Trick or Treat bag

This cute Halloween trick-or-treat bag will also be at my craft table. it is quilted and will make a great treat for any young trick-or-treater!

My Olivia Hat

My Olivia Hat

I think for everyone to truly understand this post I have to do a bit of back tracking in my history. I hope you enjoy this story of this well loved hat.

In 1973 I was 3 years old. I lived in the suburbs of Dayton Ohio. A very long way from the mountains of Pennsylvania of which I love very much.

My Parents tried to get us "home" to the mountains as often as they could.

This was home

My Grandparents lived here. My Aunt, Uncle, Cousins. Family. Everyone was always around. Family dinners. Big bedrooms upstairs. Quilts. Homemade bread. A dirt Driveway. White farm house, cows, pigs, barn, creek, MOUNTAINS. The whole mountain just past the barn was OURS.

Going to PA was referred to by my mother as "going home". But a trip in the summer for 2 weeks and a few days over Christmas vacation, did not satisfy my craving for "home"


So At this point everyone should understand why when "The Walton's" was released in 1973. Why it felt like home to me. Because other than the time era, this was what I thought home was.

Olivia was THE Character. She was a great Mom. Not that my mom wasn't great. She was. But some how Olivia seemed special to me. At the young age I was why shouldn't she be? She wore this hat. It had a flower on it. none of my hats had a flower. She only wore this hat when she went out. It was "For Special"

I don't know who bought me my Olivia hat. It wasnt a special hat. Just some crocheted hat, not overly heavy, not to be worn in the snow, it simply wasn't warm enough for that. But to keep away the earaches on a windy fall day it was perfect.

I don't know where it came from. But I do remember very clearly the moment it's name came to me. It has that flower. The Walton's had been on the night before, and mom popped my new hat on my head and told me "it is windy, you need a hat" and I saw that flower. She put it over my left ear. I said "Mommy it has a flower like Olivia's!" Thus the name was born. forever more it was to be known as "Krista's Olivia hat"

I went everywhere with it. I looked forward to Fall because it was then cool enough to wear it. Winter was always a drag because I had to put it away.

We all moved out to PA in 1981. My hat came with us. I was 11 now but still my love of my Olivia hat lived on. Because now my hat was as special as Olivia's hat was. I only got to wear it on certain windy fall days. Usually on the trip to get pine out of the woods to decorate for winter.

When I moved out after high-school My Olivia hat stayed with Mom. Tucked away in the drawer with the other hats. I moved back to the farm in 1998. I needed to be "home".

That first fall I went with Mom to once again Gather Pine. It was a warm day but a cool breeze was blowing. I wished aloud that I had a hat to wear. Mom whipped out my Olivia hat and offered it to me just as she had that first time. Popping it on my head like a was 4.

Once again all was right in my world. and my Olivia hat came home to live with me that day.

This summer my Olivia hat has gotten a lot of wear. Popping it on my head feels like a welcome friend. I have many other hats but this one is just right to wear in the AC. or when a fan is just to breezy. I still feel that same glee when I put it on that I had a 4. It may be ratty, and I wont wear it to Wal-mart. But wearing it makes me realize that even though things may be a bit rough, I can get though it like they did on "the Walton's". Maybe not in a hour, but through it none the less.

Monday Manicures-- Tiger stripes

Tiger stripes over the awesome orange! and you know that orange held up really great!

Santa Apron

Here is another project that I have finished that will be for sale at my benefit. Isn't it just the cutest thing? I will say it is nice to have some reason to sew!

What else?

These cute little lunch sacks will also be for sale at my Benefit dinner. I will have a display model that will show how much you can actually fit in them. They really hold alot and are very washable! Also, when not in use they dont take up ANY room!!

Dont worry I have more than two

What have I been doing?

I haven't made a post in a few days. Well here is the reason why!

For some reason i got it into my head to set up a craft table at my benefit dinner next Saturday. And since I have felt some what well this week I thought I could make some fabric baskets to sell. (aside from the freaking paperwork in the background!)

The ones on the bottom are not finished yet, I will be sewing the buttons on them when I go for treatment on Tuesday. Either look at the one that is sitting on top, or click this link to see a closer view.

But as you can see I have banged out a few. I think I have 20? Various colors and patterns but mostly I went with a fall theme. I thought they would be nice.

I will post other things that I will be selling there in the next week!

