Growth...

There is something about the start of a new year that invariably sparks change and new growth in me. Sometimes I don't recognize it right away. It may take a few weeks until it settles in me.

Since I have been blogging this last 6 months, I've learned alot about myself. A blog is the best form of a "diary" for me, because it allows me to not only chronicle my life with photos of what and where I am, but it gives me the opportunity to share my heart with others.

It's like a magnifying mirror held up in front of me so that I can reflect on my life and thoughts. And in the sharing of it all, you will see the "real me".That's what happens with a magnifying mirror. We see the good and the "not so good". When I look in the mirror I see not only physical change, but emotional and spiritual change. This last 6 months has been a journey to connect back with the person I used to be. Or maybe just the person I need to be.

Peace in heart and mind has slowly come back to me. Concentrating on my health has caused me to concentrate more on God and what He wants for my life. I've been through a lot of ups and downs in my life, sometimes feeling "stagnant". I'm realizing that "growth" for me doesn't necessarily equal "excitement".

When I started this blog I had a desire to be interesting and "entertaining". But I have realized that at this time in my life, I'm short on entertainment value. In the past I was a "project" person. Furniture, art, creating... but now I'm concentrating on "being".

My desire is to share and communicate. Not trying to live up to my past expectations of myself, is a freeing idea. I am "me".  So, while I am not out junking as much or decorating a flea market space with the fervor I once had, hopefully when I post, it will be about what I'm thinking, doing, feeling...about me as a person.

Hope that's not boring. Maybe not sheer entertainment, but not boring either.I have realized in this time spent blogging that while I can drool over a chippy white cabinet, or linger over vintage linens and ephemera, that what constitutes a blog that I will come back to over and over, is one where I see the individual person there. I see the real person behind the blog. Not really behind it, but "infused" in it.

Sometimes I have felt like "apologizing" that my blog is about "me".

 But I'm getting over it.

If you'd be interested in sharing my journey with God;

 If you would love to connect with others

who are sharing their own thoughts and feelings,

drop by the Bible Study Blog on my sidebar,

 "a day in the life..."

I'm posting there everyday.

I'm not going anywhere, and I will still force you to look at my sunroom and white sideboard with all my vintage goodies and minutia. Guess today I just needed to "talk".

love,

Debra

I'm Home... and Stay Tuned for a Give-Away!

This trip to the hospital proved to be a quick one. I was a "work in", last on the list for the heart catheritization Friday afternoon. My cardiologist came in to check on me, once I was in the cardiac pre-surgical room and said he would get me in yesterday afternoon. He knows me...and remembers the times I've shown up in trouble. Of the times I've had this procedure, this was the least stressful and easiest go.

The results were the best that I could have hoped for... no new blockages, and my stent was still functioning.

My chest pain is coming from two smaller arteries that are blocked, but non life-threatening. They are too small to stent, but are bothering me. I knew this time felt different. So hopefully a different type of slow release nitroglycerine will help. This keeps arteries more dialated, for better blood flow.

It is always difficult to change medications, but this time I'm hoping that it will be easier. So YEAH, I'm hoping to be back more to my old self, and less in the "sicky" mode. I'm at the place where I'm tired of "myself", if you know what I mean. I want to get on with life! Fall being my favorite time of year, I didn't want to miss out.
So I may be slowing down on my Junk purchases. Hope you'll still like me.
I got a "condolence" present from my sweet husband. Kind of like a kid that has to go and have his tonsils out, I got a "treat"... A New Camera! It's a step up from my little camera. Not terrilbly complicated, but takes better close-ups in low light. So I'm excited to use it. The photos above are from the new camera.

I'm planning a "giveaway" to celebrate my "100 th Follower", so stay tuned for that. I have something I think ANYONE would love. If you join as a follower, or already are one, you know, you get 2 chances to win!!! (shameless, I know).

I'm glad to be home and I'm taking it easy. Thanks for all the love, you all have a great weekend!
Debra

"Thank you!" and an Update

Thank you all for your care and concern. I so appreciate everyone who left a good thought or prayer. I have been home patiently waiting for a doctor appointment with my very busy cardiologist this week. In heart related problems you are advised not to wait, but to go to the emergency room. The problem is I have done this several times and unless you are in the middle of a coronary there really is nothing that they can do for you. The ER staff can only determine if you are having a heart attack and or try to make you comfortable, nothing more, so then you wait until you see your cardiologist. I did not want to go that route this time so I waited for my Dr. appointment this morning.(over strong advice of several of my loved ones)  I saw a physician's assistant who was one of the best "communicators" in the field of medicine that I have ever come in contact with. My husband was with me and we heard about new medications, and found out a few things about my personal situation that I had not heard before, so in that case, I was glad that I waited and saw this young man.

