Yup, I Had a Carpal and a Tunnel. But Now They're Gone... at lease half way...

I have always loved sewing.  And playing piano.  And writing (typing).  When the computer age began I've spent countless hours (mostly wasted ha ha) on the computer.  What do these things have in common? Well... I'll tell you.  They all gave me a raging case of carpal tunnel.  In both hands.  If you know me, or have read previous blogs you know that I have many physical illnesses.  Because the carpal tunnel could be corrected and thus make it easier to pin point what symptoms are from what problem, it was recommended I have the surgery.  And so I did.  On January 21, 2014 Austin and I arrived here -  at 6 A.M.

 Did I mention that we had to arrive at 6:00 A.M.?  I was first on the list for surgery.

We arrived, and thank you to the John C. Lincoln Hospital for letting me borrow such a gorgeous gown!  I had all the usual stuff done - the IV, the BP, the visits from the surgeon and anaesthesiologist.  

There was some down time in between and I was anxious (scared) but Austin kept me company and we passed the time talking and being silly.  Pretty soon the nurse came back and had me soak my hand in special soapy stuff.  I also got these fancy leg circulation things on my calf's.  

 Don't forget to note the wonderful way my hat and shoes match!  Stylish, even going into surgery.  Once I was given some sleepy medicine and wheeled off on my fancy bed, in my fancy outfit, with my clean hand, Austin got to spend some REALLY exciting times!

 He sat.  He slept.

He sat some more.

He slept some more. 

Until it finally happened.  He was able to come back and see me again.  More importantly, come back and take pictures.  

 Here I am, freshly post surgery. 

How I got dressed, I have no idea.  I look awake but since I really don't remember getting dressed or going home (except for little snippets) I must have been way out of it.  I mean really, how did I get this sweater back on?? There is only one person in the world who knows.  Austin.  I'm pretty sure he figured it out. 

See what I'm holding?  A barf bag.  Yup.  The staff was kind enough to send me home with a barf bag - and a fancy one!  And what's the best thing about the barf bag???  I didn't even have to use it. 

I got home and settled.  I was able to rest up and just hang around on the couch in my spot.  It wasn't until bedtime that this contraption became a serous hindrance.  You see, my doctor sent me home with an IV stand.  He wrapped my hand with a big hook thing at the fingers so I could hang my hand/arm from the IV stand - and thus keep m hand elevated and in the correct position for 24 hours.  

And yes, I can see that this picture is upside down.  I took it around 3AM when I was bored out of my mind and super tired.  I could have turned this picture right side up - but it's more a sign of how I was feeling keeping it upside down.  I made it through the fist night, and the following day the fun had just begun. I had to report to the doctors office, and wow - I had NO idea how difficult it was going to be doing the simplest of things. 

This is me, ready to leave for the Dr's office.  This is my left handed makeup / hair job and changing clothes wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for my wonderful Mom, who came to take care of us (me).  I'm pretty sure it's been a good 40 years since she's buttoned my pants for me... until that day. They cut off the cast, and below is what was there... gross. 

Here's my before surgery/after surgery montage. 

With this surgery, I made several visits to the doctor.  My second visit (day 3 post surgery) revealed the wound looking like this:

Between appointments, I was working overtime trying to rest up and be as independent as possible.  And snuggling with this pretty girl.

When I wasn't snuggling with my Sophie, I was being taken care of by this lady - look closely because THIS is a picture of the Worlds Best Mom.  

AND, because healing from my own surgery wasn't enough (because enough is never enough if you're a Willcox) I got to take this little crazy girl to the doctor because she developed a ferocious cough (that she still has!).  

So, between my own appointments, it was refreshing to take little Roo to her doctor and do something other than sitting around.  

Here's my hand one week post op at the beginning of my appointment.

And here it is two days after all of the stitches were removed and I was all steri taped up.  A few days post op, my doctor sent me home equipped with rolls and rolls of bandages, tapes, sterile rinse water and 4" squares so I could clean my wound and re-wrap it twice a day.  Fun times for me!

Two weeks post op I was on our anniversary date with Austin!  See my wrapped hand?  Funny, eating in public with my non-dominant hand was so much less glamorous than I usually eat - which, if you've seen me eat, is just plain crazy.  Messy crazy. 

