Wow. It has been some time since I last posted. Ironically, the last post was about the Mother of Cats being broken. I felt really good, and I was casting on a plethora of projects and was all over the place with my knitting, reading, projects, you name it. Hannah was complaining in that post that I was broken, and that I wasn’t devoting myself to making her a blanket.
Then scleroderma lowered the boom on me. I went into a flare of epic proportions. I hurt all over, I struggled to do just simple tasks, I started sleeping 10-12 hours a day, and I had to go back onto daytime oxygen. I kept heat packs on my sore joints, but I really needed a total body heat pack to cope with what was going on: every single tendon in my body was under attack!! I couldn’t regulate my body temperature and took multiple naps a day because I was too cold to stay awake. I developed chest pain. My brain fog became so bad I wasn’t safe to drive anymore… Yep. Broken.
Okay, I also accidently drank some Miracle Gro fertilizer that I had stored in a Snapple bottle. That is some serious brain fog, people!! (Yes, I did have to call poison control, I did eat burnt toast and I did drink a lot of water, and I don’t want to talk about this anymore…) Yep. Broken.
I managed to get some knitting done in spite of my ill-behaved health. I got some wristers made as Christmas presents and sewed zippered pouches for my sister and cousin.
Wristers and a zippered project pouch.
Sewing was a riot as I had to get the sewing room organized so I didn’t have to stand up very much as I cut, sewed, and pressed fabric to make the bags, but with some creative thinking and furniture arrangements I pulled it off.
I also finished my Emma sweater. I made a hat. I made some socks. I made some slippers. Everything was on big needles and used heavy weight yarn as I got too tired to knit more than a few minutes at a time.
This sweater was knit using the CocoKnits method and I learned some new methods of shaping and finishing. The yarn was chunky weight and is warm and comfy. I got it done early in the flare and it was just perfect for the days to come. The yarn that was left over was used to make a hat and a pair of slippers.
I did read some nice books, but mostly I slept and waited this miserable thing out. In the weeks while I was mostly bedbound my orchids started to grew stems for future blossoms, the first snows arrived, and my son moved in with his cats.
This is handsome Jonesy. Hannah does not like Jonesy, so there is now a chicken wire barricade at the top of the stairs to keep the two groups of cats separated. My son also has a long-haired tuxedo cat who just doesn’t care about my cats. Hannah, however, has a complete meltdown if Jonesy comes near her, so… barricade.
Mateo: I love Jonesy and I go through the barricade every day to rough house with my new best bud while Hannah hangs out with the Mother of Cats. Jonesy is the wild playmate of my dreams!
So, I think that I am out of the flare now as the multiple naps a day have stopped, and my appetite is back. Yesterday we made lasagna for Christmas and here is the present that I got from my son:
Perfect, right?
Can you see my blue lips? The bad news is that the Blue-Lipped Zebra is back in full force. I finally emailed my cardiologist to let him know that I am once again panting for air and feeling light-headed from doing simple tasks like… lifting a pan out of the cupboard or grating cheese. Ugh. I’m pretty sure that I am heading back into the cath lab for another look at my pulmonary pressures, but right now I am glad to be back on my feet and out of the flare. My son is still here (he works from home, so he just moved his operation over to my house) and things are going well in the combined household.
Hannah: as long as Jonesy stays on his side of the barricade!! Also, maybe the Mother of Cats will now settle down and get my new blanket done!!
Yarn, Books & Roses 
Hey, Marilyn !! – great to have you back, mate ! Not at all great to learn of the flare; but then, you seem to copy with whatever life throws at you (I can state happily). Not so great to learn of Jonesy’s upsetting the queen of the house – bloody unfortunate. But in the world of mogs the hierarchy is set in stone, eh ? She’ll need a shitload of extra petting .. Mateo, being lower down the ladder, is allowed to befriend whomever, I guess. Do these arrivals hint at domestic discord elsewhere ? – they seem a bit odd .. Still, not my business, and the windcheater’s nice. 🙂
The only domestic discord going on here is my out-of-control bitch immune system and the occasional hissing cat. Truthfully, I am so lucky that he was able to come stay here because I was at the point where I couldn’t cook for myself.
