Wednesday, October 23, 2013

WIP-my belly

Today is the last day of my medical leave for the removal of uterian fibroids and a hysterectomy.  I have struggled with whether to share this post or not.

My doctor was wonderful; the surgery should have taken 2 hours, but she stuck it out for 5 hours.

I learned two very important things:  First, I don't do well with anesthesia and had trouble coming out of it.

Second, narcotic pain relievers and not my friends - I am very comfortable in saying I will NEVER have to worry about abusing them.  My surgery was on a Friday, with a scheduled 23 hour stay.  Every time I was given the narcotics, I got violently ill and had to stay another day.  Saturday night I BEGGED the nurse to stop with the narcotics to see if the prescription strength Ibuprophen was enough.  It was, and I was home for lunch Sunday.

It has been a long haul and as I said earlier, I have struggled with the idea of sharing pictures of the WIP of my belly.

These are not the best pictures, taken in our bathroom mirror by myself.  Same clothes to better compare; taken more for me than anything else.

Taken August 7, five weeks prior to surgery.  My uterus was enlarged to the size of 18 to 20 weeks gestation.  My hips measured to a size 10 pants, while my waist was size 16!  I borrowed maternity pants from a younger coworker.  

I had spent the summer doing yoga 5-7 days a week, hikes in the wild's of Alaska, and volunteering at a local equine assisted therapy center as a side walker (walking a mile or more with while each client rode a horse).  I also followed Weight Watcher's eating plan.  Despite my activity and healthy eating, I couldn't loose weight, my belly kept getting larger.  At my annual physical, my family doctor informed me of the fibroids and referred me to a gynecologist.

There were 5 "rather large" fibroids, with many smaller ones.  Luckily, I was not the doctor performing the surgery; I would have cut me from hip to hip and pulled everything out in one large piece.  The fibroids were about the size of baseballs and had to be taken out of a one inch incision, piece by little piece!  Performing the surgery laproscopicaly shortened my recovery by 2 weeks compared to the bikini cut surgery. 



September 21, 8 days post operative - still puffy from air left over from surgery and swelling from the long surgery.


Taken this past Monday, October 21, five and a half weeks post operative.  The appearance of weight loss is completely from the surgery as I still haven't been cleared for full exercise.  I can walk, but hate walking alone, and can't take my dog with me just yet.  I have eaten horribly, and have gained a little more than two pounds in the last week.

I did return to my yoga mat this week.  Just doing beginners 15 minute practice, avoiding any core work until I see my doctor Friday.  

As I posted earlier, I still do not have the energy I had prior to the surgery.  Tomorrow I work 9-7, so hopefully I will be able to pull energy from somewhere!  Friday is my last post surgery appointment and I will be cleared to return to my life!

Monday, October 21, 2013

Can I do it?

I return to work this week.  Two weeks ahead of schedule!

Thursday and Friday are Parent/Teacher Conferences; my first day back will be Thursday.  It will be an incredibly long day, 9-7.  I worry if I will be able to make it as my energy is still incredibly low.

I wear an "Active Link" that tracks movement.  Any activity beyond that point which one normally moves just to live (called a "baseline") earns the wearer "points" based on Weight Watchers.

Weight Watches is based on the simple premiss:  eat less, move more.  The Active Link wearer can, if they want, trade the points earned on food.

Prior to surgery, I was earning 3-4 points every work day. Weekends I would drop a bit, but earned 2-3 points.

And now?  

I am lucky to hit "baseline."  My Active Link has suggested a goal of 1 point a day.  Every day I have earned that 1 lowly point, I have been exhausted the days following.

I am very worried about the energy I will need at work.

So, Thursday, ready or not, I will attempt to work 10 hours.  Friday I have my final post-op, so I will not have to work the short day.  Monday, it will be back to work in full force.

I am worried!

Monday, October 14, 2013

FO #'s 14 and 15 and One NEW WIP

I LOVE malabrigo yarn.  Purchased some Rios worsted to knit fingerless gloves/mitts and have been cranking them out at about 1 every other day or so!  I am up to two finished pairs, with one pair on the sticks (three more rows and picking up the thumbs and FO # 16 will be done!).

My only complaint?  I wouldn't recommend knitting two at a time from opposite ends, unless you plan to knit two pairs.

One very navy, and one very pink


 My first two Smashed Grapes Fingerless Mitts/Gloves from a skein of malabrigo rios yarn in the color way Purpuras.

