging with something resembling regularity, but for now I'll just blog when I can and feel okay about that.

I meant to keep this as a blog of my post-accident progress, and I've slacked in the telling, but I am happy to say that I have indeed been making strides., Though I have "miles to go before I sleep," at least I've come a ways on my journey.

Today:
My wrist is immobilized in a splint after my third surgery on the 11th of April. Dr. Carter was able to do the bone graft this time, so I traded the stapler-like external fixator (with the pins in my arm) for a seven-inch incision in my hip (the site from which they harvested bone). I am hobbling around, using a cane most of the time, and the pain is getting much easier to handle.

I had been told that the pain in my hip would far outshine the pain in my arm. I thought "Maybe they don't quite get the level of pain I'm in." But nooooo. As is usually the case, the experts actually did know what they were talking about. Go figure. It is hard to describe the pain from a bone graft. It is different from the pain in my wrist. It's more. . . surreal. I don't know how else to describe it. The skin around the area is a bit numb, but still oddly sensetive (I can't stand the feel of the fabric of most of my pants, for example). The strangest things cause ripples of muscle pain, like belly-laughs. And God forbid I have to sneeze. Hoo, boy! But the bone pain itself is just this deep, dull, ache. If it were a feeling, I think it would be most akin to longing.

I am returning to work half-time on Monday, which is also Ethan's 6th birthday. 6 years. Crazy. Mom and I are picking him up from school today to take him to an appointment with his new therapist. I am so happy that he's got someone to talk to about all this. It's been hard: the loss of dear Lucy (our Beagle), the hospital stay, having a Mommy who can't do all the stuff she used to, Gran living in the house (and getting used to a different style of communication with her), having to be careful not to hurt me . . . It's all so much, yet he is handling it all. And is still his funny, bright, curious, creative self. But there is a shadow there, a fearfulness and sadness that creep in at times. It's understandable, normal, to be expected, etc. But no one said he had to weather the storm alone. Hence the therapist. Ethan is so cool. His therapist has a fairly complicated last name, so he said that Ethan could call him "whatever he wants." Ethan promptly said that he wanted to call him (with the best pirate accent) Captain Jack Sparrow! How cool is that? We decided that maybe he needs some limits there (hee hee). He loves the idea that he can choose to NOT tell me about his sessions. Secrets from Mommy, I mean, what could be cooler?

Okay. Shall we go back to the past? Pick up from where we left off, just before the ambulance arrived? Yes. But I need to shower, get dressed, etc, and that takes much longer than it used to, so I'd better be off to do that. I do want to come back and tell the tale. But this blog isn't called Knitting ADD for nothing, and sometimes I just don't get to things. So though I want to get back to tell the story, I have to own up to the possibility that I may not come back for months. Then again, I may come back later this evening. We'll see.

Oh, yeah. It IS called Knitting ADD. So:

WIPs:

Feather & Fan Comfort Shawl, in Sari Silk, on KP Options (metal) 8s. I was able to do some work on this until the cable pulled out of the needle. About 95% done. Status: On hold until I get a new, longer cable (from Knit Picks) .

Woodland Shawl, in Noro Silk Garden Lite (lovely greys, browns, greens and orandes), on KP Options (metal) 10s? 33% done. Status: I need to put this on a scrap of cotton and block it. I'm afraid it won't be quite large enough. I like the pattern very much, though.

Print O' the Wave, in Karabella Lace Mohair (light seafoam green), on metal KPO 4s. 2/3 done with center panel. Status: lingering. I love the pattern, but I just haven't picked it up much lately.

Ben's Skull Cap (We Call Them Pirates), in KP Telemark, on wood KP circs 2. About 98% done, but I'm afraid the cotton lining is too tight, so I'll likely have to rip it. I think I'll redo it in the black telemark. This was an Xmas gift. Maybe it'll be done by the time it gets cold again.

Skull Tote in KP WOTA, Magenta on Black, metal KPO 15s. 98% done, just needs to have straps sewn on and felted. Also an XMAS gift. For shame.

FOs:

Velvet's Skull Sweater, my design. I made a sweater for my brother and SIL's new chihuahua, Velvet. They already had 3 boys who all had black and white Skull Sweaters, so I made one for her in pink and black. I hope to get a photo soon.

Lisa's Necklace, my design. I made my Physical Therapist a crocheted wire necklace with beads in shades of green (on silver Artistic Wire) for her birthday. She loved the necklace and was so proud that I had made enough progress to complete it. ...and no, I didn't get a photo of it before it was gifted. Yeah, I know. (BUT...)

My necklace! I made one for myself in forest shades on gold Artistic Wire. I really love these and am planning on making some with semi-precious stones and sterling or fine silver and gold filled wire. I hope to sell some down the road, as I really need to make a dent in the medical bills! Maybe I'll even take some pics soon

CO:

Shawl Pin. Crocheted in Copper wire. I can't decide if this is done or if it needs another round of sc. I need to make the actual pin part for it as well. 90% done.

Garnet and Pearl Bracelet, my design. 28 gauge silver craft wire and garnet chips and 4mm round garnet beads and freshwater pearls (peach and white). It's looking lovely so far, though my jewelry teacher from way back when would kill me for using a base metal. I haven't placed my order for the sterling and fine silver and other goodies yet. It takes me forever to knit or crochet wire (my wrist complains rather loudly after a while), but I do love it. This is about 50% done.

Baby Surprise Jacket, in Lang Aktion in blues, browns and greens, on metal KP circs, size 2. 10% done? For Ethan's teacher's new baby. I wanted to get it done before the baby arrived, but Isaac was born last night (Healthy and happy-yay!) and I've only gotten maybe two inches done. sigh. Maybe it'll be an FO before he's grown out of it.


Yes, this means I actually have 8 WIPs. But 4 of those are really nearly done. And 2 are fairly quick (well, none of my knitting is exactly "quick" these days, but you get the idea).

There has also been some stash enhancement (I mean c'mon, if I can't knit like the wind, at least let me get my thrills somehow!) More on that later.

I do hope it's not another month before I post. We'll see.