Seven Quick Takes--What a Week!

-1-

Oh my goodness what a week around here!

-2-

On Sunday I celebrated the birthday of my book! So that was a nice start to the week (or end of the week, depending on how you count the weeks!).

-3-

Monday was…OK? I mean my body was still being sort of silly and my sleep was nuts, but it was all right.

Tuesday, however…..no bueno.

It began with finding an email saying that one of my favorite flower companies supports Planned Parenthood. This makes me sad and angry on several levels. One, that the lie that PP is for “women’s health” continues to have traction, whether or not people believe it or if they’re just parroting something that sounds good. Second, that people still think that being able to murder your babies is an OK thing. And third, that politics has to be in everything, even flowers!

Endo kept calling my parent about check in stuff and we couldn’t get ahold of them. (More on endo in a bit). THEN it was port access day, and my port decided not to work.

via GIPHY

“Work” in this case means—get blood return. Really quickly: When you access a port, you put in the port needle, with a syringe full of saline attached (used to flush the line) and if the needle in the port, when you pull back on the syringe, blood will come out.

No blood came out. We tried several times.

So, this means that either 1) there is some sort of issue in the line that needs professional help, or 2)the port is broken. The port is 16 years old, so that’s pretty likely. They don’t last forever, sadly.

So I had to email Kim, my transplant coordinator, and see what’s up.

And then both my hockey teams lost in OT.

Tuesday was not good.

-4-

Wednesday.

Kim gets back to me and asks me if I want to see what happens with my port when I come in for blood work on 2/22. I say, yes, let’s do that. If the nurses can’t get it, then we will try a dye study to see if the port is really broken. And if it is, then surgery to remove the old one and put in a new one, which I hope fervently will be a POWER PORT! A power port means that I can get CT contrast through that line! Yayyyyyy!

So, OK, one issue dealt with. The port doesn’t hurt me, so the fact that it’s not currently working isn’t a huge deal.

I have an endocrinology appointment so my parents have to play phone tag with endo and I wail about how the fact that they won’t email me is just insane. Sigh.

So, the office is crazy, but my doctor is good, and I really like her. My appointment with her goes really well; my A1c has dropped two percentage points since last year, so that’s great. She’s “not worried about me” and is pleased with my progress. (I really like it when I don’t worry my doctors.) We make a few little insulin tweaks and set up some more appointments, including an education appointment. So I’m really glad that endo went well.

-5-

And I was so glad that endo went well, and I was all dressed and pretty, so I went to the local yarn store! I had emailed them earlier in the week about stopping in for some help and the owners graciously said yes! (Knit ins aren’t happening right now, obviously, but this was OK.) So with the help of one of the wonderful owners, I finally have figured out how to pick up stitches for my cardigan collar! Huzzah! The end is near!

And then Ince I was there I had to get more yarn, right? So I did. Firstly because the woman had given me her time—she really had, she sat by me until I said I was comfortable doing it!—and also because…..YARN.

Behold the pretty—this is all Wonderland Yarn from Frabjous Fibers in the Mary Ann fingering base. Tonals: the bright turquoise, called Seaography; variegated: Biscotti, from the Tea Time Collection (the cream/gold/sienna speckle), and then the last two are from their De-Stitch Nation special collection: Jerusalem and Egypt.

Right now I’m thinking about doing a Free Your Fade shawl with Seaography, Egypt, and Jerusalem. Biscotti is a great neutral that will work with anything and makes me really happy.

-6-

The other issue is vaccine roll out here. I am in group “1b” , but that’s been a group that’s been subject to a lot of political pandering. I might not get the vaccine until February 15 because, while I have lots of health issues that are in this group, I don’t have intellectual impairments. I’m not sure how that affects your immune system, but…..the state has decreed it so. Sigh.

-7-

So yes it’s been a busy sort of insane week. But there are good things in it, as always. Like Patty!

She’s scooting now and it’s so cute—her mom video called me to show me. I just adore this child. And check that dimple!

As soon as I get vaccinated I am RUNNING to see her.

Seven Quick Takes--January 15, 2021

-1-

Hello, all! Welcome to the Friday Quick Takes. :) Glad you’re here.

We’ll start with some Patty, per usual….

No, I did not make that really cute sweater, her grandma (my Aunt Sue) did. :) She’s almost 7 months old!

-2-

We could talk about politics. But the thing is, I’d rather not, because I spent so much of my life in it. And at this point I am glad I am out of it. I will, however, repost something I wrote over the summer about how we deal with current events. Here you go.

I really do think that we have to think about what we say, pray about what we say, pray about what God is calling us to do. Not all of us are called to be big shaking world changers. Food for thought.

-3-

Sort of attached….I know a lot of people are talking about leaving social media. I can understand that. If you want to stay in touch with me and the blog—which means you get all the posts, the giveaways (one next week!), notifications, and news—please sign up for my mailing list. I do not send spam. :) You get blog posts and my newsletter sent to your inbox, and you also get subscriber goodies!
And also, publishers look at the “engagement” authors have with their audience. So a healthy email list is something I can show publishing houses to say that people actually, you know, read what I write?

-4-

My Book’s Birthday is on Jan. 24, and I’ve got giveaways! On Monday the first one will go, and then I’ll be doing another which is more Lent focused in February. I’m excited.

-5-

In other news, I’m really happy because one, hockey is back (even if the Pens did lose to Philly last night) and two because I’m sleeping again, yay body! It’s so nice to have energy!

In other health news, my “group” of people here in Ohio is set to begin receiving the COVID vaccine on January 25. I’m registered with my local health department and OSU (Ohio State) is also setting up a site for their patients, so I’m not sure where I’ll get it or which one it will be . I guess it’ll be whoever calls me first. I you are in Ohio and want more information on the vaccination process, you can read it here.

What I’m hearing is that we (meaning immunocompromised folk) might not get as much protection as the rest of you from it, because we’ve broken our immune systems on purpose. But even some protection is better than none.

-6-

Some books I’ve read lately and really liked: Miss Austen, Piranesi, and The Exiles. If you want some good fiction reading, I highly recommend these!

-7-

My tree is still up, yup. I try to keep it up until Candlemas, which used to be the end of the Christmas Season. We’ll see how long it stay up. :) But some of the other things can start to come down. I don’t have too many Christmas decorations but some things like the pillows can move back into storage until next year.

How about you? Is your tree or nativity still up, or have then been packed up?

Seven Quick Takes--A Word for 2021

Hi everyone! This is going to be a sort of different 7QT today, but I will start off with a link to the first yarn along of the year, in case you missed it. :)

So today I’m writing about my word of the year for 2021. When I’m doing Power Sheets prep in November and December, this comes up—what do I want my word to be for 2021? Last year it was “discipline”—trying to create rhythm of life in my work and in housekeeping and things like that. Well, rhythm sort of went out the window in 2020, didn’t it? :)

In 2021, my word is LISTEN. Listen to God, listen to my body, and listen to my gut.

