Thank you all for your patience while I took some much needed time. I did miss blogging, I have to admit. But, in return for blogging I spent many, many hours improving my graphic design skills. Hubby had to pry my fingers from the laptop at times. My neck even got stiff for a day and I had to take a break from it after 4 days straight working on it! Crazy, obsessive....I know.
Speaking of laptops....my wonderful friends Courtney and Jeff blessed me with the most wonderful gift this Christmas. Are you ready for this one? I got a LAPTOP from them! So wonderful and it could not have come at a better time. And just in case I didn't say it enough already....THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH YOU TWO!
I really did need this break. I briefly mentioned in one of my posts a few weeks ago that I was dealing with health issues. You see, about 3 1/2 weeks ago I found a huge lump on my esophagus. It was a Thursday night and I was extremely concerned as I have had issues with my thyroid before. Friday morning the stars aligned for me and I was able to get in that day with a specialist. At my appointment an ultrasound was done and revealed a 1 1/2" nodule on my thyroid gland. The doctor suggested we do a fine needle biopsy to rule out any possibility of cancer. I went back in the next Friday and had the biopsy done but, the results would not be delivered to me until my follow up appointment on the 30th of December. Of course we knew that the odds of it being cancer were extremely slim but, you can always seem to torture yourself with the "what if's"?
During the break I was so involved in being with my family and focusing on getting my business going that I had litte time to dwell on the unknown. Before I knew it, it was "reveal" day.
And it was a good day. The nodule is benign and does not need to be removed unless it starts to impair my swallowing or speaking. Other than that, we just keep an eye on it - a blood panel every 6 months along with an ultrasound.
I do however have a reason for getting so personal. You see, my Grandmother passed away last year and my family and I traveled to Missouri for her funeral. Now, if you don't know by now, you should, I am an avid quilter with over 70 quilts made. My Grandmother, she happened to be a quilter as well. At my request, my Grandfather pulled out some of her beautiful quilts that I used along with some of my own to set up a beautiful display at her service.
While looking through the quilts before the service, my sister and I came across one with a name on the back that we did not recognize. When I asked my Grandfather if he knew of the name, he replied, "Well yes, that was my Mother."
Tears immediately filled my eyes. I was holding a quilt made by my Great-Grandmother. You see, as much as I love and truly appreciate quilts, I did not have any handed down to me to treasure.
That night, I slept under that quilt and felt so comforted knowing that I was lovingly wrapped in something my Great-Grandmother had put some much of herself into. I knew at the end of our stay I would have to leave the quilt with my Grandfather as he had not even known he still possessed this beauty. But, the memory of how it felt, smelled and looked would stay with me forever.
During Thanksgiving my family and I drove to my parents for the holiday weekend. At that visit, I was given this same quilt which my Grandfather had left with my parents for me. Again, there were no words I could speak, just tears.
Upon arriving home, I placed the quilt on the chair in my bedroom knowing that given it's age, I would only be able to sleep with it on special occassions.
Four days later, I found the lump on my throat. When my husband and I returned home from the doctor not knowing what the future held for us, I immediately snuggled up under my quilt and let it caress me to sleep.
I kept that quilt on my bed until the day after I received my results, knowing it was now okay to put it aside until the day I will need it again.
Quote for the day: Quilting connects the past with the present and the future.
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment