Status Update

Well, as we in the medical field joke, if you're a patient and in the medical field, something will go wrong!  We also say that about really nice people.  Those mean-spirited, drug using, abusive individuals never seem to have the same medical problems/outcomes that we do.  It's silly, I know, but sometimes it does feel that way.  Maybe I need to get a little nastier or something!!  Not really, but frustration is running high here.  I thought I'd update you on where things are going for me, medically speaking.

So I was supposed to have that Pyloromyotomy surgery on Nov. 13th in Seattle.  Well, I wake up from anesthesia to be told that they started it, but had to stop.  They discovered a mass coming out of the wall of my stomach, looking like the shape of a mushroom's head and attaching to (OK, now just guess!) - my pylorus, the very thing they were going to operate on.  It is not the safest thing to biopsy the mass right then and there (I wish, but I know better), so we had to quickly make arrangements to return to Missoula for an Endoscopic biopsy the very next day!  Needless to say, my husband and I are a bit nervous and concerned.

I get put to sleep, they use ultrasound in my stomach to take biopsies and we wait...and wait...finally the night before Thanksgiving (2 days later than expected) the doctor calls to say the biopsy was NON-DIAGNOSTIC!!!!  That means, they didn't get any cells they were expecting to be able to make a diagnosis.  In other words, the doctor MAY have missed!  Now they do say that 3-4% of biopsies never get a definitive diagnosis (I hope I don't fall into that category), but what this means is I'm getting another biopsy!  Yep, it's tomorrow.  I should hear by Monday or Tuesday the results.  But here's the problem.  No matter what it is (cancer would obviously be the worst), but even if it is a benign mass, the surgeon still has to deal with it because it's in the way.  Depending on what it is will determine how much bigger the surgery will be.  So no matter what, it will have an impact.  I'm stressing because I've paid all my deductible for the year and desperately want to get it done before the end of December, otherwise it's going to cost me a lot more.  Traveling, food and lodging is already expensive enough.  Now we have to do that twice!!  Can you feel my frustration???

So, I've not been in the right frame of mind for much crafting.  Once I have the "bigger" surgery, my recovery will be longer, too.  So please be patient with me.  I will return, it's just going to take some time.  Keep me in your prayers, and God bless you all this Christmas season.

Take care and happy Christmas crafting!

One of last year's favorites/ Copic colored

Jill ✂      

Rest & Restore

Hello my crafty friends, it has been a while, I know.  I thought I'd update you on what's happening with me.  I've decided to take a break from Design Teams for a bit, as I have some health issues making it difficult to meet Design Team obligations.  While recovering from my elbow surgery at the end of August, I decided to do a little mini craft room remodel.  Hopefully you follow me on Instagram where I have posted pictures (jktaylor911).  It's about 90% done, but I also decided to reorganize a lot of my crafting supplies.  I chose the Totally Tiffany's ScrapRack to help me out.  It will take several weeks, maybe months to get that done.  I just got all the supplies and will work on it off and on.  Another surgery looms closely now.  Next week I will have abdominal surgery to try and help my lazy stomach.  In medical terms, it's called Gastroparesis- my stomach muscles don't work properly to move food out of my stomach.  It causes severe bloating, abdominal pain and more.  I've been suffering with this for a few years now and finally got desperate enough to agree to the surgery.  I'm not sure how long it will take me to recover and feel like crafting.  I was thinking of blogging some of my favorite creations from this last year (that were not DT creations).  So don't give up on me, I will be back!  And hopefully feeling better and ready to create and blog.  And after a bit, perhaps get on another DT again!  But I'm going to first spend some time just creating for me, using the many stamps and dies I've bought over the last year and haven't had time to play with.

So farewell for now, but hopefully not for too long.  Please check back with me in a few weeks' time, hopefully I'll be able to post something by then.  Thank you for visiting me, I hope to be sharing again soon.

Have a wonderful Holiday season, God bless you and happy crafting!!

Jill  ✂