50 years

50 years ago Chris and I met on the isle of Jersey and we married the following March. It has been the most wonderful time.

Yesterday was such a sad day as I was told there is little they can do for the Brain and lung cancer that I now have.

They have reduced the amount of Steroids to try and give me more mobility and the Cancer markers have been sent away for DNA [or something].

On Thursday there will be another Hospital meeting and then I will probably see an oncologist with the view to having some kind of treatment to reduce the swelling in my head. But there is no cure.

With the Lord’s help I will get through this. My faith is strong and I face the future whatever it might be. 

Please do not feel sorry for me .  Your prayers and friendship are always welcome.

The New to me chair

Richard arrived early to help Chris pick up the chair I had bought on Market Place, it turned out even better than we thought as it was top of the range and in great condition. Probable cost a couple of thousand pounds new, and I paid £110. It lifts and rises and at last I can get out of a chair with no help, plus it is very comfy.

The people selling it were clearing their property and asked if Chris wanted a TV, and gave it to him, I will have it in my Happy Room.

The chair came with what is called a ‘slipper box’ and you can see the free TV sitting on it in the back of photo/

Chris steam cleaned the chair and I am so happy with my bargain.

While Chris and Richard were gone Abigail [eldest granddaughter] stayed with me and it was so interesting hearing about all her plans and choices for University next year. Her first choice is Chichester and she wants to be a teacher specialising in Sport.

I prepared another project bag, but didn’t get very far as my feet were so swollen, but managed a little more of my Sampler cross stitch.

Watched 911 Stitcher Flosstube 77  on Black Samplers, 

Socks off the needles

Another pair of socks completed. I just love knitting socks.

These Regia I find wear so well, and just get a short wash in the washing machine.

I also worked on my Sampler, and it is growing.

Couple of mistakes but nothing too drastic so I am leaving them.

Looking forward to today as I managed to buy a Rise recliner HSL chair on Facebook Market Place for £110 [ they cost about £1500 new and it has hardly been used]. Richard and Chris will collect it while Abigail stays with me. 

Monday I have an appointment at the Clinic as they talk through the results of all my tests and I have to make some decisions. 

Sampler progress and the Rocket

I worked on my Cancer Sampler, and find I am so enjoying the change of fabric size to 28 linen.

Needles ready threaded for tomorrow.

A piece of goody 28 count linen mail arrived for my next project whatever that might be.

Found this small sampler for free on Stone Street Stitchworks.

Had to have it as I used to teach lacemaking.

Maybe I’ll use my new linen for it.

Chris started his Rocket, I don't think its as hard as some of his other Lego kits.

Steve, an occupational therapist, called to give me some advice on moving around the house, as I am finding it more and move difficult.

The swelling in my legs seems to be getting worse.

I appreciate the help.

.

The Rocket and the Cancer Sampler

A friend from Church sent me a message that a Lego Rocket Technic was for sale on Market Place and he thought Chris should have it.

The guy selling it was prepared to deliver the parcel so when it arrived I just asked Chris to collect  it at the door.

Something different for him to make.

 

It looks enormous, goodness knows where we put all these Lego, but I’m glad Chris has found a new hobby.

The cross stitch Cancer Sampler that I started on 32 count Zweigart in silk, I was finding too difficult to see.

I do not like to work with a magnifying glass so abandoned it and restarted with

28 count and still only used one strand over two threads. 

So much happier and made reasonable progress.

Doug and Dorothy called and brought me flowers and chocolates, which was so nice of them.

The wheelchair arrived.

Feel like the weather!

It was a murky wet miserable looking day, and i could not get up much enthusiasm for anything.

Started working a little of the Breast Cancer Sampler but gave up and watched four episodes of Downton Abbey.

Worked on knitting my second sock, would really like to get these finished.

Ordered a stairlift, that will be fitted in two weeks, which will be a great help as I am struggling getting up stairs.

Also ordered a wheelchair to get around in the hospital, as it is such a rambling old building and i do not want to repeat the last experience while on the Steroids and my legs are so swollen.  HOPE things return to normal once I can start treatment, i still await results.

Small start

I made a small start on my Breast Cancer Sampler, cutting the Zweigart fabric and trying out the silk thread I bought fairly cheaply on Ebay.

I am using 32 count which is taking a little getting used too. 

Firstly I tried two over two but it is too heavy so I am going with one thickness of the silk thread.

Friends Ann and Peter called over and brought cake!

Thank you so much we enjoyed it for tea.

Chris had decided to take apart his Lego Crane back to colours in case he had misplaced some pieces.

