This past year (okay, more like 14 months) has been a period of time that I, quite frankly, would just like to forget (does anyone have a little pill for that? Anyone?) To start with, my father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in December 2006--so that kind of screwed up THAT Christmas (which you may find out on down the line is my FAVORITE time of the year.) He had surgery in January 2007 to remove his pancreas and some surrounding tissue (otherwise known as a "whipple procedure") Rather nasty surgery, to say the least. Started chemo after the surgery, developed a chemo related lung problem, and died on July 20, 2007.
Okay, so surely things will start getting better we all thought. Well, I'm not sure which one of us pissed off the gods of Karma, but we sure did it up right. In December 2007, the VERY SAME WEEKEND as the one my father was diagnosed with cancer the year before, my husband's sister was told us that she had breast cancer and my father-in-law went into the hospital and was diagnosed with anaplastic thyroid cancer. Now, for the vast majority of people out there that don't know about this nasty little change in some normally very nice little cells--THIS IS A BAD ONE!! It makes most other cancers quiver in their boots. There is virtually nothing that can be done, except get your affairs in order FAST!! He spent a couple of weeks in the hospital and then was transferred to our Hospice House. (An awesome and awe-inspiring group of people if you don't know about it.)
He was in the Hospice House from before Christmas until his passing from this world on the morning of January 10, 2008. The most truly inspiring part of the whole thing was his grace--he went gracefully, without feeling sorry for himself, and thinking only about all of those around him. This man was the very definition of a GREAT MAN. How many other men can be a national leader in the robotics world, but they have to make sure that they were home on Sundays because they taught 3 year old Sunday School for 40 years (yep, you read that right--40 years.) He embodied the teachings of Jesus so much that some children thought that Jesus was bald headed. (If you had known this man, you would have thought so too.)
My two daddiesWell, we thought that the karma gods were done with the family for a little while--sister-in-law's surgery went well and she is starting chemo to make sure that everything is gone (none was found in the lymph nodes, thank God). We thought we were free and clear, until we find out that one of my husband's cousins lost his restaurant to a fire the other night. Oh well, I guess we'll just have to start living better.
Oh, something else I left out of all of this--I am a KNITTER! I knit in my spare time. I knit in my NOT SO spare time. If I'm not knitting, I'm spinning. If I'm not knitting or spinning, I'm thinking about it (even when I'm at work) I am for all intents and purposes ADDICTED TO FIBER!!!
I'm sure that there is a twelve step program out there for me and that the first step in recognizing that there is a problem is to admit that you have one, but I DON'T WANT TO!! So, I won't.
On my needles right now are a couple (read: too many) things. I have a pair of Wollmeise socks going (Okay, I'm only on the first one, so it isn't technically a pair (yet) in the colorway Poison No. 5
I also have Bordello socks in Fleece Artist Sea Wool in the colorway Marine
The Bordello pattern is a VERY close cousin to the Jaywalker pattern.
Also on the needles is the Lady Eleanor entrelac shawl from Scarf Style in Noro Korchoran.
And that is all that I'm admitting to right now.
Well, I guess that is all for my rant today. Hopefully, I'll continue with this (maybe I can do this instead of trolling the online yarn stores for even MORE stash.) My dear husband would truly appreciate that (as would the bank account.)
1 comment:
Hey fellow Greenwoodian. Found you through Ravelry. Your post sounded very similar to my 2003 year. My version short and sweet...I was diagnosed with uterine cancer, had surgery, no problems, then month later mother diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She died a month later. The day she died, my mother in law fell, broke her hip, had surgery. Several months later she dropped dead. Oy...it always seems to happen in threes.
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