think-quilts

…and still trying to get rid of the excess fluids in my body from the last chemo. Since Wednesday, I’m on radiation treatment, and after the first three sessions, when I’m on the table, my imagination goes: they bake my innerts by beaming me up from two sides… I suppose that’s not entirely wrong. Or maybe I just watched too much Starship Enterprise in my life…
But still, if it helps, bring it on! More of this next week. And the following week. I’m scheduled out for daily radiation until June 17th, – that makes 35 times!

Tags: Breast Cancer

…shall be the name of our group! And it means all kind of fiber art: Weaving, quilting, knitting and crochet, beading, felting and whatever you can imagine you could do with any kind of fiber or fabric.

Now, after we’ve found a official name, we’re up to organize a group show at the Good Sheperd Center in Wallingford (October).

Let’s work girls!

Gift to UW from Class 2007

…are here. Since I’m now on a double dose diuretics, I’m much better. But my lymphedema won’t budge, and the side effects from Taxotere are still far from over.

Tags: Breast Cancer

School of Fish

 … can you see the shark?

When I bought this pattern, it pictured some kind of a whimsical school of fish on a blue background, good idea, but 
- I immediatly saw all the fish in silks, shiny stuff and the surround in hand-dyed fabrics. I especially like the tropical water effect with the corals and sea creatures.

…like Chemo will take a while. Even I know that I don’t have to get another one, it’s quite hard on the body. One of the drugs of the chemo cocktail isn’t exactly a Martini, it causes a lot of fluid retention. I feel like a walking water barrel. My eyes are very watery, all joints hurt and the muscles are very stiff. If I had run a marathon yesterday, I’d know why I feel that way…

Today, I saw my radiologist. He is an extremly nice and comunicative doctor, also the whole radiology facility is a very pleasent place, as much as the cancer lets you forget where you are  
It was also the day when the ”mapping” of the area to be beamed happend, – now I have two TATTOOS on my chest. I always wanted a tattoo, but of course not that kind. Well, if it helps, I’ll hold up to it. For sure this will improve my changes for survival in the long run very much. Lets do it!

Tags: Breast Cancer

… and got a T-shirt with the same print    This means, – I hope -, the worst part is over. Although, several people keep telling me that radiaton 32 times isn’t exactly a “piece a cake”.

So far, I’m feeling not too bad, of course, no taste again. Not even a bland cup of tea is even remotly tasty.
Yesterday evening, I tried a friends recomendation of beer as a “sleeping aide”, – it worked! Hurray to my Black Pond Porter, Deschutes Brewery/OR. I love that beer  and it keept my night sweats in check.

Now, I’ll run over to South Seattle and pick up moving boxes. It’s time to clear the other house for the new owner. Finally.

Tags: Breast Cancer

… and I’ll go back to the hospital and receive my 4th and last chemo. Let’s hope it won’t be too bad. I’ve noticed, that my body has more and more difficulties to handle the drugs. Even the promising “third week” was not really good. I’m constantly tired, really tired. I could sleep 14 hours a day, and still don’t feel rested.

I keep myself awake with small, mindless stuff in my sewing studio. Sorting fabric, finishing up small UFO’s, arrange scraps into a new pattern… Nothing really happens. Monday, it’ll start allover. Hope this time, the motivation of the “last chemo” will help me to get thru this easier. The lymphedema on my left arm is blooming up with every chemo cocktail. I can’t wait how it feels when the chemicals are finally worn off and my body belongs once again to me. How long is the going to take?

One positive thing happend this week: I didn’t need an aspiration at the second surgery site. Finally, the inner parts of the wound seem to heal up. Hope it stays this way.

Tags: Breast Cancer

…my 3rd chemo.
The first one was hard on me. The second was a “piece of cake”, but the third is getting into me again. Seems my body doesn’t bounce back as easily anymore. New is that the last digit of my fingers hurt, not only the nails. It’s hard to pick up small items, or get a tight grip on something. No hand sewing right now.

So, I use my good BERNINA to krank out quilts for charity. This is the kind of “mindless work” my brain can manage, because Chemobrain has set in. I’m forgetting things, my concentration level is very low.
But even this has one big positive side effect: I’m getting rid of lots of unwanted fabric. Since I do nothing else for days in a row, I had to make a promiss to myself: Do NOT refill those bins just emptied!

Tags: Breast Cancer

Right now, I feel so good, very little impact from aftermath of surgery or chemo. All my taste buds are back in working order, the PT for the lymphedema works wonders! It is so much better.  The only negative is a slight but constant weight gain caused by water retention in my body. I’m sure I’ll be able to lose it after all the treatments have stopped. 

…but I know, it won’t last, because next week I’ll get poisoned again. My third chemo will be Monday morning. This also means, I’m halfway thru!

And I’m back to quilting. As usual, it’s always a good idea to have a deadline. This time it’s the Quilters Anonymous quilt show, starting next week. I entered 3 small quilts, and one is still under the needle…
… got to get working.

Tags: Breast Cancer

In 2005, I took my very first class on machine quilting. Elizabeth Spannring was a very good  teacher, no wonder I got hooked to this type of quilting in an instant.

The small test-run sampler was done in no time, but the actual quilt dissapeared in my box of UFO’s. Finally, 4 years later, I finished the actual quilt. I like the result, although today, I’d have done something else like a border or a pieced extention of the theme. But the quilting was almost done by a third, there was no way to make big changes.