Listen to God is sort of easy, right? I want to listen to what He wants from me, so that means I have to make time to be quiet in prayer and give time to Him in deepening our relationship.

Listening to my body is harder. As I write this (Thursday), I don’t really have any energy. I didn’t sleep for most of the month of December. What I mean by that is that I’d fall asleep around 3 AM after taking something to help me fall asleep, because I’d be trying to fall asleep for the past three hours, and the I’d force myself up seven hours later. I need nine hours of sleep a night. I was getting less than that, on a regular basis and the sleep I was getting was crappy, really hard sleep ( you know what I mean?). At 5 AM on Christmas morning my phone alerted me to a low glucose reading so I went down to my parents’ kitchen to give myself some orange juice, and then I realized that part of the sleep problem was probably that I was giving myself too much insulin. I was giving myself insulin around 8/9 :00 with my evening meds (because I eat with them) and then more when I went to bed. I didn’t need that much, and I’d been seeing low morning glucose numbers for awhile—not really low, but low-ish. I thought that was OK. But then I’d looked back over the night and seen that I was dipping to the low “danger range” more often than I’d like.

So for the past two weeks I’ve tried not having the snack insulin dose (which was something I had suggested to my team, not the other way around so I didn’t feel bad skipping it.) For the first few nights I slept hard and had really vivid dreams. I’ve been sleeping better, but I’ve also been low in energy meaning that I think my insulin is off—again—because I’m running high at night now. So today I finally sent an email to my nurse asking if she had any suggestions.

I clearly need to listen to my body. It’s tired. It doesn’t have a lot of reserves. It needs to sleep, to sit, to recuperate and recover from whatever. (No, I do not have COVID. :) ) And I’m trying not to listen to it because I have stuff that needs to be done that’s bugging me, like laundry and dishes and putting sodas in the fridge (Diet only. :) ). I’m falling asleep earlier, but I’m still sleeping 12 hours a night and I hate that—even though I know my body needs it.

So listening to my body? Yeah. I need to get better at it, especially when it’s yelling at me like it is right now. I need to stop thinking I need to get everything done and realize that my body does not, at this moment, have the capacity to do things like HIIT workouts or even a lot of puttery housework. It needs water, naps, and recovery, and easy workouts like stretching and slow, yin yoga. Nothing hard or intense.

Listening to my gut means that I stop doing things that I don’t really want to do or think I’m not suited for because I want to be “nice.” I want to not let someone down, I want to be a team player, I want to be reliable. My body, first off, doesn’t always let me do that (see above!). And second, if I’m forcing myself to do something, am I doing my best work? I don’t mean skipping out on things that I have to do based on previous commitments. I mean taking on new things new work, new commitments. Do I really want to? Am I excited about it? Do I have the margin to do it?

Right now, my body is saying, “Emily, you have no margin. You need to take care of ME.” And if my body isn’t happy then I can’t do anything anyway, because it won’t let me!

So, as frustrated as I am right now, I know that listening to my body will pay off. I just have to do it. I have to listen to God and see what He wants from me. And I have to listen to my gut, to see what I’m feeling about projects.

That’s my word for 2021. What’s yours? Do you pick a word of the year?

(Oh, and also: cute Patty for you:

Seven Quick Takes: Third Friday of Advent

-1-

ONE WEEK UNTIL CHRISTMASSSSSS!!!!!!!!

WOO WOOOOO!

-2-

OK with that said…I wrote an Advent reflection for Dec. 14 on my friend Elizabeth’s Joyful Momentum blog.

I also have a whole post on Christmas movies and Christmas Books for Grown-Ups! (Well, two whole posts. They’re linked in the link above!)

-3-

Have you heard about the Year of St. Joseph? And did you know you can get plenary indulgences during the year?! Here’s how!

I am really happy about this because St. Joseph needs some love, y’all! If you haven’t read the Consecration to St. Joseph, I HIGHLY recommend it!

-4-

It was Jane Austen’s 245th birthday on Wednesday! PARTY!

Basically, party like Patty…..

-V-

In the “awesome stories abut saints” category: THIS.

-VI-

Quick Health Note: One of the annoying things about being diabetic is that sometimes you want to do things and your body goes NOPE! I mean, CF did this too, but it wasn’t quite as dramatic. I started exercising and then felt like I was going to throw up. Checked my BGL. Oh it’s LOW! OK then. Time for some orange juice and no more workout. Oh well. I guess some workout is better than NO workout, right?

It’s GOOD TIMES! :)

-VII-

What are you guys doing for Christmas? Share your plans in the comments!

Seven Quick Takes--First Friday of Advent

-1-

Hellooooo everyone! :) How are you? How’s your Advent going? We had our first real snow this week!

One of my goals for December is to listen to no news, or read any news, because I don’t need to hear it. So I check a local news station’s website once or twice a day to scan the headlines, and then I click off. Because I do not need to know, you know? I need some peace and quiet.

If “the world is too much with you”, maybe you can try the same thing?

-2-

From the blog this week:

The Find Your Fade Shawl is almost done!

Post-Turkey Quick Takes

Find Your Fade!

-3-

My ebook, Catholic 101, is on sale through today! You can get it for $4, which is a buck less than I normally sell it for. Check it out! These sales give me some extra money which is always nice to have and helps keep the lights on around here. The book is printable, readable on any screen/device, and is also gift-able—just enter the recipient’s email and off it goes! Go get it!

-4-
If you would like a signed copy of Living Memento Mori for the holidays, email me. They’re $20 and that includes shipping and a specially designed bookmark and prayer card! The last day for shipping this holiday season is Dec. 17. So you have some time, but…..order early. :)

If you would like a ‘regular’ copy, you can get them at all sorts of places! Here’s the link to my book at the retailer of your choice! (Scroll down a bit to find it.)

-5-

If you’re still looking for an Advent devotional, I wrote two essays in this one. My friend and fellow Ave Author Elizabeth Tomlin put it together and I think it’s lovely! And it’s free!

-6-

For some reason, Christmas is the time for the Harry Potter Movie Marathon. Not sure why. :) But I’m on the third movie now, Prisoner of Azkaban, and I’m also re-reading the books at the same time, so I’m also on that book.

-7-

If you want to support your local Catholic authors, here’s a big list of Catholic authors and their books that I put together!

Seven Quick Takes--Post Turkey

-1-

Happy Post-Thanksgiving! I hope you had a lovely Turkey Day!

Patty certainly had a good day.

