Monday meds – Heart attack advice

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I realize this post may not be be appealing to some folks because it’s about some of our recent medical stuff. However, I feel I need to share about it because it may help someone.

Last Friday, I had a super intense migraine and couldn’t keep anything down, even water would bounce back-up within moments of my drinking it. I knew I was on my way to dehydration, but I was helpless to prevent it. I didn’t have any medicine in the house to take to calm my tummy or ease my migraine.
Fortunately, we have a walk in clinic in our area that’s open past normal working hours. After my husband got home from work, he took me there and I was able to see a doctor.
They gave me 2 shots, a pill for nausea and a prescription for migraine medicine.
Saturday morning I was ever so much better.

While I was in the examining room, my husband was in the waiting room. He said a lady came in with a little boy that may of been about 4 years old. She asked if they could get flu shots. The clerk explained they couldn’t because they were out of them.
Upon hearing that he couldn’t get a flu shot, the little boy fell apart and started crying “I don’t want to die, I don’t want to die.”
My husband said it was pitiful and he felt so sorry for the little boy.
The clerk told them they should have more in Saturday and to come back then.

Saturday, We went back to the clinic and got flu shots. This is the first year we’ve ever gotten them. We were worried how hard the flu would be on my husband since his recent heart surgery.
There’s been more and more folks getting vaccinated because of the recent deaths from the flu. The supply of flu shots are limited or are out in some areas. I’m thankful the clinic was able to get a new supply of the flu vaccine in. I hope the little boy from Friday’s visit to the clinic was able to get a flu shot so he might can feel more secure.

While waiting for our turn to get the flu shots, we had a conversation with a young man in his mid to late thirties. The conversation began with being thankful for insurance and our shots not costing us anything.
Then the young man started telling about a co-worker of his that had a heart attack.
The young man said his co-worker was complaining with his left upper chest hurting and thought it was a pulled muscle.
The young man said he recognized the possible heart attack symptoms because his Dad had went through it.
He convinced his co-worker to go to the doctor and sure enough he was having a major heart attack and had to have heart surgery.
My husband shared that he went through the same with his heart attack thinking it was a pulled muscle and that he had a to have heart surgery too.

Before my husband’s heart attack, we never knew that a heart attack could feel akin to a pulled muscle. We had always believed it was like we saw on tv where folks grab their left arm or their chest and crumble quickly. It definitely wasn’t that way with my husband. The only symptom that was familiar as a possible heart attack was pains in his left arm/hand. And even then he thought it was because he had pulled his chest muscle when he was lifting a heavy bag of quicklime.

So folks, here’s my healthful advice that I want to share with everyone:
If your chest hurts (even if you think it’s a pulled muscle) you may need to go to a clinic or hospital and have it checked out. It may be nothing to worry about or it may be something serious.

~

The photo at the top of this post is from last summer. It’s been a long unsettling winter and I needed to see the beauty of nature in full color. I went through my photos and found this one and it cheered me up some. I thought I’d share it with you all.

This is all for me at the moment.

Here’s wishing you all a great week of wonderful health, happy times and dreams of an early Spring.

🙂
spcr1

Tea Set Redwork Block

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1-10-2014rwI drew this tea set when I was remembering the toy tea sets I had as a child. I can’t remember if they were ceramic or china, I just remember they were beautiful to me. I felt so grown up when I played with them. I spent many a hour having tea parties with my baby dolls and stuffed animals. I had indoor and outdoor tea parties and it was such good fun. I don’t have any of the tea sets from my childhood. I figure they were lost or broken or given away as the years passed.

In the decades since then, on more than a couple of occasions, I’ve stood in the toy department of different stores, admiring the toy tea sets that look like the ones from my youth. I’ve even put a set in my cart to purchase but then I put it back on the shelf. I don’t need a set and I don’t have a granddaughter to justify my buying one. But oh how my old silly heart wants one so much. Must be that inner child or second childhood or something like that going on.

I smiled while I was embroidering this tea set. I enjoyed remembering warm days of a palet on the ground, surrounded by my toys sharing the finest tea served in the finest tea set in all the land of make believe.

Ahh nostalgia, gotta love it. 😉

Wishing you all a pleasant weekend.
🙂

spcr1

Hummingbird Redwork Block

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1-9-2014rwSo far, this hummingbird block has been one of the favorites of all the blocks that folks have seen it in person.
I’m partial to it because it was one of my favorite coloring pictures that I drew. I’ve always been pleased with the way it turned out. Over the years, I’ve used it for a few other things and am happy to have it on my redwork quilt.