I think that it is a dominance problem between Hannah and Jonesy. They each were top cat and now he wants to retain that position while it is Hannah’s house, after all.
Of course ! – and if things work out, Jonesy will capitulate. But on the other hand, Hannah will probably continue to wish to eviscerate him .. unless he proves himself the underling.
It’s delightful to learn not only that your offspring are good people, but also that they are cat people. They were probably raised to be, I should think. 🙂
Hope you go on improving each day, Marilyn !!
I am so glad to see a post from you. I was trying not to worry about your absence and comforted that at least you were still clocking up some finished books on Goodreads. Your son is clearly a superstar. That’s fun that Mateo and Jonesy get on whilst Hannah can be in charge of snuggling with you. I’m really glad things are getting a little better each day. Have a happy new year when it gets here.
Hannah is actually happy to have me all to herself. She is such a spoiled little girl. 🙂 This really was the worst flare I’ve go through so far, but it is hopefully now behind me. I am knitting my wonderful son socks this week because he really is a superstar!
I am sorry you have had such an awful time, and hope all is settled down as much as possible soon
I’m thinking that my doctors will get me sorted out as soon as we’re through the holidays.
Nothing like a thoughtful son and a few kitties to lighten the mood a bit. Hope you’re on the mend now. Is that a pocket in that sweater? Wonderful!! Women need pockets every bit as much as men.
Boy, I do wish that was a pocket, but it is just a trick of the light. 🙂 I do love pockets and have them on a couple of sweaters. I agree with you… women need pockets!!
I’m sorry to hear of the flare-up, but I’m glad you’re doing better again! That Emma sweater looks nice and super comfy. Hopefully the cat drama can stay contained by chicken wire.
I’m finally feeling more like myself and my knitting mojo seems to be coming back. I’m hopeful that all cat drama will sort itself out in due time, but right now things are doing okay with Hannah protected in her own little upstairs kingdom. She is starting to interact with Jonesy through the wire, but I don’t want to rush things as we already had two cat fights and Jonesy is much bigger than Hannah.
Agreed, not rushing things sounds like the best idea. I’m glad you’re feeling more like yourself now! Hopefully the New Year will be kind to you.
I am so glad you are on the other side of your flare! Hopefully, your cardiologist will get you situated soon. Thankfully, your knitting mojo is back. It always helps to have knitting to get you through.
I am springing back to life and feeling like knitting again. I’ve even considered pulling out an ancient Alice Starmore sweater that has been languishing in time out to finish it up. Yay.
Glad the flare is over. Love your Emma sweater. Did you like the shoulder shaping?
I did like the shoulder shaping once I figured out how it was working, but I think that I will like it even more in a yarn that is not so bulky. The finishing of the underarm was new, too, as you cast on stitches for the underarm and then graft the bottom of the sleeve to the body when you are done knitting. Odd, but it looks great with no gap at the edge. I’m thinking that I should knit another Coco sweater when the right yarn comes along.
I do continue to use that underarm closure on other sweaters.
It really did work well and gave a nice finish.
So glad you’re ok (well you know what I mean, considering), and it’s working well with your son! Flares are pretty brutal, been a baddd winter. I’m really hoping for a calmer New Year for you and hope your cardiologist can help you!
So glad to see you back here!! I missed hearing from you. So sorry to hear about the flare! It is wonderful that your son was able to move in with you, and hopefully the cats will start getting along eventually. And you and beautiful Hannah can hang out together, so that will be good 🙂 Your new sweater is lovely, and definitely looks cozy!
Sorry to hear of your flare up – Happy New Year and here’s to a better 2023 🌞
Welcome back to Blogland 🙂 So sorry you had to deal with such a horrible flare up, but I’m glad you’re feeling better again. I bet all the extra kitty cuddles helped. The new jumper looks sooooo cozy and warm – perfect for Winter!
Thank you!