-2-

We had Buca di Beppo. They had the normal menu (well, a smaller menu, as is usual these days) an then Thanksgiving meal which was very good. I really liked the stuffing, which had Italian sausage in it—WINNER. It was a little different than regular stuffing (or dressing, as some of you say), but I really liked it!

-3-

OK time for business!

OK first: my ebook, Catholic 101, is on sale for FOUR DOLLARS. If you are a blog subscriber, you get even MORE off with your special coupon code! So if you aren’t a subscriber, sign up now and get the code!

This book is based on my experiences as a first grade CCD—as I was teaching the kids things, I noticed that parents and other adults didn’t know the stuff I was teaching the kids! So I decided to write an ebook about it.

The ebook is gift-able—you can email it to people!—printable, and also readable on any screen.

The sale runs through next Friday (Dec. 4), at midnight. You don't need a code or anything. Just go buy it. :)

Second, Ave Maria Press’s Black Friday deal is on. Using the code BLACK20 to get 30% off and FREE SHIPPING PLUS an Advent booklet (while supplies last) for free! You can get Living Memento Mori here.

-4-

I got my first Christmas gift today from Tiff (aka Billy’s mom)—three books that I will probably spend the rest of the day devouring. That and also digging out in Orchard House—it’s a disaster. One of the biggest issues with not going out to shop is that I get so many BOXES AND BAGS delivered on a weekly basis. So they pile up fully quickly! So today I’ll be making several trips to the bulk trash and trash compactor.

-5-

Normally I put my tree up tomorrow during the OSU/ Michigan game. But….that game is now next week, so my schedule is all off. :) So I might not get the tree up until next week but it’s all good, right? I would like to get the nativity set out this weekend.

-6-

In what has become a Thanksgiving tradition, I watched Miracle on 34th Street (the original) last night while I worked on my Find Your Fade Shawl. It’s actually quite a lovely tradition, if I do say so myself.

-7-

And speaking of knitting, this weekend I will start picking up the stitches for the cardigan collar! Wish me luck. :)

Seven Quick Takes--a bunch of random

-1-

We’ll start with some Patty for ya….

FINGERS ARE YUMMY!

( I seriously could just post photos of her all day…..)

-2-

In really good news, I’ve gotten to talk to Patty! Well, not really talking, more baby talk and gurgles and baby voices. But her mom (my cousin Diane) has video called me twice lately, and it’s been so great to see Patty and her brother, Johnny (who is too young for school yet) and also catch up with Di! Normally I’d have been in Houston for the baptism in September, but….not this year. Sigh. So video calls are what we do, which is still a good substitute. At least Patty can see my face and hear my voice! And I like seeing Di’s new house, too (well it’s new to me. I haven’t visited them there yet.) Johnny is not in school yet, so that’s why I get to see him while the other three are in school. (There are five kids in total, three girls and two boys.) It’s great to be able to catch up this way, even if I can’t actually snuggle the baby yet. I can make weird faces! :)

I am also going to get her several Baby Lit books for Christmas. :)

-3-

Speaking of Christmas shopping, get copies of Living Memento Mori for Christmas! Pregame your Lent! :)

-4-

As my cardigan project nears its completion, I’m thinking about other things I can knit! One of the things I like is the idea of a capsule knitted wardrobe. I like the idea of “slow fashion” (ie, things made with care, not as cheap as possible and things that last), and I also like the idea of making pieces that will go with a lot of other things. So right now, that means I have to get better at knitting in the round, so I can make hats and sweaters with a top-down construction.

In order to practice, I’ve got two patterns coming up. One is a cowl I’ve done before. After this is this hat, done in Quince and Co’s Lark yarn in Peacock.

Why peacock? When I was in the hospital last year for pancreatitis and gallbladder issues, I got a magazine with the model wearing a peacock colored beret on the cover, and I WANTED IT. Also, it has sort of a Mrs. Weasley-ish vibe that I liked. :)

So after I’ve done a hat (or two—probably two!), I will move on to this sweater, called Leslie, from the same book as my cardigan project:

Leslie is knit in pieces, like my cardigan, and then seamed. It uses Quince and Co’s Osprey yarn. Not sure what color I’ll pick yet, but to fit in with the “capsule” idea, it’ll probably be on that will go with a lot of what I wear!

-5-

Yes, I am watching The Crown. To me it seems like this is the first season where the queen is not…totally likable. I also wish they’d given Maggie T a little more credit, especially in the South Africa episode, but whatever.

Also, the queen’s sons sure are special!

-6-

What are you doing for Thanksgiving? If our restaurants stay open we’ll be going out. But things are sort of….tenuous right now, so no one really knows what’s going to be coming down from the state government….we’ll see!

-7-

I’m also working on my goals for 2021, using Lara Casey’s power sheets, which I absolutely love and highly recommend. :) Look for a post on 2021 goals soon! :)

If you’d like to support my writing, become a Patreon member! Memberships range from $1-$20 a month. Thank you! Your support keeps me creating!

Seven Quick Takes--Only Treats!

-1-

Helloooooo everyone!

Let’s start your day with some Patty, shall we?

Gosh I LOVE this kid.

Patty is four months old today!!!! :)

Also, here is her Halloween costume:

-2-

From the blog this week:

The Brave New Us podcast is live!!!—I had a really fun time doing this one, since it’s about genetics!

-3-

The cardigan is taking a break right now. The next step is to pick up stitches and knit the collar, which I don’t know how to do, so I am going to practice on the swatch.

In the mean time I’ve been working on this shawl. Ravelry notes here. It’s the sail-away shawl from Modern Daily Knitting’s “ease” issue, and it is easy! The yarn was actually a birthday gift and I’d completely forgotten about it during all the Big Projects I’ve been knitting.

The yarn is Sincere Sheep’s sport in Hathor’s Gem (the blue) and Suerte (the green). This yarn is magical. It’s so much fun to work with and the shawl is SO SQUISHY.

-4-

My book, Catholic 101, turns three this weekend! Do you have a copy? It’s FIVE BUCKS, and if you’re a subscriber to the blog, you get an additional 15% off!

You can read it on any computer or e-reader, and it’s both PRINTABLE and GIFT-ABLE. So knock some folks off your Christmas list! :)

In that vein….

-5-

Signed copies of Living Memento Mori are available! They are $20, and that includes shipping and a custom bookmark and prayer card that the Ave Maria Press marketing department made for the book! Fancy! I can dedicate the book to anyone you want! If you want a copy, email me. Buy some Christmas gifts and/or think ahead for Lent! :)

-6-

Do we even want to talk about the election? How about not? :-D

-7-

Next week I’ll have two new blog posts out for sure….the first one being about the second book, which is really exciting, and the second one being about health stuff, I think. No, nothing is going on that’s new, but I like to keep y’all informed about my life and health, so I’ll be writing a post about how things are going there!

Enjoyed this post? Consider becoming a Patreon member to support my writing!