Here is my hand today!  The wound is healed pretty much, but I'm still not supposed to be using my right hand, though I am typing this with both hands (oooohhh I'm in trouble).  I need to keep it wrapped and clean for two more days.  Then wrapped when I leave the house or do anything messy or worky.  I can slowly start using my hand in two more days... which is silly because I've been using it (out of habit) anyway.  

So there it is.  My carpal and my tunnel.  Gone forever from my right hand... and I now know what to expect when we do my left hand... unless I chicken out...

I Love to Sew!

It's true.  Yah, I've had lots of doctors appointments and I spend most of my time keeping the house up and taking care of the family.  BUT I did steal some time to make a Christmas present for Spencer (our oldest son- he's 24) and a present for our grandson, who is 9 mo. old.  Yes, I'm still making aprons for the Etsy site (5FunGirls) and yes, I'm still swamped with doctors appointments.  In fact, I decided to blog today because after I went to the hand specialist I've been scheduled for Carpal Tunnel surgery.  This week, on top of my regular stuff, I am going to work on getting things ready for after the surgery.  We're doing the left hand first, and then in a few weeks they'll do the right hand.  This means that I'll be meal planning for the next 2 weeks, grocery shopping, organizing it all and writing everything down.  My Momma (who is by far the best Momma in the whole world.  Ever) is flying out to help us while I'm down.  Having things orderly will not only make me feel good (because I like clean and orderly) but it will help her.

Well enough of that darn medical talk!!  Let's talk about some sewing projects!  I wanted to make a throw pillow for Spencer, and one for Rachel.  I want them to be cohesive as they'll go on the same couch in their living room.  I found the perfect fabrics and then had to figure out what I wanted to do. You see, I didn't want to just make some mambo-pamby pillow.  It had to be interesting.  It had to have life in it.  It had to be fun, and yet classy, but also be like THEM as a couple.  I haven't finished Rachel's pillow yet, but I did finish Spencer's just in time for Christmas.  And before I get any further, Rachel's pillow is different - and I'll post about that when I get there.

While looking around for what kind of pillow I wanted to make, I came across one at Target that I found interesting.  Ok, it was boring - but the actual origami of the pillow was interesting.  I know origami means folded paper but what's the word for folded fabric?  Because this thing is kind of like origami.  Here's what the Target pillow looks like:

I was intrigued on how this was done.  I took the picture and then cut 5x5 squares out of the fabrics I chose for Spencer.  If I were to do this again, I'd cut the back panel 5x5 and the 4 sides 4x4. Since I've only done it once and everything was 5x5 I have no guarantees that it would be better with 4x4 - so don't go making it and get all mad at me if it doesn't turn out!  ;) I will tell you what I did to make this pillow.  You who sew can probably figure it out by looking at it - but I'll tell you how I did it.  First I found this amazing fabric during the summer months that is PERFECT for Spencer.  It's a compilation of 3 different prints that all come from the "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus" series.  Then, as the back fabric that shows in the center, I chose a print with VW buses on it.  As an added bonus there's aliens driving the buses.  And the color of the whole ensemble matches the colors they like and have in their little cottage.  

Here's the base fabric.  Spencer's always loved VW buses.  And aliens?  In all honesty I would have preferred it to be just the bus.  However who doesn't love a hidden alien?  I mean really.


Back to the project!  I cut out all the 4x4 squares and ironed them flat.  Then I took the pieces that would go on top of this piece and ironed them in half, making triangles.   I then used my fingers to both hold the triangle still and gently fold back the folded side of the triangle to make the peek a boo origami look.

Once all of the ironing was done, I started to lay out the patterns.  They each had to be the same to avoid looking like a hodgepodge of whatever.  Here's the first triangle in place. 

And the second triangle going right on top.  See the fabric?  It's super cute if you like the book.  (which we all do).  















And here's the whole square with all 4 triangles on it.  You can see that my little "peek a boo" is smaller than the one at Target.  That's why I think I'll try cutting the squares smaller, or laying them out further apart and trimming the edges.

It was difficult to keep the folded edges folded back.  I finally used some stiffener before a final press.  That did the trick. 

After finishing one, I did the same thing again and again....

And though I hoped the pillow would have been bigger, I am still happy with how it turned out.  More importantly Spencer really likes it.  He says it's super comfy too!  

