Just a little glitch

I'm at the hospital - we spent from 11 p.m. last night, to 5 a.m. today in the ER - not our favorite place to be - but they are watchful and helpful when you need them.

Don had a severe lightheaded spell just as we were getting ready for bed last night - almost blacked out but got to a chair and sat down. I took his blood sugar - it was ok - blood pressure was low - took it again - it was super high. Heartbeat was 48 - then 90 - then 61 - then much vomiting (poor guy) so we called the surgeon and he agreed we needed to head up to the ER. When you arrive at ER and say "open heart surgery - lightheaded - low and/or racing pulse, feeling clammy" - you certainly get moved to the front of the line. He was in a room with an EKG hooked up in less than 2 minutes - I like efficiency like that.

He saw the ER doctor and the on-call cardiologist (meanest man in the world, wouldn't listen to us, was shuffling his feet trying to get out the door), had blood work, x-rays, EKG and all sorts of tests. They decided to keep him overnight to monitor his heart, so I went home at 5 and slept until 11:30 - well sort of slept - but mostly was waking up a lot and thinking of Don.

He had a different cardiologist this morning and we really liked him. He explained everything and was very thoughtful and helpful - he could give that other guy lessons. They are going to put in a pacemaker tomorrow, as soon as the coumadin wears off. They gave him vitamin K to speed that along. After the surgery for the pacemaker he will stay in the hospital overnight and then go home on Tuesday. He is resigned to this - and at least we won't have to worry about his heartbeat any more.

Don had driven the car for the first time yesterday - with his surgeon's permission. He said it was a little more work than he had thought - and now it will be at least another two weeks before he can drive again, but that's ok - as long as he is being taken care of.

So that's our story for today - I am at the hospital in the solarium, using the hospital computer - I like this feature - I'm also talking on AIM to my best friend - so that is nice too. I am heading back to Don's room - I'll keep you updated as things progress. Thanks for listening.

Don is back to work part time - Let's have the quilt drawing!!!

Don went back to work on Monday - 3 weeks and 3 days after the open heart surgery. We are astounded at the progress he's made. The surgeon gave him his "go back to work" letter on July 2, and said he could go back any time he felt ready - but only part time, and NO lifting, pushing or pulling. There isn't any of that at his work - and for now he is doing only desk work.

He worked 5 hours on Monday - and 5 1/2 hours on Tuesday - then stayed home on Wednesday to rest up. :-) Today and tomorrow he is only going in for 4 hours each day. He is allowed to drive again on Sunday, June 12 - and he is looking forward to that.

When he went to work on Monday he was grinning like a kid in a candy store as he went into the office - he was so excited to be going back to work. He does love his job!!!! And they have been so wonderful to him during this whole time. Some of his co-workers even donated some of their vacation time to him, as he didn't have enough to cover the whole period he was off work. Great people!!!

So - now to the quilt - let's have the drawing early!! There are about 15 people who are sending in donations that I haven't received yet - so we will wait on those to arrive in the mail - and if you still want a chance to win - let me know right away and I'll put your name in and give you mailing instructions for the donations. We have so many entries - and so many donations - you can never begin to know how generous everyone has been.

Also - some of my blog readers have donated prizes to go along with the quilt that I made. Such generosity - and I've added a few items because there are so many who entered the drawing that I want more winners. Here are the prizes.


The quilt - Grandmother's Flower Garden. This is Don's all-time favorite quilt. I hand pieced it - using the English Paper Piecing method, and it was machine quilted (on her home sewing machine) by my friend Julie, in Idaho. She does amazing things with her quilting.

A table runner - made and donated by Barb . . .

A Moda Jelly Roll - donate by Debi . Don't you just want that so bad?

A Bottle Koozie - made and donated by my good friend Franni. She is the one that kept you updated during Don's hospital stay - a true friend. You can pick from a variety of colors and styles if you win this prize.


A skein of alpaca yarn from Linda - she raises her own yarn. :-) Her yarn is from her own alpacas, and she also spins and dyes the yarn herself - plus running the alpaca farm and giving tours and serving on committees and the city council.

A great big thank you to all that donated - you've been so sweet and helpful. For each donation of a prize I put in 25 more chances for the drawings.

And here are some things I am donating . . .


Three different angels - your choice of colors. These are made from vintage hankies and are great for christmas decorations - as reminders of all the angels around us - or for package decorations.


And three heart shaped, crocheted pincushions. These remind me of all the great and generous hearts out there - so many lovely people. Each winner will get to pick their favorite color.

And so - here's what you've been waiting for - the date.

How about July 22 - a Saturday. That is National Needle and Thread Day - a great day for picking winners, since most of the prizes involve needles and threads.

After the drawing I'll post the winners and if I don't have your mailing address I'll be asking you for it. The prizes I donated will be shipped from here - and the other donaters of prizes have agreed to ship from their homes - to save double shipping - again - such generous people.

So get ready - the drawing is coming - I am so excited to see who will win!!! Aren't you??

My First Quilt - My last Quilt - Summer Parade of Quilts

This is going to be fun - our first quilts and our last quilts - - you can find out more by going to Simplify-Parade of Quilts. There will be lots of fun this summer, looking at everyone's quilts.

My first quilt was made for our first child - a little girl - who is now over 40 - and is Ben's mommy.