Seven Quick Takes: A Tea Break Weekend

-1-

Hello, folks!

Jean Charles Cazin, October Day, 1894,

From the blog this week—and last, since I didn’t do 7QT last week!:

Amazon Prime Day: The Big Catholic Creative List!

Yarn Along #102: Blanket, shawl, cardigan….

My First Royalty Statement! (Buy copies!)

Future Janeite

-2-

These arrived yesterday…

-3-

Seaming the cardigan has begun! This is actually a fairly long process…..yesterday was the “pre-seam”, where I used stitch markers to piece three pieces together.

So in the photo above, I’ve laid out the five pieces of the cardi—the back, two sleeves, and two “front” pieces.

I decided to start work on the right side first, since I don’t have enough stitch markers to put everything together at once!

I’m pinning fairly close together using the “lightbulb'“ shaped removable stitch markers. I don’t have any plastic ones, which would’ve been GREAT for this.

More pre-seaming—this is the sleeve insert section so the sleeve is attached to both the sweater back and the front piece. You can also see the sweater back and the front piece pinned together for the side seam on the bottom of the photo.

This has been really interesting, because it’s a 3-D object—not a flat piece! So I had to visualize how things, like the sleeves, would actually become….sleeves! So what I figured is that it is attached in two places, but then I will seam the sleeve itself to make it into a tube. Whew!

This is the first piece i’ve seamed so I’m not sure how long it will take. But even after the seaming, there is a shawl collar that’s picked up and knitted in garter stitch.

The finish line is sort of in sight! My goal when I cast on was to wear it this fall/winter, and that will definitely happen!

-4-

So, "tea break” in the headline, what’s that?

One thing I’ve really enjoyed during the pandemic (YES ENJOYED) is that my parents and I have been having monthly tea dates. There’s a local tea house that has a loveeeely tea, and they’re taking so many precautions to keep things safe, that we feel comfortable going there once a month for lunch and then going to the local Catholic bookshop. It’s the one thing every month that I really look forward to (I think my parents do too….at least I hope they do!).

(Just so you know—we’re really safe, in general. Dad works from home. I don’t go out all that often. My mom doesn’t either. So we’re basically staying home except for things like groceries and doctor appointments. So this is our “treat.” And honestly, it helps keep me sane!)

-5-

I’m going to vote on Monday, too—yay early voting! I really love voting on Election Day, but this year….probably best to do it early. So we’re going to the county Board of Elections to do that on Monday.

-6-

Some business: If you’d like a signed copy of the book as a Christmas gift, LET ME KNOW NOW. Email me! The books are $20 and that includes shipping and a specially designed bookmark and prayer card. I can dedicate the book to whomever you like, or I can just sign it—your call.

You can also get copies of my ebook, Catholic 101—you DO NOT need an e-reader to read it! You can read it on your regular computer! You can print it out! The ebook is FIVE BUCKS. Yup. Five dollars.

And finally, if you like what I’m writing, and want to support me, check out my patreon page! Memberships start at a buck a month (yes, a buck) and go up to $20/month. I am working on adding video, but that’s something else I have to pay for so I have to check the budget. :) Patreon support helps me do fun things like video! :)

-7-

And finally…..adorable Patty.

Seven Quick Takes, St. Therese Edition!

-1-

St. Therese’s feast day was yesterday!!!!

I love this, and I post it every year. Bless whoever made this!

-2-

St. Therese was my confirmation saint. If you want to learn about how I picked her—or she picked me—go here.

-3-

Some St. Therese books? THOUGHT YOU’D NEVER ASK!

I love this edition of Story of a Soul, because it has an introduction by my friend Elizabeth Foss!

My FAVORITE book about St. Therese: I Believe In Love. Seriously. Desert island book, folks.

Want some St. Therese every day? Then you want Mornings With St. Therese.

And this one: 33 Days to Merciful Love. (also, that image of St. Therese is my favorite, and you can get it here.)

-4-

Want a movie? Here you go.

Or AWESOME ST. THERESE SOCKS?

OR A STICKER or a MUG…..OR A KEYCHAIN?????

-5-

My parish has a lovely St. Therese shrine….

(Use the arrow keys to scroll through it!)

A parishioner carved that. Can you believe that? I can’t.

There’s a relic of St. Therese, and it’s just such a beautiful place to pray. It’s so beautiful that you often have to wait! :)

-6-

Right now I’m really missing the ST. Therese retreat center. This weekend would’ve bee the Women’s Silent Retreat weekend for the fall, and I almost always went to this one. Sigh.

If you know of places near Ohio that have silent retreat opportunities, please let me know? I MISS THEM!

-7-

And to leave you this week—Anne Shirley. :)

Like what you’ve read? Then consider supporting my writing on Patreon!

Seven Quick Takes--Welcome, Fall!

-1-

Welcome, Fall!

I’ve always been a big fan of fall. I like the sense of new beginnings, of school starting, of football….and I love that the weather has cooled down and I can walk outside and not burn up! Yay!!!!

The leaves are looking really lovely this year too. And I love lighting candles in my house again and wearing my sweaters and fun socks!

-2-

This week on the blog:

The new Take Up and Read Study is out! Essential Holiness is perfect for fall!

A Rock Solid Clinic

-3-

I’m glad my eye has healed up although my doctor said I might be developing cataracts and to be honest I’m freaked about this because I depend so much on my eyes. So if you could pray for them I’d appreciate it. My next appointment is in February so I could worry for, um, months, and I really don’t want to do that! :)

-4-

Lace knitting is happening….slowly. It has to be done slowly or you end up ripping it all out. At least you do if you’re me. :) I’m also reading the History of the Lord of the Rings series, which is JRR Tolkien’s original writings and drafts compiled by his son, Christopher. So it’s a great look into a writer’s process and the evolution of the story. If you’re a Tolkien nerd, they’re great. If you’re not, they’re probably really boring. But since I’m in the former category, I love them! The first one I read was Return of the Shadow, which goes until the fellowship reaches the Mines of Moria; next up is The Treason of Isengard.

-5-

Some new Patty photos? YES PLEASE.

Patty with the stuffed lamb I got her for her baptism.

Patty with her brother, Johnny.

-6-

Since it’s officially three months to Christmas….

If you want a signed book, email me . They’re $20 and that includes the signature, shipping, and the bookmark and prayer card! I can also inscribe it to the recipient, just let me know!

I also have Catholic 101, my ebook, for $5. You DO NOT need an e-reader to read it! You can read it on your laptop or desktop!

-7-

I am really glad football’s back. I am also glad that both Pitt and the Steelers are 2-0. We’ll see if they’re still undefeated come Monday morning…

Like this post? Consider supporting my writing by becoming a Patreon supporter!

