Sunday, July 30, 2006
I was RAK'd!
When I got home with Stanford on Saturday, I was delighted to find the chart of Garden Spot Sampler, in the mail, which Carol was so kind to send to me. Thank you so much, Carol! That really brightened my day! It looks like a really fun one to stitch, and they're just my colors, too.
Back again . . .
Well, it has been an interesting few weeks. A quick update: my son's diagnosis is still uncertain. They have determined it is NOT lymphoma, as they first thought, but a "small round blue cell sarcoma-like tumor". There are spots on his liver that are growing. We have been to Dana Farber to consult with a doctor there, and he and the other doctor at Dartmouth have agreed on treatment, which finally began on Friday. I took Stanford up to Dartmouth to have a medi-port put in, then they accessed the port for the first round of chemotherapy. He received three chemo drugs on Friday and Saturday then we came home. We'll go back on the 18th of August (three weeks) for five days and two more drugs, then home again for three weeks and back for two more days, and repeat. We decided to have treatment done at Dartmouth because the drive is much less stressful than into Boston and the area is beautiful. I definitely need lovely things to look at to lift my spirits these days. The treament would be the same at either place, and both doctors will be keeping tabs on him. Now comes the part of organizing my household to prepare for my absence every three weeks when I go up with Stanford for the treatment. Of course, I'll pack a stitching bag each time! Oh, Stanford is feeling just fine after the treatment, surprisingly. No nausea to speak of, just a slight bit of queasiness that he solves by eating and sleeping. He is on anti-nausea medicines which I'm sure are helping, too.
Here is what I've been working on while waiting. I finished this Lizzie Kate Spring Cottage, and I've made good progress on the Drawn Thread Spring Sampler. I also began a cute little Mill Hill kit called Bountiful Kitties, which has lots of beads. I found a Tacky B.O.B. in my bead things which I packed, and used for the first time, and it did the trick to keep the beads from flying all around the hospital room. It was great!
I was just a few minutes from ABC Stitch Therapy, but couldn't visit there. The first time we went up to Dartmouth, I got to stop in for just 15 minutes. Then each time after, I've gone up too early and come home too late. But perhaps the timing will work out in the future. I pass the exit and wave every time! I've also been itching to visit Sue and hope to actually go there this week. It will be great to go some place where needles are for stitching, not injections!
I just wanted to say, also, how lovely and cheering it is to read people's blogs. I haven't made comments on them all, but will try to more, but it helps so much when I'm worried and stressed to "visit" so many friends.
Here is what I've been working on while waiting. I finished this Lizzie Kate Spring Cottage, and I've made good progress on the Drawn Thread Spring Sampler. I also began a cute little Mill Hill kit called Bountiful Kitties, which has lots of beads. I found a Tacky B.O.B. in my bead things which I packed, and used for the first time, and it did the trick to keep the beads from flying all around the hospital room. It was great!
I was just a few minutes from ABC Stitch Therapy, but couldn't visit there. The first time we went up to Dartmouth, I got to stop in for just 15 minutes. Then each time after, I've gone up too early and come home too late. But perhaps the timing will work out in the future. I pass the exit and wave every time! I've also been itching to visit Sue and hope to actually go there this week. It will be great to go some place where needles are for stitching, not injections!
I just wanted to say, also, how lovely and cheering it is to read people's blogs. I haven't made comments on them all, but will try to more, but it helps so much when I'm worried and stressed to "visit" so many friends.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Back at Last!
It feels so good to post again! Many thoughts have been running through my mind, things I want to say, but I'll try to be brief tonight. First, Stanford is getting better from the surgery, but still has lots of discomfort from bloating and gas. He was back in the hospital for one night because they thought he might have an infection, but another CT scan the next day showed nothing. He has had a few CT scans, a PET scan (where is the DOG or the GERBIL scan?), a bone marrow biopsy (very painful) and a spinal tap. This is for the cancer staging. All of those results have gone to a teaching hospital about an hour and a half away from here, and we go up tomorrow to meet with an oncologist there to get a second opinion and find out what to do next. The lab in Boston has had a hard time figuring out what exactly this is, but hopefully we'll have some answers soon. So far we know the CT scan and the PET scan are clear, no more cancer found. Yippee! Many, many people have called, emailed, visited, sent gifts, brought dinner or desserts, given hugs, all to help us, to ease the worry and stress, and to help with the practical aspects of life. What a blessing to have so many friends!