My Saint

Have you met my Saint? This is my dearest husband who every week gives up working on Tuesday so he can spend his day off with me on my cancer day. He is up with me every night I am sick. even if it is no more than "stay awake while I hurl in case I need you. or if I just am scared or lonely. He will see me walk to the kitchen get out a glass pour a drink set it down so I can put the pitcher away, and go crawl into bed without my drink. and know in about five minuets I am going to say did I forget my drink? and he will gladly bring it to me.

Now lets make things perfectly clear to anyone who doesn't know me personally. I am crabby, cranky, whiny and basically just as pain in the butt to live with. If by some chance we have met and you find this hard to believe call my ex husband he will tell you that i can make you go from sane to insane in any short amount of time. but not my Steve. hes been a part of my life for 11 years and if he ever wanted to leave, i think i would vollenteer to have my tongue surgically removed to keep him here with me.

I have never loved anyone the way that I love Steve. on my downest days he figures out just what i need to make me happy, and he then makes it happen. (I hope one day he figures out that million dollar happiness thing LOL)

I would not be getting better if i did not have him by my side.

Hot Tamale

I know I said I wasn't going to post a Monday manicures every week. but I got this new shade at Wal-mart its called "hot tamale" and the brand is Pure Ice. I just love it! excellent coverage with a nice range of BRIGHT colors. as you can see this nearly qualifies for blaze orange! The nicest thing? only $2.50. With October coming up I better like it because I have a lot of ideas for Monday manicures for Halloween I want to use!

What to do?

What is the best thing to do on a lazy Sunday afternoon?

According to my Kittie, if you are tired, find a sunbeam and take as snooze. And don't feel guilty if you just woke up, after all your tired right?

3 month plan

My Muga scan was normal with a number of 52 which is just where it should be. We have more tests scheduled for Tuesday, a Cat scan with contrast (this will show if the tumors are gone) which we are almost certain they are. And also a base line Mammogram because due to the nature of the cancer they feel it could increase my chances of having breast cancer later on. So this will be one to show how I look now so we can compare others later.

Now for the three month plan:

IF the tests on Tuesday come back with the results he is looking for this is the plan. Group 5 and group 6 of chemo (that's a total of 4 treatments) and then we will move forward to radiation. I don't know how much radiation I will need but that I will need some because of the way my cancer presented. With all of the side affects in the beginning and the fact that it was considered "bulky" tumors. I had some questions about that and so we went over what the AMA suggests in my situation and we are going by the book so I guess I can't complain.

All in all I can see improvements every day. I feel stronger and I can walk around more. I don't get as tired as quickly as I used to. But when I do get tired that's when I know I have to sleep (last night I managed to sleep 12 hours) and today I feel dopey from it. But that will pass.

Sad News

Patrick Swayze Gave over his Fight with Cancer yesterday. And even though I know how hard his fight was and how long he had been fighting. and then of course the fact that i never really knew him For some odd reason I really thought he was going to get better. I thought to myself "If anyone can beat it He can" I dont know why i put him up in the super human category but I did.

Today I can tell you i am saddened by this loss and angered by this damned disease that cancer is. Also how it takes some and spares others. It is frustrating and makes me want to scream at the unjustness of it all.

and at times it almost makes me feel guilty because I am one of those that IS getting better when there are those around me that just arnt.

Monday Manicures Lady Bugs

OK So two weeks ago I posted my daughters Handiwork of Watermellon Nails well those made me feel so good and so special (not to mention the stir it made at chemo!) that I started thinking about a continual post.

I have decided that every other Monday will be "Monday Manicures" I only paint my nails every other Sunday night, so it isn't going to be every Monday at least not at this time. Just before treatment. this will raise my spirits so that I don't "dread" going to treatment.

I will try to keep My designs simple so that any MOM can do this for their Girls.

Today's Nails

Are as you can see Lady bugs.
Very simple to do a red nail base. I only have two coats on.
You have to really let them dry before the next step.
A line down the center with a sharpie, two dots and a half moon for a head. simple, fast, and easy but every time you look at them you have to smile!

Patriot Day

President George W. Bush signed the resolution into law on December 18th, 2001. It is a discretionary day of remembrance.

Initially, the day was called the Prayer and Remembrance for the Victims Of the Terrorist Attacks on September 11, 2001.

On Septemeber 4, 2002, President Bush used his authority created by the resolution and proclaimed Septemeber 11, 2002, as Patriot Day.