Seven Quick Takes--The eye is healed up!

-1-

Hi everyone! We’re back!

-2-

So I saw my eye doctor yesterday and my corneal abrasion has healed, yayyyyy! I can wear contacts again! Double yay! He wants me to use eye drops for the next week which is fine, just to add some extra lubrication to my eye, no big deal. I’m very glad that it has healed up because I need my eyes to function! (As in, more than the average bear, because of the ears not working, ha!)

-3-

If you need a cuteness pick-me-up, presenting….Adso! (AKA, the Outlander cat)

And if you need more cute, here’s Patty:

On her baptism say. She looks…..unsure. :) My godson, however, was baptized while he was having a bottle! :)

-4-

Business: There’s a patreon. Check it out! Trying to build another income stream and I am so grateful for all my readers and patrons! Once you’re a writer that doesn’t mean you’re rolling in dough. I get my royalty checks once a year (September and March), and I do have to pay taxes (25%!!!!) on my royalties. So. More income streams are good! Thanks for considering.

-5-

Pro tip: Don’t try to knit anything when you don’t normally wear glasses and you’re suddenly wearing them all the time. I’ll be so glad to get back to my knitting ASAP!

-6-

The gallbladder is healing very well, my surgeon is quite pleased. :) I see my transplant clinic folk onMonday so let’s hope all is well there….I will update you when I get back.

-7-

One of my favorite Marian devotions is the Seven Sorrows Chaplet. Have you heard of it? Read about it and pray it, especially since September is devoted to Our Lady of Sorrows!

If you would like a seven sorrows chaplet, this is where I got mine (she’s a local lady who does beautiful work!)

Seven Quick Takes--COVID test, Patreon, and more!

-1-

On the blog this week:

Meal trains rollin’ (Or: why don’t more churches do this?)

My Patreon is live!

Quick note abut the Patreon post—it explains why I have on and what the money will be used for. I’m also doing a Patreon OPEN HOUSE through Monday (8/31), which means that you can see a preview of the content I’ll be sharing with patrons before you sign up.

If you are a member at the Meg ($10) or Jo ($20) level, you also get your name on the patron page here on the site!

OK that’s it. This has been a commercial advertisement. :)

-2-

So I’m having gallbladder removal surgery on Thursday (9/3), and so before that, I have to have a COVID test! What joy what rapture! Given that my nasal passages are often assaulted with long objects (ENT, thanks!), this shouldn’t be too bad. The hardest part will be checking in because you have to call, but they also have a parking lot where you can just park and they’ll come out to you. So that will be on Monday.

After the test I am not allowed to leave my house or see anyone, which sort of makes things interesting…can I get my mail? I mean is that an issue? WHO KNOWS????

Also there probably won’t be a 7QT next week because, surgery. :) But I’ll post on SM to let everyone know I’m alive. :)

-3-

In the time I’ll have to be in my house, though, I can probably make great strides on Patty’s baby blanket!

Here’s Miss Patty….she will be baptized on September 6!

LOOK at that gorgeous hair!!!

And here’s her blanket:

So you can see the whole color scheme now, and I really like it, so yay! I was sort of worried about the mauve and pink next to each other but it has all worked out and I really love these colors. I hope Miss Patty does too!

More details on the blanket in next week’s Yarn Along. :)

-4-

I had an endo telehealth appointment this week yesterday. It was…OK. A big note has been placed in my chart telling people not to call me anymore, so that’s helpful, I hope people FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS. :)

I got a lot of my questions answered. Things like, how close is too close together for insulin doses, do we want to change the evening long-acting insulin dose, and other things like that. Also, I now know—or have a better idea—of what constitutes a “bad thing” in diabetes world. With CF and transplant, I know. With diabetes, I had no idea. But now I have an idea of what to watch out for so that’s good.

There are still some questions that will get addressed when I have my education class(es—I think it’s two?) next month.

And since I’m Super Special, there were even questions that made the nurse go, “Hmm, I have to think about that.” So yes. I am so weird.

-5-

Also the cardigan keeps chugging on, in knitting world. I’m really close to finishing the second sleeve and then I get to put all the pieces together! Squee!!!!

-6-

Reading. Whooo boy do I have a lot of books right now. Some of them are for post-surgery recovery reading, because we know how that goes—this is a laparoscopic surgery, so it shouldn’t be that bad in terms of recovery, but with my body, who knows, so I’m prepared to take at least a week “off” and just laze around reading. I have The Good Earth, The Confession Club, Writers and Lovers, and The Story of Arthur Truluv. I’ve also got a bunch of Renee Fleming CDs to listen to.

What are you reading right now?

-7-

And finally, speaking of books, Living Memento Mori has 30 Amazon reviews now! Yay! Those help so much in getting word out about a book, so thank you! Please keep reading and reviewing! (And also, do so on Goodreads!)

Like what you read here? Want to support my writing? Come check out my patreon!

Seven Quick Takes--Gallbladder Surgery Scheduled, Cheers Throwback, and More!

-1-

Hi, y’all!

So the big news is that I am having gallbladder surgery on September 3. This isn’t actual big news, per se. I mean, yeah, my gallbladder needs to come out, but this is more of “removing a thing that is annoying” vs. “removing something that will make me feel a lot better”, because it really doesn’t bother me that much. And seriously, when you’ve had pancreatitis as much as I’ve had it (at least 10 times), abdominal pain isn’t new. I’ve been dealing with it for 20 years now, and we can’t take out my pancreas. But it is nice to have an annoying thing taken care of, that’s for sure.

-2-

Couple quick notes re: the blog!

I have a newsletter that goes out once a month to subscribers. Subscribers also get special discounts and other goodies. If you’re not a subscriber, fix that here.

Also if you would like a signed copy of Living Memento Mori—Christmas is coming, people!—email me. They’re $20 and that includes shipping, a bookmark, and a prayer card, both of which were specialyl designed by Ave Maria Press for the book!

-3-

Was sad to see that the Cheers bar in Fanueil Hall Marketplace in Boston is closing—Dad and I went there after my Jeopardy! tryout in 2015.

Some snapshots:

It was a dang good burger! Dad basically ate Boston Clam Chowder whenever he could that weekend. :)

(Quick bit of Cheers and Emily medical history trivia: I was in the ER for a broken wrist the night of the Cheers finale. My softball team was in the playoffs and we’d been practicing. I played third base, and the left fielder and I got into a tussle about the ball. We both went for it, and my wrist hit the ground. I had CF at the time but we didn’t know it, so that’s probably why the wrist broke. But yes, I did play a sport, and we were undefeated in the regular season that year!)

