Category Archives: uncategorized

day #14 post op

serenity: the state of calmness or peace; the absence of trouble or disturbance

I am putting a lot of effort into thinking positive thoughts.  Though I have missed the comfort and joys of home and family—not to mention Laurel’s dance recital and today’s swim meet, but I’ll get over that, someday– I’ve just realized that since coming to rehab I have experienced  an unrecognized and heretofor unappreciated serenity. Who expects that in rehab?  And yet, it is as real as the 23 staples that hold my incision together.

Laurel lining up for her first event

My bad knee has been replaced with a good one, my therapist is making it work, the nurses monitor all aspects of my health, the CNA’s are at my beck and call, my family and friends  have smothered me with love, visits, calls, cards, flowers and prayers.   How could I not be serene?

This realization came to me today. Having just completed my third and last therapy session of the day, I  stretched out on my hospital bed to relax for a few moments.   The lavender booklet, next to the roses in the photo, caught my eye so I perused the contents.  It was sent to me by my dearly loved Aunt Rheeta, who lives in Indiana.

The presentation is very feminine, which is to be expected with the title Women and God, Moments of Grace, 25 Devotions.  It opens with some detailed advice on making a good pot of tea and a recipe for vanilla scones, then begins the devotions, each built on a “tea/ty” concept such as beauty (beau-tea), identity, heredity, modesty, creativity, productivity…you get the picture.  Continue reading →

day #12 post op

Just next door to the facility, these magnolias are all in bloom, as well as a few lingering wild pink phlox.

This was a really good day in rehab.  First thing this morning, Bob checked me out of the facility to take me to the orthopod.  It is less than two  miles to the doctor’s office, with the hospital in between the two locations.  But it is mostly rural, the street lined with magnolias and orange groves–a pretty drive. 

I wore my green therapy shirt, posted yesterday, and I was amazed at that everyone from the receptionist to the X-ray tech to the doctor himself noticed not only the shirt but the incision on the knee in the design!  It made everyone smile, including me. The doctor checked the X-rays, declared my knee  hunky dory and was out of there in a flash. 

We decided that since the appointment was so fast,  I wouldn’t be missed for some time.  So we a run for it and dashed home, a mere 8 miles.  I loved on Rastus, who was just beside himself, and Hannah, whose smug attitude made it clear to Rastus that my arrival was no big deal as she sees me alllll the time.  Continue reading →

day #10 post op

I’ve been away from home now for 10 days and am getting a little homesick. Still, I had another good day in rehab. My day began, as usual, with a visit over breakfast with my dear, dear husband, Bob.  I really miss him.

Each day he brings Hannah, our 90 lb. German Shepherd/Great Pyrenees mix.  With her 4-5″ long coat and distinctive markings, she looks  a lot like a wolf.   Continue reading →

day#8 post op

You have a lot of time to think in rehab.  Certainly, you are busy enough with all the therapy and nurse visits, etc.  But a lot of time is spent resting, trying to think about anything other than the aching  knee.  Sewing related topics, of course, are a common diversion.

Back in the closets of my mind a memory hangs, one that sometimes falls off its hook, requiring my attention.   A reader’s recent comment brought this particular recollection to the forefront of my mind.  In response to the post, Spring is Sprung, Karen said,  “I, too, used to buy smocked dresses at Dillard’s and Strasburg when they were on sale. That way my sweetie was dressed in sweet traditional things that I wasn’t concerned about her ruining. Although, I always felt that the beautiful things I made her were meant to be worn by her. There were some that were tossed or given away to Goodwill but not many. Most survived!”

That comment spurred this memory, more than 25 years old, of an anonymous child wearing one of Rebecca’s dresses.  It left me with feelings that I have been unable to accurately identify, express  or understand, even to this day.  Allow me to give you some background so you might see this from my perspective.  Continue reading →

Day#6 post op

Yesterday, I met a dear lady–correction: a dear lady met me, and everyone else, in the therapy gym.  I was flat on the bed/platform with my brand new knee being bent to an almost excruciating degree by Susan,  my wicked and wonderful physical therapist.  Maxine’s  motorized wheelchair came to a screeching halt, just short of knocking Susan off her stool.  Maxine’s unique costume and sunny dialogue instantly brought to mind Minnie Pearl, the American country comedienne of  The Grand Ole Opry and Hee Haw fame.