AND guess what else I did?  I made a quilt for this little heart breaker.  I used minky fabrics for the top, and the backing is all navy blue BYU Cougars cotton.  I didn't add any filler into the quilt, it's Arizona...  the two layers are warm in and of themselves.  Above is the general layout of the different fabrics.  It's a strip row quilt.  I know that's not the right name for it, but whatever.  

Here it is after I sewed all of the strips together.  It's folded in half.  I really like the different chevron strips with the solids and polka dots.  It's hard to see, but the solids have a raised polka dot print on them.  Super soft and cozy!!! 

I sewed the top and bottom right sides together, like you'd sew a pillow.  I left an opening and then turned it right side out.  I pulled out the corners so they would be square.  Then I went in and sewed the leftover edge of stitching to the backing, so the quilt would hang better and be a little stronger.  

It was quite the task to keep it in line, withe the edge on the back side so it would get sewn down.  I then sewed the opening shut and used embroidery floss (white) to tie a little bit on the yellow chevrons in the center.  Just to keep the fabric in place where it goes.  :)  I don't have a picture of it finished, but it's super cute and his Momma likes it - which is all good!  

A couple of selfies.  I'm pretending to sew.  Ha ha. 

 Oh!  And see that draped on the dress form in the back ground?  Roo did that.  She was playing with the fabric and draped a dress onto the form. It actually looks really nice!  I'm not sure anyone would wear a dress made out of monkey print minky fabric.... but it's pretty amazing for a 9 year old.  :)  She's my mini me and I LOVE it!








Lastly, during the evening hours I've been keeping my hands busy.  I've been embroidering these little elephants to go on a throw blanket for one of the sweetest, kindest and most beautiful people I know.  More about that another time.  AND it's about time to make our Ren Fest garb!  Whoot!  Just wait and see how that turns out!  Meanwhile, I wonder if I"ll be able to sew with my left hand in a cast?  Hum.....

I think I've Been Abducted by Aliens...

Yes, it's true.  Another bizarre Doctor's appointment.  Then again - what is a normal doctor's appointment?  I am beginning to think there is no such thing.  I went to my Neurologist's office to have a biopsy done on my skin and nerves.  I'm pretty sure they were checking for evidence to prove I was abducted by aliens.  Either that or they were aliens and now I've been probed!  Either way, being abducted and probed by aliens wasn't nearly as exciting as I thought it would be.

They took biopsy's from town different places on my leg.  They said something about the nerves being here or there or something.  I wasn't paying as much attention as I should have - I was hoping they'd take pictures of the procedure.  Priorities...  I have my blog audience to satisfy.  Once again, I lucked out and the assistant took TONS of pictures.  I had to weed through them to get the main ones so you all can see what an alien probing looks like.  First off, I walked into the room of an adult neurological office to find the exam table looking like this: 

Next you'll get a little view of the side of my butt.  I know I'm pale, white, transparent or whatever so don't worry about telling me.  I also know there's this huge mole that only Austin gets to see - and I know there's weird old lady blue veins there, too.  Now you get to enjoy the frightening sight.  

First she "measured" my hip with her hands to find the right spot to take the biopsy from.  Or so she said - maybe she wanted to feel my hip - I don't know... 

She cleaned off my skin. 

She gave me an injection of something to numb the spot, keep it from bleeding too much and help it to heal quickly. 

This looks crazy how the bubble gets bigger and bigger.  Kind of similar to watching a TB skin test.  

And here's the probe.  Or the punch biopsy.  However you want to call it it's from the mother ship.  

Look at that nice little circle.  

There's my piece of skin.  Yummy!  

Blot blot blot

Bandaid 

And now for #2.  On my calf.  For whatever reason this one hurt a lot more than the first.  

                          

Now, watch this one.  Way gross.  She cut the circle hole below...

And then she pulls something out with tweezers. 

And then she cut it off and put it in a vile. 

And here's my leftover boo boo. Darn alien probing. 

Here's the aliens who abducted me.  They are funny and nice and very efficient workers.  

For a complete video of this procedure (on someone else) check out the Phoenix Neurological Associates website.  

It will take up to 2 weeks for results to come in on this biopsy.  But that's ok, because there's lots of other things to fill my time with.  Like sewing!  

I'll blog about some sewing projects next time.