-4-

Speaking of exercise….I found this article to have some good tips. She’s definitely right about making it part of your routine. Starting last month I really focused on creating a good daily routine that works for me. Obviously, it’s still in progress, but this is what I do so far:

• I prep the coffee and my insulin pens the night before—KEY. Even if I do nothing else before I go to bed in terms of cleaning or prep, I do this, because it makes the next morning go much more smoothly.

• In the morning, I switch on the coffee and dose myself with insulin. I have to wait 10 minutes before breakfast (so the insulin can take effect) and while that’s happening…

• I say lauds from the Liturgy of the Hours and read the daily Mass readings.

• After that, 10 minutes is usually up, so I eat breakfast. While I eat breakfast I check my email and social media and do any blog or “business” stuff I want to do that day, like setting up the newsletter or updating a mailing list.

• After that I do my duolingo—I’m learning Italian and Scottish Gaelic!

• And after that, I exercise.

That’s my morning so far! After exercising it’s usually time for lectio, spiritual reading, or a bit of knitting before lunch. Sometimes this is where I do some cleaning/tidying too—I’ll start the dishes if they need it, or the laundry if it needs it.

(I’ll actually write more about this in an upcoming blog post, so keep your eyes peeled. :) )

-5-

This piece, on Fanny Price and Mansfield Park, is basically a shorter version of my undergraduate thesis. Fanny is awesome and more people need to appreciate her! Read Mansfield Park!

-6-

Patty’s blanket is moving along—I’m about done with the first set of four stripes, so YAY! I’ll. have some updated photos for you soon, I hope. :) I keep forgetting to take pictures!

-7-

Have you gone back to Mass/church yet? How is it? I’m thinking about going back because honestly I MISS IT!

Seven Quick Takes: Bioethics and Knitting!

-1-

Hi! Tomorrow is St. Dominic’s Day! YAYYYY!

The Virgin Mary with St. Dominic and St. Hyacinth

So pray the rosary today, because the DOMINICANS GOT IT FROM MARY. :) One of the reasons I love being a Dominican!

-II-

Sometimes I talk about bioethics here. Today is a crash course.

One of the things I get a lot of is, “Does the Church [The Catholic Church] permit organ transplants and organ donation?”

Quick answer: Yes.

“What about from brain dead people?” (aka, neurological criteria)

Answer: yes

This…is a point of contention for some Catholics.

The National Catholic Bioethics Center talks about this all in detail. Here, to make it one-stop shopping, I am listing the following for you!:

organ donation: Church documents, Ethics & Medics, FAQ and Summaries, podcasts, Press Releases and News, Statements, book store items

the most important, and probably useful thing, to most of you, is this: FAQ On the Determination of Death Using Neurological Criteria.

-III-

So, if you don’t want to read all that…..cut and paste!

What is brain death?

“Brain death” refers to the medical judgment that a person is dead, determined by neurological criteria. Properly diagnosed, brain death means the complete cessation of all organized neurological activity throughout the entire brain, including the cerebrum, cerebellum, and brain stem. When all brain activity has ceased, the body irrevocably ceases to function as a unified whole. The appropriate phraseology here is “the determination of death using neurological criteria.”

It is appropriate to use this criteria?

The customary criteria for determining death are "cardio-pulmonary," i.e., death is declared after breathing and heart-beat cease. Technological advancements in critical care, however, have made continued circulation and respiration possible through mechanical means even after brain function has ceased. The use of neurological criteria for the determination of death can be legitimate according to the Catholic Church. In an address he gave to the [18th International Conference of Organ Transplant Specialists][1] in August 2000, Pope Saint John Paul II observed that their application, if rigorous, “does not seem to conflict with the essential elements of a sound anthropology.” He further stated that “a health-worker professionally responsible for ascertaining death can use these criteria in each individual case as the basis for arriving at that degree of assurance in ethical judgement which moral teaching describes as ‘moral certainty.’ This moral certainty is considered the necessary and sufficient basis for an ethically correct course of action.” Neurological criteria consist of three basic signs: deep coma or unarousable unresponsiveness, absence of cerebral and brain stem reflexes, and apnea. Pope Pius XII and Pope John Paul II both said the Church has no competency in determining death; this properly belongs to medical science. [1]: http://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/speeches/2000/jul-sep/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_20000829_transplants.html

Can a Catholic receive an organ transplant?

Yes, a faithful Catholic may receive organs from a donor who is declared dead by neurological criteria. A faithful Catholic may also make provisions for the donation of his own organs in the event of his death whether it is determined by cardio-pulmonary or neurological criteria. Reasonable doubts about the rigor with which the determination of death would be made, however, may warrant caution.

Now, note that last part. In some places, like China, organ harvesting takes place in, um, less that salubrious ways. (To put it REALLY mildly.) So yeah, if you’re in a. place where there was be questions about this…..then yes. You can ask. You can say you don’t want a transplant.

I can say, myself, that if the Church said no to transplants, I would not have gotten one. Full stop. End of discussion. I’m dead serious. (Really, dead serious, because I would’ve…been dead! Oh, my black humor sometimes.)

-IV-

OK I think we’re done with the serious now. :) But yes, the Church, like the rabbi said in Fiddler on the Roof, has a position on everything! :)

(In Fiddler, it’s, “Rabbi, Is there a blessing for the Czar?” “There is a blessing for everything my son!…May God bless and keep the czar….far away from us!” )

Check the Catechism. In fact, you do have a Catechism at home, right????? (Because seriously, you should.)

-V-

I didn’t do a yarn along this week, but next week! Yarn! But here’s a peek at Patty’s baby blanket….

-VI-

If you want a signed book, email me; they’re $20 and include a book mark, prayer card, AND shipping! It’s time to start thinking about Christmas! :) :) I also have an ebook!

-VII-

Book club is still happening! My BGLs have been nuts so it’s sort of thrown off the schedule, but it you want to jump in, you can! All the previous videos are on my Facebook page. On Tuesday we’ll be meeting at 3:00 EST!

Seven Quick Takes--bits and pieces AND FOOD

-1-

So I made this recipe from Smitten Kitchen his week. If you’re like me, you want to eat more veggies but you don’t want to make “salad” or, when it’s this hot, roast vegetables. So this one is perfect! It’s a great side and it literally takes about 10 minutes to prep. I did get sumac from the store in a tiny container—I’ve seen other recipes that use it but that’s fairly rare. But, since I like this recipe, I might have to invest in a larger container of sumac!

I also made chicken gyro salad for lunch yesterday. This is another way to eat more veggies and healthy things and it’s easy. I don’t have a grill, so I prepped the chicken the night before, and then set my oven to 350 and cooked the chicken for 30 minutes. I also used plain ol’ chicken breasts instead of the thighs the recipe called for and didn’t use pitas, but I used pita chips to serve with the tzatziki (which is one of my favorite summer snacks and so good for you!)

(If you’re bored, click the Surprise Me! button on the smitten kitchen website [at the top] and see what fun things pop up!)