*Upon re-reading this I want to stress the important thing is this: If you are experiencing chest pain, what you think might be bad indigestion, pain in your right or left arm, heaviness in your chest, neck ache, jaw ache when combined with other symptoms GO,GO,GO to the ER. The only reason I waited this time is that I know what a heart attack feels like in my own body.

If I have learned one thing in the past 7 years it is to be your own advocate. Don't set around waiting for someone to "do the best thing" for you because it may not happen. I was looking at waiting 2 weeks for this test...me a patient that has had 4 heart attacks and just missed another one by  the "hair of her chinny, chin, chin"! So when the scheduling assistant said 2 weeks, I firmly said NO! They are trying to work me in Friday afternoon, so I am praying that this major test will happen, and that I won't have to wait until Monday. This is a cardiac catheterization, where a catheter is threaded up through your femoral (groin) artery into your heart and then a contrast material is injected. It shows blockages and defects etc. in the arteries.

I really don't know much yet about my problem, but part of my main focus in all of this is to find out what I can do to keep this from happening again. It has only been 8 months since the last blockage.

If this is all too much information, I will just say this. Know your own body. The symptoms of heart attacks in women are completely different than in men. When something is wrong don't let someone put you off or talk you out of what you know in your "gut".  I will do a post later about women and heart disease. The now #1 Killer of women...even above breast cancer.

So for now, hopefully, I'll be back home by the weekend, but maybe early next week.

*Once again I pulled this post to re-edit and hopefull clarify some of what I said. My friend, Jan from Summer Sundays asked a good question in her comment. "was this test something the doctor suggested or something that I felt like I needed"? Here is how I think I can best answer.
I have had this test done 4 other times, and upon numerous talks with my cardiologist he has admitted that this is the only test that will give a conclusive answer as to whether or not you have a blockage. Stress tests, nuclear tests, cat-scans etc. are all good indicators, but will not difinitively give an answer, only an angiogram (heart cath) unfortunately will show the artery and how the blood is flowing. The doctors cannot and will not do it unless they have a pretty conclusive idea that you indeed have a blockage. (Extremely expensive and an invasive surgical procedure.)
When I was saying "be your own advocate" I was talking of two things, #1, don't let someone talk you out of getting  a diagnoses, and #2 be sure you don't get lost in the shuffle of busy hospital schedules. The Physician's Asst. told me first thing, that this was what they needed to find out about what is going on with me, but I was handed off to someone who just "scheduled" and didn't know my history. Once I said that I would just go on to the hospital and go thru the ER, she looked at my chart and agreed that I shouldn't wait.
OK, sorry this has gotten so long.
Love to you all and please keep me in your prayers,

Debra

Fall Colors at Spring Creek and a "Time Out"

I wanted to share with you some of the fall decorating at Spring Creek. I did a little "fluffing" of my own booth, but I wanted to show some of the other great spaces and fun decor that's in the store this last week. Autumn colors and Halloween fun are showing up all around. You can see the variety of merchandise that's offered. From elegant old world and Country French to primitives and everything in between.

I guess I'd better clarify that all this great stuff isn't mine, but in all the many other booth spaces at Spring Creek. I'd like to take credit, but I have a much more humble little area. I'll try to show it later on in the week.

(Be sure to enlarge the photos for great details)

I just love these rustic orange chairs.

Love this color and the great detail

I usually share my junkin' escapades on Monday, but I've decided to concentrate on selling a few things, instead of buying more for a while. Trying to manage my inventory, hopefully make a place in the garage.

I will probably (not sure, but it's looking like that is the best option) be going into the hospital for some tests this week. Things to try to take care of in advance to "head them off at the pass" so to speak, defensive healthcare. All of you that have been with me since the beginning know that I have had open heart bypass surgery and have an hereditary condition known as atherosclerosis. It took my Dad at a young 70, but my brother passed at 44.

I take good care of myself, don't smoke, eat right and take my meds.This is just some kind of wacky thing that I am trusting God with. He knows my needs and I know I'm in His hands.

So if I'm absent this week it's because I'm probably having another stent put in, but I've been through this before and I know "the drill".

So please remember me in prayer, and I will miss being in touch with you all. Yikes, it will be withdrawal not to have my computer with  me!