I bought the embroidery patterns from an ad in the local newspaper - sending off a quarter in an envelope for the pattern, and hoping that no one would steal my quarter on the way. We lived in Alaska and it took a long time for that pattern to come - but it did get there in time for me to embroider and make the quilt before she was born.

Isn't she just the cutest thing??? Still is!

I sewed the first quilt with invisible thread - and I have no idea why, but it is the truth. What I learned was - Don't sew with invisible thread!!!!

And the most recent quilt I made - interestingly enough - was also for Beccy.

This was made for her massage office - and Ben helped me make it - he spent a lot of time moving pieces around and arranging things - as only a 2 1/2 year old can do.


Some close ups of the panels (seed packets) and the quilting.

And Ben, now 4 1/2 - enjoying the quilt after I got the binding stitched down. It took a long time to get this finished (it took a long adventure to Missouri and back before it finally got quilted) - and then Julie in Idaho quilted it for me - and did such a wonderful job.

Some thrift store fun - and some pink stuff

I've not been to a thrift store or a yard sale for ever so long - but here are some great finds from before Don's surgery. Just haven't had time to share them with you. If I've posted about these before - please just skip this post - and if not - then please enjoy.

These pretty pink appliqued hankies are so dainty. I love vintage linens with this kind of filmy, soft applique and embroidery . . .

And a tiny pink pitcher - this is only about 3 inches tall. I put it on the window sill in the kitchen where it catches the morning sun . . .

I noticed lately that we are using the big kitchen salt and peppers on the table for meals and when I found these cute little crystal shakers I knew I just had to have them - and only 29 cents a pair - now that's a bargain . . .

And a jam pot - with lovely tarnished silver lid. I used another vintage silver spoon from my collection - seems to fit perfectly . . .

And the bargain of the day. . . week . . . month - these prefilled bobbins and little spools of thread. There are 32 of each - such a rainbow of colors. They are great for the Grandmothers Flower Garden quilt I am working on - a thread for every fabric. And the bargain you ask? Well - $1.99 for the whole set - now THAT'S what I call a bargain!!

Good News - the Best News!!!

We just got back from the appointment with the surgeon. Don's heart and lungs sound great - he is doing so well that the surgeon gave him a letter that allows him to go back to work whenever he feels like it - but just part time. Don thinks it will be Monday for a few hours and we'll see how it goes after that. He still isn't allowed to drive - that will come one month after surgery - so I will drive him here and there and everywhere for a while longer - I'm just happy to have him here to drive around (and maybe drive a little crazy :-)

We are shocked and amazed at this good news - and very pleased. Tomorrow is just three weeks since surgery and we had no idea he'd improve this much, this fast. He is walking about 35 minutes a day without tiring, doing light housework chores and feeling fantastic.

We stopped by a favorite lake (which is a city park and has not one house on the shores) and sat for a while and enjoyed the news and the beautiful lake - what a wonderful way to celebrate.

Thanks again to all who sent us good thoughts, prayers, cards and emails - each and every one has been so special and meant so much to us.

Several blogger friends have been asking if the raffle for the quilt is still open - it is indeed. The expenses are going to be quite a bit more than what the insurance told us (of course, so what else is new?) so we are still raising funds and you still have a chance to win the quilt, or a chance at the other great prizes donated by friends around the country - what a great group blogggers are.

Hope your day is as happy as ours!!!!!

At last - something different!

We had a good day yesterday - already today we've had all the shots required (4) and been out to the lab for a coumidin check and we're home. It is sunny and gorgeous out - just perfect temperature so there looks to be some walking outdoors today and maybe some sitting in the grove to enjoy the summer air.

And now - finally something different - there is a wonderful give-away going on over at Hugs from Helen - woweee - you should see her patterns.

Her give-away is for the pattern to this wonderful holiday quilt - wouldn't you just love to make this. Stop over and make a comment and a link and you might be the lucky winner - and maybe I will be - let's hope we both are. :-)

Happy stitching - I'll be crocheting a lace edge on pillowcases today when I have a few minutes.

june 26 - two weeks since surgery

Don has been home 7 days - and it is two weeks since surgery - and at this time 2 weeks ago we were wondering what was going on - since surgery was running longer than they had expected. Little did we know it would go on for 3 1/2 more hours - 7 1/2 hours total. I'm glad that is all past now.

He is doing so much more now - he is walking for up to 20 minutes at a time, several times a day now. His schedule that he got from the surgeon says that this week he can begin light housekeeping chores - so he is getting his own drink of water, helped fold laundry yesterday (that makes him happy, he loves to do laundry) - I've not done laundry for over 20 years - but I did remember how, and he picks up stuff and puts it away around the house. At first it felt like I was being mean to have him do things, but it is good for his healing to be more active - and he's happier when he's active.

They are still trying to get the coumidin (blood thinner) levels right so we go to the lab every morning. Then today after the lab we saw the surgeon's assistant and he sent us to another lab for a bit more blood work - we will go back there tomorrow if the coumidin levels aren't where they want them. Don won't be on coumidin much longer, probably just for two more weeks, so this won't be a forever thing.

Our daughters are helping with the heavier housework and yard chores and running errands when we need them - which really helps. I've not had any time for stitching - but soon, I hope, soon.

Thanks to all who have emailed and phoned to inquire about Don - it is nice to have so many friends, and thanks for the good thoughts and prayers.

Soon I hope to have a post about something besides the surgery - but I'm happy that the report is so good.