-2-

Since St. Martha’s feast day was on Wednesday, I give you: St. Martha and the Dragons

(Really, St. Martha needs more love!)

Vermeer, Christ in the house of Mary and Martha

-3-

As you’re reading this, I might be receiving sacraments! A good friend of mine is a Dominican friar and while he’s home for vacation, he offered to bring me the Eucharist and hear my confession, and also give me anointing of the sick (because why not?). So I was insanely grateful because I have not had any sacraments since March, which is the longest I’ve gone without them in my life. (Yes, lots of italics, sorry not sorry.) So I am very, very thankful for his offer! Right now, the diocese is “still working” on how to bring sacraments to people like me….apparently it’s hard? (I know we want to be safe vis-a-vis the virus, but….it’s also very hard to go without the sacraments!)

Here in Ohio the requirement to attend Mass is still abrogated until September (not sure of the date, I think it’s mid-September?). I do want to go back and I keep thinking about it. What I might do is go every other week, to start? Or once a month? Not sure. Or maybe every three weeks. I like every two weeks better, honestly… and with social distancing and mask wearing and no sign of peace, this is actually safer for me probably than a normal Mass!

-4-

Next week in the Yarn Along there will be a cardigan update! Yay! And also details on this guy…

Isn’t she pretty?

-5-

I’m also re-doing the watercolor class I took a few years ago. Since I have all this time, I might as well use it, right? Fortunately I have a lot of paints here (So I don’t have to go out to top up my palette!) and a sketchbook that’s mostly free—I don’t buy tons of sketchbooks at a time, so I generally only have the one I’m currently using. It’s also a nice way to deepen my watercolor and sketching skills. I’d also like to take the teacher’s foundational sketching class, but I gotta save up for that.

-6-

Reading: working on Pride and Prejudice. I haven’t been reading much lately which is a total BOO EMILY moment! I’m thinking Friday night will be a Pride and Prejudice read night. I did read Sense and Sensibility earlier this month, and Mansfield Park will be next up after P&P.

-7-

HOCKEY IS BACK!!!!! The Pens had an exhibition game on Tuesday—which they lost, but I don’t care because hockey is back— and they play the Canadiens in a best of five series starting Saturday. The Blue Jackets play Boston in an exhibition tonight, and they play Montreal starting Sunday. Basically, the NHL is gonna be like March Madness, and it’s gonna be glorious.

via GIPHY

Seven Quick Takes--Trust Verses

-1-

A slightly different 7QT than usual….

First, what I wrote this week:

“Comparisons are Odious”

A Wednesday Notebook on a Monday!

-2-

Botticelli, “Madonna of the Book”

OK so the first piece—on comparisons—is sort of what inspired this entry. There’s a lot of stress going around. A Lot of worry. And I know about worry and stress. BUT I am also a big believer in the fact that we need to trust in God and His good provision and plan for us.

So this week I want to give you some Bible verses on Trust. Some of these I will make up into pretty things you can download! But I have a doctor appt. .today that I have to get ready for, so for right now, you’re getting the verses and that’s that. :)

Some of these are also hope-tinged—the relationship of trust and hope is a tight one.

-3-

This first one is my favorite, and what really inspired me to begin having wholehearted trust in God:

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

—Romans 15:13, NIV

-4-

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?…No, in all those things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, not powers, not heights, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

-Romans 8:35, 37-39

-5-

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

-Proverbs 3:5-6

-6-

 This I know, that God is for me.
 In God, whose word I praise,
    in the Lord, whose word I praise,
 in God I trust; I am not afraid.
    What can a mere mortal do to me?

Psalm 56:9-11

-7-

 For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you.  When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me, says the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

Jeremiah 29: 11-14

And bonus tip on something I’ve learned? That when we pray, pray for God’s will to be done. Because as we see here, his plan is better than anything we can come up with. Even if we want something good, it might not be in God’s plan for us to have it.

I hope these verses give you some restored trust and hope during this crazy time!

Seven Quick Takes--Fifteen years, and a signed book sale!

-1-

On the blog this week:

COVID and lung function!

-2-

The big news is that it’s my fifteenth transplant anniversary!

via GIPHY

Fifteen years, folks!

As I write this, 15 years ago it was my last day with my “old” (or factory original?) model lungs. It was a long, hot, HOT day. (Hot like this summer has been hot) I woke up feeling very, very, tired and very beat. I ended the day feeling….well, mixed feelings.

It’s always mixed feelings, right? Because for me to live, Suzanne—my donor—died. She died of a brain aneurysm and her brother gave the OK for her organs to be donated, and she saved my life.

I will repeat the call I repeat every year. If you are not an organ donor, please, be one? Every major religion supports organ donation. (Yes, including the Catholic Church….) If you have any questions, here are some FAQs.

-3-

Here’s a list of what’s happened in fifteen years:

Both my siblings got married

My parents celebrated their fortieth wedding anniversary, and my grandma turned 90!

My godson graduated from college

I have a new goddaughter!

I wrote a book…..(more on a special sale a bit further down)

I’ve been able to do some pretty awesome theater

I’ve made new friends and traveled to new places

I did that Jeopardy thing

I’ve traveled to lots of states—traveling was so hard pre-transplant!

I became a Lay Dominican

I wrote an ebook

I’ve spent time with people—family, friends, new family and new friends!

And really, time is the important thing. That’s the gift.

Winning trivia night

My first hockey playoff game!!! (And they won!)

Me and Di at Christmas

Visiting Williamsburg has definitely been one of my favorite things. And learning to knit with the wool of these sheep!

Mel and I on the beach on Galveston

-4-

OK, so not 7 today, four but we’ll end with: SIGNED BOOK SALE!

Until Sunday at midnight EST (7/12/20), I’m selling SIGNED copies of Living Memento Mori for $15! That’s $5 off the regular price. You get shipping, inscription of your choice (as in I’ll dedicate it to someone or to you!), and a specially designed prayer card and bookmark!

Want one? Email me!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Seven Quick Takes--Welcome July!!!!! (And a baby!!!)

-1-

Welcome, July!!!!

Fireworks at Colonial Williamburg

Gosh, I’m so glad we’re in July. Yayyyy July!

So much to talk about today!!!

-2-

OK first, WELCOME TO MY NEW GODDAUGHTER!

Patricia Mary

6/30/20

7 lbs 15 oz.

She’s my cousin’s daughter, and my first goddaughter! She was born on our grandma’s 90th birthday, and, coincidentially, has the same name as our Grandmother—full name, I mean. The Patricia was for my grandmother, but the Mary is also our grandmother’s middle name!! So how nice is that? Grandma got a pretty awesome present!

You can’t tell in the photos, but she’s a ginger, like her mom!