Now on to stitching/knitting: first, the Glad Ragg socks pictured in the last post are knitted with Lana Grossa yarn, called Meilenweit Mega Boots Stretch, color # 704. I loved the feel of the yarn while knitting, and I enjoy wearing them (which I can't say about all of my hand-knitted socks). I am a little disappointed at how the pattern shows up, or rather, doesn't, but that's ok. I enjoyed knitting these socks, and would use the yarn again, but maybe in a simpler pattern, like maybe stockinette stitch with a simple ribbed top.
While waiting for Stanford's surgery, I worked a bit on the Drawn Thread Spring sampler, picture later. I also made progress on the Lizzie Kate Spring Cottage. It's a lot of stitching for me, though I see other people's blogs, and realize they do that much and more all the time. Since the hospital waiting room, I've stitched on it while on the phone for a long conversation with a friend, then again at a lovely stitching afternoon on a screened porch of another friend. During the phone conversation, I stitched merrily away on the left tree, then as I put in the grass beneath it, I realized the whole tree was off by one row, and because it was symmetrical I couldn't just ignore the mistake. So during the stitching afternoon I unpicked it and re-stitched it. Twice the fun! And I'm glad to say the mental associations of how I felt when I learned my son has cancer (I was stitching on the LK piece when the doctor came in to tell me) have been somewhat replaced by stitching on it in other places and settings.
My DD, Heather, and I took two classes in June. One was a lace knitting class, over three Wednesday evenings. For that one, I knitted a doily (it took just a few days), and I've begun on a scarf/shawl.
It will be triangular, and I've stretched part of it out so you can see the lace pattern. It is knit with Koigu yarn. The doily is knit with Cotton Fine. I also took inspiration from Sue and began My Home Town, though I haven't gotten very far. I'll post a picture when there is something to post. I keep wanting to start more and more projects! Oh, Heather and I also took a Saturday morning punch-needle class, which was very fun, and I can see I'll really enjoy doing this. I remember years ago a friend who is a very prolific stitcher saying she only stitches when she is stressed, and I commented on how she must be stressed a lot. She would stitch a couple of hours in the evening to relax. Now I'm finding I, too, am stitching more, which is a wonderful healing thing to do.
Well, so much for being brief . . . oh, well, as I post more often I'll have less to say (maybe!) with each entry. I can try!
Now on to stitching/knitting: first, the Glad Ragg socks pictured in the last post are knitted with Lana Grossa yarn, called Meilenweit Mega Boots Stretch, color # 704. I loved the feel of the yarn while knitting, and I enjoy wearing them (which I can't say about all of my hand-knitted socks). I am a little disappointed at how the pattern shows up, or rather, doesn't, but that's ok. I enjoyed knitting these socks, and would use the yarn again, but maybe in a simpler pattern, like maybe stockinette stitch with a simple ribbed top.
While waiting for Stanford's surgery, I worked a bit on the Drawn Thread Spring sampler, picture later. I also made progress on the Lizzie Kate Spring Cottage. It's a lot of stitching for me, though I see other people's blogs, and realize they do that much and more all the time. Since the hospital waiting room, I've stitched on it while on the phone for a long conversation with a friend, then again at a lovely stitching afternoon on a screened porch of another friend. During the phone conversation, I stitched merrily away on the left tree, then as I put in the grass beneath it, I realized the whole tree was off by one row, and because it was symmetrical I couldn't just ignore the mistake. So during the stitching afternoon I unpicked it and re-stitched it. Twice the fun! And I'm glad to say the mental associations of how I felt when I learned my son has cancer (I was stitching on the LK piece when the doctor came in to tell me) have been somewhat replaced by stitching on it in other places and settings.
My DD, Heather, and I took two classes in June. One was a lace knitting class, over three Wednesday evenings. For that one, I knitted a doily (it took just a few days), and I've begun on a scarf/shawl.
It will be triangular, and I've stretched part of it out so you can see the lace pattern. It is knit with Koigu yarn. The doily is knit with Cotton Fine. I also took inspiration from Sue and began My Home Town, though I haven't gotten very far. I'll post a picture when there is something to post. I keep wanting to start more and more projects! Oh, Heather and I also took a Saturday morning punch-needle class, which was very fun, and I can see I'll really enjoy doing this. I remember years ago a friend who is a very prolific stitcher saying she only stitches when she is stressed, and I commented on how she must be stressed a lot. She would stitch a couple of hours in the evening to relax. Now I'm finding I, too, am stitching more, which is a wonderful healing thing to do.Well, so much for being brief . . . oh, well, as I post more often I'll have less to say (maybe!) with each entry. I can try!
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