Social Vibe

Please take note at my side bar that I have installed Social Vibe. This is a program that I have been Familiar with for quite some time on my social networking systems. This is a new addition to the "Gadgets" part of Blogger.

I LOVE having it here on my blog It allows you to raise money for various causes. Here of course I am raising money for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Please click on my link for more information.

Happy Laybor day

I normally try to post a music video that means something to me or to the holiday on my craft blog, when ever we have a holiday.

This particular holiday is about working and is dedicated to all of the working class. so on my craft blog I posted "working man blues" by Meryl Haggard. In my travels to find this video, i found "If we make it through December" and i just had to post it.

This song means something to me just simply because We are in hopes that after December, My treatments will be over and perhaps I can get back to work and a normal life. I cant really say that this song keeps me positive simply because every time I hear it i tend to mist up, but i know that We CAN make it through December. :)

New header

I would like to thank my sister for making this great new header for my Blog. if you are wondering what the poke-a-dots are, they are a slide of the cells that diagnose Hodgkin's disease.

so a great big thank you!

TREATMENT WITH A MEDI PORT

this is how they hook up my chemo... It is a really neat thing now.

the tiny white ring? in the center of that is a syringe needle that is short maybe 1/2 inch it goes strait back toward my chest. they plunge (yes thats the right word) strait into my port. the hard plastic backing keeps it from going through. but since they had to sever the nerve endings in my skin i barely feel a pin prick. that whole area now feels like it feels if you have a band aid covering your skin.

once they get my "rig" set up then they can do a flush and then draw off my blood sample for my weekly blood work. then another flush. leaving any blood in the port could cause the port to clog. thats really bad.

after they get my blood sample i go back to the waiting room and wait to see my doctor that take a about 30 mins. then i see him for a bit he goes over the results of my blood work with me then back to the waiting room for my treatment.

the rig they used for my blood draw is still right there (just like the picture) and they just hook into it for my treatment. I cant tell you how much nicer this is! I wish they had done this before i was this far along!

If i have any readers out there thinking about this.. If your doctor or a nurse has suggested this to you do not wait! talk it over with your doctor and get it done if he agrees. it is SO MUCH BETTER!!!!

PS... If you happen on this blog post due to a search, make certain you see this post as well... they kinda go hand in hand.... it shows what it looks like PRIOR to insertion

Double lumen medi port

HI!

At my last treatment they showed me a sample of my "double lumen medi port" I thought you might like to see what has been implanted under my skin.

The place where the line or "hose" as i like to call it joins into the port is just below my collarbone and the line goes partway up my neck and follows the vein down toward my heart.

the viens are much larger there and can have the medication at a stronger amount without needing to be diluted. where as in my arm, the veins are smaller and even with dilution, I was experiencing vein trauma. I wont have this now.

The port needs to be flushed once a month. and since i am getting treatment every two weeks they will flush one side of the port during one treatment and the other side at the next treatment. there is only one line though, so that will be flushed twice a month once with each treatment.

I bet you are all thinking wow cant you feel that? well yea the first few days home it felt like i had something in a shirt pocket that could fall out if i bent over. of course that wouldn't happen but its as close as I can describe it. it was sore for a few days. and it would swell in the evenings but i treated it with a cool jell pack and that helped. and if i move my neck just right i can feel the line in my neck. it doesn't hurt much now, it is just there. and if you feel the spot in my skin you can feel the round jelly like ports. its kinda neat but kinda creepy.

On a more personal note:

it carried a bit of mental baggage for me, it made me realize every second of every day that "yes you have cancer" I could not put that thought out of my mind for even a second. I have always been a guilt hound... thats someone that if we have a chance to take all of the blame we will. Well of course "you have cancer" comes with a huge guilt pile. not one that is true at least not in this instance. if this had been lung cancer from the YEARS of smoking sure but this they dont know where it comes from and i certainly didnt ask for it. so this last week was a kind of downer. but i am on the uphill now. feeling better about my port, and about the situation. I am more than halfway though my treatment. so i dont have long now.

I am certain this wont be the last time i have to deal with this stuff. just thought i would put that out there for anyone that things i am allways so positive. I just dont share all the garbage with everyone. there are maybe two or three that get it on a regular basis. and right now i am really glad #1 was on vacation... this would have been a tough week for her had she been home. I did OK without her here... Miss her though.

PS... If you happen on this blog post due to a search, make certain you see this post as well... they kinda go hand in hand....