Jan 28, 2020

Answers



Had a right heart catheterization. (They stick a wire through your neck into your heart and measure a bunch of stuff.) I had one back in July and this was a much longer, more careful, test. 

The VERY GOOD NEWS is that I do not need a heart transplant. Repeating just for myself: I do not need a heart transplant.

The other good news is that they did find something wrong, which explains why they thought I needed a heart transplant and why I get short of breath. It can be addressed with medication and my doc will see me often in the next few months to make sure it gets addressed. My doctor told she was "wrong and happy to be wrong." She was just plain terrific and I feel good about working with her. 

It's hard to explain what the past month and a half has been like, but I hope to try and get my life back on track as soon as possible -- maybe I'll even stamp more! 

Thanks for listening. I learned a lot about myself and about heart transplants and now I hope to try and forget all of it.

MOOD WHEN DONE:  Alive!

Jan 19, 2020

Creating Birthday Balloons



Love cards with balloons, but unless someone designs a stamp that places all the balloons and all the strings in just the right place, I fumble and bumble and make a hot mess.

So, this time decided to experiment with a loved, but neglected, set by Essentials by Ellen called Wonky Backdrops. Used the "circles" to make balloons and added strings from Everyday Doodles. Sentiment is from Mama Elephant's Blogging Buddies.

I'm determined to use what I have (although that hasn't stopped me from adding to the pile!). Someone please stop me...

MOOD WHEN DONE: Good!

Thank you so very much for your very kind comments on my last post. I'll be sharing more!

Jan 15, 2020

All The Things

Let's start this party with a card.


This Always Here stamp set from Power Poppy is just a pretty, warm image. Plus, it comes with the sentiment built in, which I always appreciate. Used Copics and added a few details with Prismacolor Pencils. Hard to see in the photo, but I also added some clear jewels.

After I stamped the image with a Copic friendly ink (Memento), I kept it in the MISTI and, when I was done coloring, I restamped it with Versafine Onyx. While the Versafine is not Copic friendly, it works just fine if stamped after coloring. The image sort of came to life after I restamped it as the Versafine gives a much crisper image.

I find coloring small images much harder than large ones, but it was fun to make and this will make a perfect card to send to someone in need of a lift.

MOOD WHEN DONE: Happy to make a card!

________

A week before Christmas my cardiologist called to give me the results of a test. I need a heart transplant. Not immediately. Not tomorrow, but it's time to have a formal evaluation to get placed on The Waiting List. He referred me to an Advanced Heart Failure/Transplant cardiologist, Dr. X (not her real initial!).

Met with Dr. X. Really like her a lot. Managed to be both blunt and warm. I'm having another test, and she indicated that, after that test, we will either go forward right away with the formal evaluation (it takes several months) or defer it, but eventually I'm going to need a heart transplant. Given my age, it's better to get on the List ASAP.

Dr. X never said "die." Rather, "you'll live longer with a heart transplant than without." And I didn't ask about times or prognosis, because I have so many uninked stamps that it will take a very long time to use them all and why ask? 

Eventually, I'm going to talk about all the things -- the fears, the information, the tests, the details, the gratitude, the research, the risks, the health policy issues, the chance that I'll actually get a heart, all of it.

But for now, I'm just letting you know what's been going on. I'm hoping that I will educate and encourage folks to become organ donors. But the most important reason to blog about this is, selfishly, to give me an outlet to record all the things. I think it will help me process all of this. But I promise this blog is not going to turn into a medical blog. I've got cards to make and share, and most importantly, my life cannot be about this one thing,

In the meantime, I'm fine. If you spent any time with me, except for getting a little short of breath at times, you would have no idea that I had a heart condition. I'M FINE.

So, I'm on an adventure and you are welcome to come along for all the things. 




Jan 7, 2020

Mondo Great


Pulled out the Mondo Gerbera Daisy from Essentials by Ellen. Just love a big old flower, particularly if Julie Ebersole designed it.

Stamped the daisy with Versamark on Bristol Smooth paper and embossed in white. Watercolored with Zig Clear Color pens and cut out by hand. Added a purple stripe with one of the Zig markers and blended lightly with water. Used white gouache paint to speckle the cardstock.

Went with a sunny yellow daisy with a purplish center because I was in the mood for bold and bright and fun and complementary colors will give that pop, even if there are no gerbera daisies with this combination.

MOOD WHEN DONE: Great! A Mondo Great feeling to be back creating. Hobbies are wonderful things and I missed stamping. Hope to be back soon with more cards.