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.