You all have a great week, and hopefully I'll be back by the end of the week.

Hugs and love,

Debra

p.s. Everyone going to the shows, have a great, safe time...I'll be waiting to hear all about it.

Happy Birthday, Alyson Re-Post

Please read for some important health information.

(I want to re-post this entry. Sometimes I'm in a hurry so I don't take the time to read all the post, and this is sort of a long one. I just glance at the photos and on I go. But today, please know this is not just me showing pictures of my girl, it's important medical information that can save a life. So now, the rest of the story...)

Twenty-nine years ago today, we were living in San Antonio. We left Missouri to be "grown-ups", on our own, except it was hard for me because I missed my family so very much. While we were there our little Texan was born, Alyson Leigh. I remember thinking about names for the baby. At that time, sonograms were not the norm, so we didn't know the gender of the baby. I would look through the newspaper every Sunday in the society section and all the beautiful engagement pictures, weddings, graduations, all seemed to be about the elusive "Allison". Not wanting to TOTALLY follow the crowd, we chose "Alyson", a different spelling, but still the quintessential "society" name.

My favorite senior portfolio picture.

1997

Alyson and her cousin, Spencer, at her wedding, August 2003.

This photo above is one of my favorite random shots.

Sorry for the fuzziness. I had to enlarge it.

The picture below is with Grandpa, my dad,

at Mom and Dad's home here in Missouri.

It looks as if she has a little boo-boo on her head. She was very active.

Always jumping and bouncing and often ending up hurt, because of it.

An Easter photo in her little sailor dress.

This post has a little serious side to it, which I want to share because this affected Alyson's life and wellbeing, along with the rest of us. I"ll try to keep this as short as possible. PLEASE read the rest of this post, as it might save the life of someone you know or love.

Alyson was born 5 weeks early and weighed a little over 5 lbs. We took her home 2 days later, but she had problems feeding and keeping formula down. At one point after a bottle, she choked and turned blue. We called the paramedics, but she would not have made it had I not just washed out an old nasal syringe. I cleared her nose and throat, and she recovered her breathing. Because she was so early I didn't have her room finished, nor any baby items in place. I had had a really rough pregnancy, and I felt lousy most of the time, so God timed my one day of early preparation, when I found a box of some of Erin's baby things, washed them and put them away.
She vomited daily, and we took her over and over to the pediatrician, but they said, early babies sometimes had problems with their digestion, so it was dismissed.
Fast forward 26 years and many distressing times. Aly had many upsets in her life, and growing up complained frequently of digestive problems, nothing ever showing up at doctor's visit.
Three years ago another problem started. She had numerous skin rashes; problems with eczema on her hands and face, which at times looked as if she had been burned with an iron.
She had to quit a job because she felt so horrible all the time, but remained a "trooper", trusting God for healing. She saw doctor after doctor with tests, tests, and MORE tests. I started going with her to talk with them, hoping they would take this more seriously, and that maybe I could shed some light on some of her "history". So finally we got to an Endocrinologist who was baffled and ready to give up. By this point I was "mad, and I'm not going to take it anymore"!!! I was hurting for my baby, and I was darn well going to get the answer! Finally, an obscure test was done as a "last resort" sort of thing.

Praise the Lord, an answer.

Apparently "House" was the only doctor who knew the answer to this medical mystery, as we saw on TV last year. Alyson was diagnosed with a blood disorder called "Hemochromatosis", which is hereditary. (our older daughter, Erin, does not have it) This physically causes her not to be able to process iron in foods and supplements. She literally was being poisoned because of it, as the iron build up starts to corrode organs and tissues. This diagnosis answered so many of the questions concerning her health through the years.
Untreated, the prognosis is early death, usually in the patient's 40's or 50's. Undiagnosed, this condition causes illnesses that begin to cause doctors to tune them out, or just think they are hypochondriacs. This condition has only been known about since the early 90's. Until then, people would go through their lives miserable, sick, hurting, and not knowing why.
So don't give up on getting an answer to your medical and health needs, stick with it and pound on the doctor's door. And if a child has serious vomiting that lasts, look into this medical issue.
She now is much better, as she limits drastically her red meat, and takes vitamins without iron. Occasionally she needs to have blood drawn, which helps remove some of the iron. All in all, she's back at a job, feeling good, and loving her life.

Thanks for letting me share. I love my beautiful daughter and know she wants others to be aware of this condition for diagnosis and management.

BE RELENTLESS in getting the answers you need.
Debra