I hope.......

I can catch up on some sleep this week. Robert has been getting up at least 3 times in the night, until last night. Just once and it was at 6 am. Woohoo!! It's only 5:45 pm and I'm ready for a nap. I have taken little cat naps almost every day this week. It isn't helping.

I work tomorrow and take him to an appointment on Tuesday. We hope the x-ray shows no little stones or fragments!!

I took a class on Friday night and one this morning from Annie Modesitt. Both were awesome! I learned the correct way to do combination knitting. I had been twisting my stitches and if I were to call it some type of knitting, it would be Eastern crossed, at least from the hand out she gave us. I learned how to cable with out a cable needle. I like her method so much better than the way I had tried it before. Today was all about color. We did some two color, three color, then four color knitting. It was so cool!! I am really excited about this one as I have another color class on Thursday. It's actually a one on one with the instructor because I signed up for the class before realizing I would miss the first one. It is steeking a fair isle bag. I can't wait! I feel this is a way to broaden my mind, without getting stuck in a rut of doing the same type of knitting over and over again. Robert and I have actually talked about that. You know the studies they've done on how knitting is good for your brain? Well, our theory is that if you just do the same projects/techniques over and over again, it does no good for your brain, but if you are learning new techniques or ideas, then it uses more areas of your brain. So, it's better for you. Anyways, the combination knitting actually tightens up my stitches just a tad bit, it looks better!






This afternoon, Kim and I and two friends went to see The Ghosts of Treasure Island: A Pirate Rock Musical. We thought it was awesome!! Some of the words were hard to understand in the songs, but it was a great musical. I've already seen that there is a pirate festival in Portland in September. I think that would be fun to go to as well.

My most recent project is for ISE6. My pal likes bright pinks and purples, so I thought this might work. I am almost half way with it. It is an easy pattern, just two rows. I've modified it a little bit because I don't like how garter stitch looks. I like stockinette much better, which is funny, because I've never liked to purl.

Exhaustion hits

I haven't fully recovered from sock camp yet. I worked Stephanie's signing last night, but didn't stay to the bitter end. This morning we arrived at the hospital at 9:30, waited through all of the questions, pre-op stuff for 2 1/4 hours, then I waited in the surgery waiting area for at least 1 1/2 hours (supposed to be a 45 minute procedure) until the doctor came out to tell me how it went. Well the stone hadn't budged since last week, so they new where to go. They got the blasting machine hooked to him and the stone was totally obscured, so they had to thread a wire using fluoroscopy to get to the correct spot on the screen. Then they blasted the maximum number of times they could. Apparently they can do hundreds of thousands of these blasts on a patient during this one procedure. Robert came through the recovery and anesthesia well, and will go back next week for a post-op check up. The first wait was more of a killer than I expected. The second wait to go back and see him wasn't quite as bad, though my stomach was still in knots until I got back there and saw him totally awake and not groggy at all. One of the last nurses who cared for Robert is a friend of mine from church too. That made me feel really good about the care he was getting.

Cute knitting pictures of sock monkeys from camp can be found here. :)

200

That's what post I am on now.


So, the doctor's office called just a bit ago. Robert will be having the lithotripsy done on Wednesday morning. He has to be there at 9:30 am, the procedure isn't until 11:30 am, then he probably will be there until around 4 pm. They keep him afterwards so he can come out of the anesthesia and likely be able to keep some food down? That's how they did it when I had a tubal 10 years ago. So, a good portion of the day spent at the hospital. It's a good thing I knit!

One of the things that happened at camp on Friday, was snow! On Orcas Island. They seem to be in a rain shadow and rarely get snow, at least that's the story I heard this week. Well, I have pictures to prove there was snow!





Sunday, driving up the hill to get out of the resort and to the ferry! There were a couple of slick spots.

Home Again!

I am so exhausted!! I can hardly move. I don't remember what time Robert got up this morning, I know I woke up briefly, then the next time I woke up it was 11:15!! What a wasted morning and day so far. I've caught up on a few blogs, read some ravelry stuff and just sat around mostly.

Robert's appointment last Monday didn't turn up anything positive. The stone is in the exact same place! It hasn't moved one bit!! It is tender, but not overly painful that he needs to take something for it. They are going to blast it with the lithotripy device. However, the person doing the scheduling didn't even start until Wednesday to call the insurance, then they were out of the office Thursday through this next Tuesday!! So, because it is a day surgery, we have no idea when it will happen. He drove out to Scappoose last night to pick me up and was very sore when we got back home. I think it was the pressure of going over the mountain twice, or sitting for so long in the van for the drive.

Tomorrow I am home all day, Tuesday I work all day and do the book signing for Stephanie! Wednesday it is back to the normal schedule I think for pottery, then Thursday, voice for Kim. Friday night I am taking a class from Annie Modesitt, same on Sunday morning. So, there really is no rest for the weary. And possibly Robert's procedure in there somewhere.

Hmm, do I have any pictures of sock camp? Our Inexplicable Knitting Behavior on the ferry coming home yesterday. At least half the campers came out on that ferry. Out of 90 campers/staff!


Deb and a whole crew of baby Sock Monkeys that were made this last week. I was too busy, so mine is only half done. :) She is the designer of the pattern which should be available in a few weeks.



Charity Knitting Blankets with Stephanie and Cat, Holly and Celia (left upper corner to right).


I don't think I took as many pictures this time, so this will probably be it. I might put a video or two on youtube if I get it figured out. There's one that I just can't get off of my camera. I think it's too big. :(

No News

Is good news? Robert has been about the same. Some pain, but manageable with Aleve or nothing at all. It looks like we are in for a long haul on this one. Kim's foot seems to feel better for a day or so, then gets worse again. Today was a good day for both of them. I am still headed to sock camp and will try not to worry too much about them. They know what to do if there is an emergency. Next to no knitting has been done this week. :( Will see you next week.

Momma said........

*Worked Monday--too tired to knit in the evening
*Worked Tuesday--too tired to knit in the evening
*Wednesday--Ran errands all day, just enough time for supper then to a new class--no time to knit
*Thursday--Dentist appt for Kim--knit for 20 minutes, voice lesson for Kim(I made phone calls)--20 minutes to knit, then we went across Portland to see my uncle--too tired to knit in the evening from all the driving
*Friday--ER from 7:30am-12:30pm with Robert, too worried to knit, except for about 20 minutes.
*Saturday--seriously exhausted from ER visit and lack of sleep Friday night due to Robert up 3 or 4 times during the night.
*Sunday--laundry, work that was brought home, can I knit tonight, PLEASE?

And we start all over again tomorrow.

I hate weeks like this!!

(Robert has a kidney stone, that's why we were at the ER for him Friday morning. He's feeling better, but it hasn't passed yet.)

Oh, and beside the urologist appt we have tomorrow, I need to get Kim in to see her own dr. She has been off her feet pretty much all week due to a painful foot that she can barely walk on. My uncle(ortho doc) says it's likely to be tendonitis, but since it hasn't responded to Ibuprofen or Naproxyn, it's time for an x-ray.