While knitting at my weekly knitting group, one of my friends, who knows I tend to be very matchy with my knitting, asked, "are you okay with how those are turning out?"  Also, while knitting these mitts, the Yarn Harlot had a similar issue with fingerless' for her daughter.

After I completed the first pair, I brought out my scale to see if I had enough to knit a second pair and I had more than enough!

Closer, but still one more pink, one more navy
The second pair would be okay for someone, the pink one has navy in it; the navy one has spots of pink.

Switch-o/change-o and here we go:
Navy
pink

These mitts have a deadline.  I plan on giving them as thank you gifts to my assistants and my doctor.  I return to work on October 24, and have a doctor's visit October 25.  Yesterday I cast on my third pair Argos Iris Smashed Grapes and, do you notice another trend!?


I see at least one more pair of fingerless.  Though I did purchase a brown skein for myself as I love fingerless, but always end up giving them away, sometimes right off my hands!  At least the brown mitts don't have a deadline. I would like to crank out a pair of heavy wool socks for the husband and it would be nice to work one them while he's at work!

Because of the deadline for all the fingerless', all other projects are on the back burner.  That includes Liz's Cowl (deadline December only 20 grams of yarn left), my Birch Leaf Shawl (which I'd like to take on our honeymoon in December), and my Lucy cardigan (no "deadline" but would be nice to when I return to work later this month).

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

If it Itches While Knitting.....

Chances are it will itch while wearing; I'm pretty sure!

I got this yarn on clearance at JoAnne's.

I figured for the price, I'd give it a shot.

I knit as far as the cuff on these Lucy Anklet Socks and started to wonder about how it would feel to wear.  Some yarns are so yummy and wonderful to knit with, and others are not.  This is an "are not" yarn!

The color looked cute and fall like in the skein but just wasn't doing it for me knit up.  Okay, honestly, the colors are cute for fall, but I think I might be totally blinded by the feel of the yarn!

I was going to frog them, but a friend encouraged me to continued.

I am a on the home stretch and my foot still itches and the sock isn't on!!!!

Oh well, into the frog pond they will go.  This yarn, and others I got that day will go to charity, or maybe I'll knit itchy hats for people I don't like.  I am not even going to waste time frogging; pulling needles out and tossing into bag of icky yarn!

On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give Lion Brand Sock-Ease a 1!  It is a huge FALE and now I know why it was on clearance!

I have become a yarn snob!

What is your favorite yarn to knit with!?

Me?  I am in love with malabrigo; I may never be the same!

Some WIPs and New Stash


Work has continued on my niece's cowl.  It is over 3 feet long.  I have about 20 grams left to knit, and each pattern repeat is using about 5 grams.  I should be done in another day or two.  The removable stitch markers are placed daily so I can see the progress.  Sometimes when knitting a project like this I feel like I am knitting and knitting and not seeing any progress.  It has been fun each morning to seeing how much I knit the previous day.

Last night my husband and I watched a movie and I am finding the cowl is not "mindless knitting" so I pulled out the Lucy Anklets Sock I've been working on dpn one at a time.  I usually do two at a time with the magic loop method.


I am enjoying see the quicker progress and the dpns are nice.  I am not overly impressed with the yarn; it isn't scratchy, but neither is it super soft and yummy like the malabrigo sock yarn.  I will knit other one, wear the socks and see how the yarn wears.  


Speaking of malabrigo sock yarn.  I picked up the above three lovely hanks/skeins after a doctor's appointment.  

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

That Point Knitters Love After Frogging.......

If you have been following me, you know about the issues with the pattern for my niece's cowl.

I am at the point all knitters love.  The point when you have re-knit previous frogged yarn and are knitting with fresh, virgin yarn!

This mess Saturday night:


is now this:




The previous cowl was just a little over 20 inches.  The new pattern is a little wider, so I am only at about 16 inches with the same amount of yarn.

A friend stopped by Saturday and while I was sharing what I didn't like about the cowl and I said my niece would never notice the problems.  My friend asked, "are you enjoying knitting it?"

With out skipping a beat, I replied "No!"

I have a knitting friend that will NEVER frog.  When she saw the first picture, she gasped!

Her comment is "you can't get that time back".

I am loving how the new pattern is working out and am thinking I might have to knit myself my own cowl.  I found a lovely merino/silk sock yarn that would be great for this pattern!