It was flag day and I certainly didn’t need to check the calendar to see that. From head to toe, 75 year old Maxine was the personification of the Senior American Patriot Welcome Wagon Caller.  A tiered skirt in flag colors covered her ample bottom, red socks warmed her slippered feet and a white shirt displayed red, white and blue beads, a  few of which, she pointed out, were tiny flags.  The handknit white shawl wrapped over her shoulders was bedecked with no fewer than 15 patriotic pins featuring flags, eagles, USA, and more.

Like the maraschino cherry on top of a mouth watering sundae, the silver bun perched on top of her head was covered by  three knit headbands, red, white and blue, of course, carefully arranged in a stripe pattern.  Assembling and donning this ensemble obviously took some time, especially for a woman who is wheelchair bound. Continue reading →

Dear Friends,

I’m at the rehab facility, checked in by admissions, checked out by physical therapy and settled into my private room.   After  my first knee surgery,   rehab had me paired with a delightful,  interesting  80 year-old roommate and we talked most of the time we were not in therapy.  I do miss the sweet company of Miss Betty, but the new policy of private rooms for all ortho patients will leave me, I hope, with time to write some blogs, do some smocking and read some good books.

According to my surgeon, the knee replacement was routine and “almost boring,” which is good from his perspective. As I raised my eyebrows at this comment, he reminded me that no patient wants her surgery to stand out in the doctor’s memory. Of course, as the person whose leg was at the other end of the bone saw, I would have to say that this particular  surgery is quite memorable.

I have met some lovely people,  each with an interesting personality and personal story.  One such person is Carole, a very caring, dedicated hospital nurse.  I brought all my own pillows, with embroidered pima cotton pillowcases so they could be easily identified as mine.  Carole, probably around 55 years old,  commented that she too had a sewing/embroidery machine but she was going to sell it.  She had never gone for the lessons and had never sewn a seam, nor stitched out  a single embroidery–she just didn’t have time.  Continue reading →

Thanks to my fabulous son-in-law, the RSS feed is now working.  If you would like to be notified when a new item is posted to the blog, please sign up. 

Also, my dear son is working on getting the store up and open for sales!  This blog has become a family wide venture! Hopefully, in the next 6 weeks or so,  it should be operational.  So please sign up for the RSS feed so you will know just what treasures I am finally willing to part with. 

In hopes of piquing your interest,  I will tell you that I have some out-of-print classic heirloom books and patterns, antique lace, Swiss handlooms and embroideries, antique needlework magazines, wonderful baby blanks (matching onesies, bibs, caps and bath towel sets), Irish linen blanks, miles of heirloom laces and tatting, silk photo transfers (some Jenny Haskins), antique buttons, quality domestic trims and more.  Please do check them out.  I need the space in my sewing room!

In two weeks I will be having total knee replacement, so the posts will be less frequent.  I’m in a frenzy, writing and photographing projects in anticipation of being out of pocket for approximately 3 weeks.    I am adding a new article no more than every other day in order to have enough material to post regularly through my recuperation.  My goal is to have a backlog ready so I can post them from my laptop while at the rehab facility. 

For the past two weeks, I’ve been extraordinarily tied up with my sweet 88 year old childless aunt, who has always treated me like her daughter.  I love it and love her, so she has been the focus of my attention during this time period.  Fortunately, this coincided with the grandchildren’s trip out of state for a family gathering.  So at least I didn’t have homeschool responsibilities to juggle. 

Aunt Aileen has been hospitalized twice in this time period, with only a day between stays.  Between visiting her, keeping up with dr. reports, trying to get the folks at her assisted living facility to address her needs, updating the rest of the family and all the classes and appointments for my upcoming knee surgery, my blog posts have been less frequent than I would like. 

Thanks to each and every one of you for reading my prattle and for your encouraging and interesting comments.  It means a great deal to me.