Countdown to spay day.

As I'm a Veterinary Technician, I still say it's my spay day, as in human medicine then often leave the ovaries. But due to family history they are taking those too. I had my pre-op appointment yesterday. It was not very helpful for preparing as there is so much still up in the air. The flighty billing department at my doctor's office still hasn't applied to my insurance. Which means they haven't ok the surgery as being covered. She stuck her foot in her mouth, as she called me Friday to tell me she expected to be paid in full for the Doctors costs. $1600. I told her I would see what I could do. I called in the morning to verify cost as I had to get a cashier's check, from my mom's trust. She's like you're so lucky you have an inheritance to get this money from. Well my mom died of ovarian cancer (bitch implied) so it's only fair she paid for my preventative total hysterectomy.

Still no word on how long my recovery will be.
So I'm trying to be good to myself, and stick to my diet but ...

Hospital called tried to tell me it will be $9000 out of pocket, I told them I've already  paid the doctor part of the deductable, later she calls back and attributed her error to computer glitch. I'll still owe close to $5000.


That is life, here's craft.

To help with the skin problem I've been having, Dr. Beth had me get an all purpose salve, it's kind of expensive, but it does help. So I being a crafty witch, already had some supplies on hand, I went to the 4 sisters store in Renton to grab the calendula flowers and they had it already in olive oil. I stopped at supper supplement too grab some other stuff and they had one of the oils Dr Beth wanted me to put in the salve on clearance.

So I whipped up a batch for a tenth of the price of the 1oz bottle I got before.

All-purpose salve
1.5 oz by weight bee wax
4 oz by weight Shea butter
4 oz by measure extra virgin olive oil infused with calendula
2 tsp local unfiltered honey
The following are essential oils
15 drops Frankincense
15 drops helichrysum
20 drops lavender

Total yield 8oz + a purse tub.

Healthy New year to us all.

I am proud to say I am a 46 year old woman who is currently not on any medications. I take a handful of herbs and vitamins every morning that on the whole keeps me going. This last few months have been down right painful. I was training for a 5k in october I completed in respectable time.I have been experiencing foot pain and finally got a radiograph and there were no reported fracture but I have a bone spur. HAHAHAHA.

In the other hand the stress of my job, life and environment is getting to me. Last year I broke with Shingles. This year I broke with skin lesions that started out looking like it again-so antivirals and diet change trying to avoid herpes stimulating foods. Blood tests that I put off in June were also drawn at the same time as foot rads were taken. It showed that I have a resounding response to Epstein Barr (yet another herpes virus)  and the skin lesions now many more have not receded. New theory is Psoriasis. I bought a locally made salve with all the ingredients recommended and it is already better in less than 6 hours. 

I am working towards have my total hysterectomy on Feb 6th. Some of you know my mother died of stage 4 ovarian cancer. Get a test- CA-125 it is the only know test for cancer markers it is not perfect but it's the only one out there. I have been having my test drawn every year, my numbers are still very much under the reference ranges but the number has slowly been creeping up.  I have been having this discussion with my Gynecologist since I first met her in 2014. I was pregnant with Tori and wanted them to do it at her c-section, but they wouldn't so I settled for tubal ligation. 3 years later she said I could at 45 last year I said lets start the process. We are at the days count down and I am scared but know this preventative measure will allow me to live longer and healthier so that I can watch my children grow. 

I have gained a great deal of weight back due to all the stress. I have been trying to get down under 200 for the surgery but with the latest test results it's recommended to go mostly vegan ( no red meat no gluten, I'm already allergic to cheese and to eggs. so shit why not go big. I will continue to eat fish and seafood, and maybe chicken but we shall see. ) We have also added in a few more vitamins and supplements in my handful every morning the one I'm least looking forward to is the tablespoon of fish oil. I bought supplies today and divided up my pills for the week and ordered what I'm missing. 

Again more info than what FB is about but you all know I am transparent to a fault. If one person can learn from me and my experiences so be it. 

Welcome Home friends.

The last time I posted to this system was 5 years ago. Since then I have returned to being a LVT full time, added another little human in my life and lost one of my beloved cats. I haved crafting through this whole time both knitting, sewing and crochet. If you wish to see those things you can see them on ravelry. I still go to my knit group formally known as the knitorious kent knitters renamed to the knitorious kent crafters because as most do we do more than just knit.

I took up machine embroidery, about the time i last spoke to you I took some of my inheritance and bought a huge Husqvarna Ruby embroidery machine. I have been able to create some beautiful things. And also make some money on the side to make more beautiful things. :)

About a year ago we moved our old child into my husbands office which is upstairs across from my sewing / guest room. Which wouldn't be so bad, however you might remember my husband actually works out of his office 3 days a week so moving into a cluttered over stuffed craft room with an artistic ( read messy) person has not been easy. Many things have changed but not my craft hording personality I just have to be better about hiding the new stuff.  My buy nothing and thrift store findings have help. My first big project was writing a list and as you can see finally getting to the point that there are more Xs than things to do.

Now as you can see it's far from done but in the last month I have been able to tick off 8 things. There are still some projects on this list from over 8 years ago and some that I am still mad at so they are sitting in time out....


As you can see this is a long way to talk about reorganizing and the crafter/artist soul. As you might know I am a orphan, my mother the og craft of the family left me lots, not limited to the love of craft but also supplies. I have been moving around some of these supplies for 20 + years (wow it zings every time I say shit like that.)  Now some is far from Practical case in point this QVC monstrosity - yes to get to every section you have to open it all up at 5 feet in total.           

This has held my jewelry pieces to some extent for 22 years or so and I have proof.

This here necklace was supposed to be mine. It matches the ones I made my attendants at  my wedding 20 years ago. My mother was sad i didn't make her one so I gave it to her and it broke. I never got around to restringing it for her.

I have since moved in this system which is way more compact and now I need to finish the job, but memory after memory comes up. A bead from my step mother, jade bought with a old best friend I don't talk to anymore. I just don't know if everyone feels all these feelings like I do when you clean your studio.