A fresh start, so many pieces!!

Decided to investigate getting a stairlift, although we have little room on our stairs, but it is becoming harder and harder to get up the stairs.

LOVE heart and small sampler

I completed my LOVE heart. Red Cross stitch by attaching thin iron on backing to give it some stability.

Used a piece of fabric joined in the centre with a hole to stuff it.

Front with Rick-Rack to cover the seam.

Stuffed with crushed Walnut Shells.

Backing fabric.

I also managed to complete my mini Sampler that I found for free on the internet.

Think this may go into a little frame.

Today was a good day and nice to listen to some YouTubes while stitching after Ward Conference on Zoom in the morning.

Priscilla and Chelsea 221

Momma Loves You GB 51

BakeryBears 19

Finally a Farm Girl 20

Zweigart and Silk thread

A happy parcel arrived with a large piece of Zweigart 32 count linen and 6 skeins of Silk x stitch thread.

I am going to try working this sampler x stitch in silk, which is new to me.

Absolutely love the colour.

I did manage to work a little on

Plus I found a needle threader in my cupboard which after a bit of practice works better than the bent wire type.

I threaded up a number of needles and put them on my magnetic holder that came in one of the Sewing Boxes from the Fat Quarter shop.

A couple of nights ago I managed a little knitting.

Getting on well with sock number two, on the decrease.

An evening visit from two Missionary Sisters brought me a packet of home made cookies, which went down a treat.

Chris found a couple of pieces missing from his latest kit, so has sent to Lego for them.

This crane is looking good, and so many things work with the battery pack.

Yesterday was slightly difficult for me as I just could not get up from a chair without Chris’s help but I am hoping today with the aid of a water tablet my swollen legs feel better. 

The church service is still on Zoom which is a blessing so this morning I will be watching it.

Endobronchial Ultrasound-guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration

An EBUS is a procedure that allows the doctor to look into your lungs (similar to a bronchoscopy) but them to take samples of the glands in the centre of your chest (mediastinum) using the aid of an ultrasound scan, these glands lie outside the normal breathing tubes (bronchi).

A flexible tube (bronchoscope), which is about the size of a man’s little finger, is passed into your lungs via your mouth (you will have a mouthguard and some protective glasses on) with you lying as flat as possible. A small camera at the end of the bronchoscope enables the doctor to look directly into your windpipe (trachea) and breathing tubes (bronchi). A small ultrasound probe
on the end of the camera allows the doctor to see the glands in the centre of the chest (mediastinum) and take samples under direct vision. Occasionally, it is useful to look down your gullet (oesophagus) at the same time with the same camera (the anesthetic in your throat allows this), as sometimes the glands can be sampled from the gullet which often causes less coughing and is more comfortable for patient with breathing difficulties (if this is a possibility, it would be discussed with you beforehand by the doctor).

Most commonly, Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration is done to take samples from the central lymph glands in the centre of your chest (mediastinum) which may be enlarged for a variety of reasons. In 9 out of 10 cases, we would expect this test to give a helpful answer to the problem. Very occasionally, another test may be needed.

Yesterday I was up early after nil by mouth since 10pm for the EBUS at 8.30am. In fact I did not go in until after 9am.  The nursing staff and doctors explained everything  and after two trys to get a canula in me it was left to a Doctor to do it! There seemed to be about 5 people in the room for the procedure  which started after some sedation. I cannot say it was nice but I coped and was wheeled back to the recovery room. About 11.30 I was told I could go home, so Chris came to collect me. Sips of water could be taken at 12.15 and then something to eat, I was so ready   for a drink and to get home.

However it was not be be, I collapsed near the car to the ground [probably lack of food and drink] and four Ambulance men came to my rescue and insisted I went into A&E. as they could not feel a pulse!! Two hours later they let me go with a cheese sandwich for the journey.

Richard called in the evening and made sure with Chris I could get up the stairs to bed at 8pm. 

Hoping and planning for a recovery day today.

Again thank you for all the lovely email messages and prayers.

The Crushed Walnut Shells and a Cancer Sampler

I ordered crushed walnut shells to stuff my LOVE heart x stitch, I have never used them before and have a feeling I ordered far too many !

I managed to work on my latest small sampler

This is growing quick so I looked around for my next project.

I found a link to a Sampler offered for a donation to Breast Cancer that I really liked.

Luckily it is a PDF pattern so I was able to download it, yesterday a piece of fabric and some new needles arrived and I already have a lot of red DMC so I used one of my project bags to put everything together.