So she’s been in the hospital for a few days because they had to make sure she tested negative for COVID after a few tests. She’s passing with flying colors though so yay! My cousin can nurse her but she has to gown up because she actually tested positive for COVID—even though she has no symptoms. BIZARRE.

Anyway, I hope by the time this is live, they’re able to go home!

She’s the fifth child in my cousin’s family. They have two daughters—Susie and Bridget—and two boys—Frankie and Johnny. Bridget, in particular, is very happy to have another sister!

So, yes, as her godmother, I am going to spam you all with photos of her because that is my job as godmother.

(And to spoil her rotten….)

-3-

(OK she’s ADORABLE, RIGHT?!?!!?)

I already have a godson, who will be 23 this year. So I’m really happy to have another godbaby, and my first goddaughter. It’s so fun to spoil the littles. Not that I couldn’t spoil my godson, but it’s harder since he’s all grown up and I can’t pay him $1 to see if he knows his prayers anymore. :) He recently graduated from the University of Pittsburgh (A semester early!), so yes, I am insanely proud of him too. :)

-4-

So it’s Fourth of July Weekend! I recommend watching Gettysburg, John Adams, and 1776! (SIT DOWN, JOHN!)

via GIPHY

Also reading John Adams, The Killer Angels, and 1776 are great reads for July, especially the latter. For kids, the Felicty series from American Girl is great for learning about colonial history, and I also really like the Revolutionary War series from Laurie Halse Anderson, told from the perspective of a young slave girl, Isabel, and her friend, Curzon. This is fabulous trilogy: Chains, Forge, and Ashes. (and these are also great books for adults, too! Anderson is a great writer.) Learning history is so important and fiction is a great way to spark interest and learn things!

-5-

Also, reading the Declaration of Independence is a good idea….

-6-

I’ve never been a huge fireworks person, but I did top this with a picture of the CW fireworks because….awesome, right?

-7-

And finally, if you missed the posts from this week, here they are:

There are sleeves on the cardigan!

Glorious Scars

A New Review of Living Memento Mori!

Seven Quick Takes--the June Finish Line!!!!

-1-

OK so first, here’s a lovely interview I did with my friend and fellow author Andrea Green Burton!

-2-

Oh my goodness folks. It’s been Doctor Month around here, but I am so glad to be done. Done done DOOOOOONE!

A picture of the New Resort!

Behold, the NEW RESORT.

My new clinic is beneath the walkway bridge you see in this photo on the left. Hi clinic! :)

So, last week I had my first round of Yearly Transplant Testing at the new resort. This was not here, it was at another building slightly off campus. (OSU is very very large)

Here’s what I had done:

PFTs—spirometry (aka, basic PFTs where we check how much lung function I have), a gas diffusion test (which tells you how various gasses diffuse in my lungs and such) and another test called “the box” (where you sit…in a box), and to be honest I’m not entirely sure what that does. I want to say it measures tidal volume or something like that, but I only do it once a year, so….

I met a new respiratory tech (RTs). She was nice. At the time I didn’t know this, but now I know that my PFTs and chest X-rays and blood work will all be happening at this building, so I ‘ll probably get very familiar with the RTs, infusion nurses (because blood work=port access=infusion clinic!), and radiologists here! The building is pretty nice, and it has food, so that’s a good thing, and free parking.

Anyway, PFTs were fine/good. So yay there.

The Six Minute Walk, which I was sort of dreading. Basically a course of a certain length in a hallway is marked and you just walk around the two cones that mark the ends, doing laps for six minutes while your oxygen saturation (sats) are checked via a pulse ox. I was i the normal range, hallelujah!!!! I was really nervous about this test because, you know, haven’t really been getting out all that much….

Then I had a CT scan, which was fine except for two things—one, they had me move on my stomach for some of them, which was uncomfy because I’m a stomach breather and so I couldn’t really hold my breath that well or that long and they kept doing them back to back, so I couldn’t really catch my breath, and two, they just shoved me back out in the hospital without letting me stop to put my bra back on. WEIRD.

So I had to go into the bathroom and, you know, get dressed again. (I had my shirt on, just not my bra. So, weird.)

-3-

OK so after this, I went to another building for the cardiology tests. I was really early—we were booking it today—but once they adjusted to a patient being early, they took me early. I had an ECHO which I loathe with all my being because it HURTS having someone push a transducer INTO YOUR RIBS. For a half hour!

But we ended the day with an EKG, which was fine. Both these tests were fine. SO YAY WINNING AT LIFE.

via GIPHY

-4-

And then I went and got lunch at a French cafe and sketched! (Yes, I wore a mask. There was no one in the dining room. Everyone was out on the patio or in the little bar because it was a really nice day, so I had the whole dining room to myself and I sketched and had quiche lorraine and a chocolate croissant and it was LIFE.)

via GIPHY

See? NO ONE AROUND. Also social distancing markers!!!!

-5-

OK so, that was Friday, which was also my daddy’s birthday. And then mom’s birthday was on Monday. So here are my cute parents:

and their 41st wedding anniversary is on Tuesday! And that’s also my grandma’s NINETIETH birthday!!!!!

(here’s grandma)

At my sister’s wedding last year in Estes Park, CO.

-6-

OK so lots of parties.

Anyway, yesterday, I had my first appointment at the new lung transplant clinic (pictured above!). It was my same doctor, which was great, and my new coordinator is really nice, so I think we’ll get along just great.

The clinic is….weird. Actually, OSU itself is sort of weird, in that it has these programs, but then it doesn’t have ancillary services that they need. Like, they have a ton of immunocompromised patients, because they have a huge cancer center and transplant section, but there’s no special waiting room for us in the ER.

via GIPHY

So, yeah. Why.

Also, the waiting room is basically in the hospital’s atrium, which also makes me go…..why. That doesn’t seem awesome. It’s also incredibly noisy so it makes it very hard for the hearing impaired like moi!

ANYWAY.

Eventually I will adjust to these things.

So the way it works now is I will still be seen every three months. Clinics are in the afternoon, so a few days before my appointment I’ll go to the other offices in the AM for blood draws, PFTs, and chest x-rays (CXRs). Then I have clinic. And we’ll go from there. I do sort of like not having both on the same day.

I will also meet at least one other doctor in the clinic so that someone else has met me and is familiar with all my specialness! :)

(See: CF. Menopause. CI that counter indicates MRIs. Port. Hearing loss! Anemia! Weird diabetes!)

We asked questions, we got answers, and Dad went with me too so he has also met the new folk and seen the clinic.

Also, there is plentiful parking at this location! YAY!!!!! (and it’s free for patients! DOUBLE YAY!)

So now, I’m done with doctor appointments until like, September, and I rejoice in this, and will now take a long weekend to recover from all the madness of the past month! :)