Here’s an animation I made using my hummingbird and roses.
Imagine my disappointment to learn that in real life hummingbirds don’t like roses.
Oh well, I like my animation just the same. 🙂
humfeed
And here’s a big static graphic I made with my roses and hummingbirds.
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Since the cold winds of winter are here in a record setting freeze,
hopefully the warm breezes of Spring will set a record and will arrive early and stay for awhile.

Wishing you all a beautiful day.
Keep warm and stay safe.
🙂
spcr1

Iceball Decor

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Here’s a simple craft I’ve been wanting to try since a couple years ago when I heard about it from one of my nieces. The reason I didn’t try it is because up until this year, we didn’t really have a decent snowfall (and also I forgot. lol)
But this year, we have a fairly decent snowfall with single digit temps, I thought it was a perfect time to try it.

All you need to make these cool looking ice-balls is:
balloons
food coloring
water

The only actual food coloring I have is the gel kind and I doubt it would do very well. However, last Spring I bought some Easter egg dye kits because they were 50¢ and I thought I might use them someday. I decided to use the dye tablets.

I mixed up the dye tablets in water
then poured it in a flimsy water bottle
I put the balloon lip over the rim of the bottle
iceball2Holding the bottle over the sink
iceball3I held my fingers on the bottle and balloon to keep the balloon
from popping off and spewing the water everywhere.
With my other hand I crushed the bottle
and the liquid went into the balloon.
iceball4This worked like a charm, but it was messy.
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I surfed around to see if other folks might have a less messy way to make balloon ice-balls. And of course they did:
Several of them tell to fill the balloons with water and add the food coloring…
Do Not try it that order or you’ll wind up like I did with a big mess…
Do it in this order instead:
*Put the drops of food coloring in the balloon first and then put the balloon over your faucet, hold the lip tight and add the water.
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I decided to try it their way and Since I only have the dye tablets I crushed one up and put it in about a tablespoon of water and used it like regular food coloring.
I used yellow, so I suspect that my balls of ice won’t be very brilliant, but may look okay anyway.

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I sat the balloons outside on the porch and left them over night anf they froze solid.
iceball7I like how the balloons cracked open but were still holding their shape to the ice balls. iceball7iceball8

I peeled of the balloons then set the ice-balls out in the snow.

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I still have a few dye tablets left, so I’ll be able to make more of these sometime.

This is all for me at the moment.
Keep warm and snug during these cold winter days.
Remember to ‘Keep Calm and Craft On’
🙂
spcr1

The best gift (& Heart Redwork Block)

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1-7-2014rwI’ve chosen my heart redwork block for today. It represents the love between me and my husband, the love of family and friends and our thankfulness for one of the best holiday gifts we could could receive: the gift of life.

Last November my husband survived a widow-maker heart attack. There’s only about 3 to 5 percent that survive a widow-maker.
It truly is a miracle that my husband survived. He had to have a quadruple bypass surgery and came through it like a champ.
I thank the good Lord above for the wonderful medical advances and the caring Doctors, nurses and staff that helped him through each day.

My husband has kept a positive attitude and thankfulness all through this. Even when he was suffering severe pain, he still managed to smile and be in good humor.
The Doctors and nurses complimented him on his cheery and positive attitude. They told him that ‘they would love it if all their patients were like him.’

I’m in awe of my husband and his wonderful disposition, he’s a joy and delight and  my special miracle.  I know that I couldn’t go through the pain and stress that he’s been through and come out shining like he has. I would be a whiny miserable mess. It’s been amazing watching his progress starting from hour to hour, day to day, week to week and now he’s back to almost 100%.

From day one of when this all started we agreed to deal with what was before us from moment-to-moment. We focused on his healing and looked forward to ‘our new normal’ days ahead. The rest of the world could take care of itself.

God blessed us with what we needed when we needed it.
We saw the best of family and friends. They were our troops as they rushed to our sides in support to help us through.
I thank our family and friends from the bottom of my heart.

My sister and her family went above and beyond the call of family-duty. With love and caring they blessed us. My sister never left my side until my husband was home for a couple days. She made sure we had everything we needed before she would leave. Her dedication and attentiveness to us is awe inspiring. We can never repay her and her family nor thank them enough. I thank God for first making us sisters and then making us best friends. Thank you so very much my Bff.

Yesterday was supposed to be my husband’s first day back at work but the weather turned vicious and his boss closed the business for the day.
So, Today was my husband’s first day back at work. He said it went well and he’s happy to be back.
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We are now in the days of new normal and looking forward to many decades of happiness ahead.

I apologize to you all for my abrupt absence. I hope you all understand why I needed to be away so long.
Now that our life is evening out, I’ve a bit more free time and I’m going to try to get back to blogging more regular.

I hope your holidays were pleasant and the New Year is starting off with promises of many celebrations to come in 2014.

Wishing you and your family the best of the best all year through.

🙂
spcr1