The pattern comes with the history of Eliza M Stone Age 11 and the research of her family.

Www.whilstirisnaps.com Raising funds for breast cancer awareness month.

Richard called and we spoke through the window as it was his 50th birthday and that is as near as I can get to him while in isolation.

I am very scared of tomorrow’s procedure to pass a camera down my throat into my lungs and take a sample of the cancer, thank you to all those praying for me. Nil by mouth from midnight and an 8.30am appointment. 

New Starts

Tuesday I went for a Covid Test and then into isolation ready for a EBUS examination on Friday [camera down the throat].

I managed to complete my Red LOVE heart

Ordered Walnut Shells to fill it to make it into a pincushion 

Started a new, again free design

Using DMC 349 of which I have plenty.

Chris completed his Lego Land Rover

Looks so nice lit up and everything seems to work on it.

He then started making his latest kit

A large crane, that he bought on Ebay.

It had been made by someone and then taken apart and bagged up for less than half the price of a new kit.

So many wheels..

Richard's 50th Birthday Surprise

We arranged for a surprise Birthday gift for Richard's 50th Birthday long before all my problems.

A Trip on a train for the six of us with lunch included, very sadly I just could not make the journey, so Jacq arranged for a couple of friends, Ian and Clare to take our place.

Richard knew nothing about it or where they were going until he sat in the car ready to leave and Jacq put it in the Sat Nav. The girls then googled where they were going. Churnet Valley Railway, East of Stoke on Trent in the Peak District.

As they drove up to the Station Richard commented Ian would love this and then low and behold they were waiting for them at the station, another surprise.

Richard, Jacq, Abigail and Eleanor about to board the train.

The journey took an hour, as they were fed their starter and main course, all said the food was wonderful. The engine was then turned around and they returned for dessert and cheese and biscuits. 

Their surprise friends Ian and Clare

How about this the carriage was called Diana !

This trip came highly recomened by all of them, and I hope one day we can make it as a family.

A Very Happy Birthday Richard for the most caring son, that we are so proud of.

Cross Stitch floss day

When i used to teach lacemaking in the USA every summer I would always bring back DMC threads, often 5 or 8 for a dollar if I found them on sale.

I have boxes and boxes of them..

I managed to spend most of my day working on my LOVE heart and realised I might run out of the colour I had chosen for it. 

Wow the cost of just one skein of DMC makes me so glad of my stash.

I am trying to eke out the DMC 347 to complete my heart.

Lego. X Stitch and another Project Bag

Chris is waiting for a couple of pieces that were missing in his Land Rover kit, so stayed up late to bid on another kit on Ebay.

I am so glad he has found something to occupy him while we play this waiting Cancer game.

The Land Rover looking really good, especially when it all lights up.

The latest Crane, that has a motor in it and so many wheels.

I managed to make yet another Project Bag and searched for free red work x stitches patterns.

  

Front and Back, with fun lining fabric.

I had hoped to complete the top of my LOVE heart, but we just received  Six months free BritBox so decided to watch a couple of episodes of Downton Abbey. It seems a long time since we last saw it and I am enjoying it again.

The heart is worked with DMC 347 on 28 count linen.

My cosy corner

Due to my swollen legs [steroids] I made myself a Cosy corner in my Happy Room so that I could just swing around and get to everything.

I love the red sampler house quilt, so it had to go on my chair.

The stool under my table has two of Chris’s old teddies in it and is just the right height for my feet.

Behind the chair is a cutting board, felt ironing mat and iron. On the left my embroidery machine.

On the right my Pfaff faithful sewing machine.

My x stitch project is ready for me to pick up and even my new project bag has a project in it.

Happy Mail came today.

The Sew Sampler September Box that I subscribe to, from the Fat Quarter Shop.

I love receiving these boxes, they always contain such nice fabric and cute accessories.

There is a bowl cozy template in this months box, so I need to try and make one.

I also have to catch up with the monthly block pattern, I did not make last months yet.

Standing to cut out blocks is not so easy, but I take it slow.

To try an improve my legs I am trying to walk a thousand steps a day around the house. This is twice as much as I have been able to manage but I think it helps. Yesterday I managed just over the thousand, which does not sound much to my normal walking but its a goal.

Good news I have my appointment for the next investigative procedure on the 15th. Definitely not looking forward to it but it’s another step on this journey. Called an EBUS it involves a camera down my throat into my lungs at 8.30 in the morning! So back in isolation after my Covid test.

This will mean not being able to see my son on his 50th birthday.