Sunday, December 2, 2012

Day 641

Years back we bought plum-colored throw pillows for the couch. It didn't take long for us to amass enough green-colored furniture to make the plum pillows obsolete. I whipped up some green slip covers from my fabric stash and we were set.

That was more than ten years ago.

But as of this week those green pillows are no more. With the new dark brown chairs in the living room it was time for another change. Off came the green, but living with the plum again just didn't feel right. Hubby thought about sewing up some brown ones (I think he might actually like sewing!), but I had another idea. 

Pillows to match the quilt that is hanging on the living room wall right now. The quilt from Day 622.

A new joint sewing project between the two of us has resulted in these:

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Day 640

It came down to a question my husband posed. Do you want to get better?

As usual, yesterday's appointment with the rheumatologist was a mixture of good news/bad news. The best news was that the ultrasound on my hands showed no new deterioration of the joints. That also meant I didn't have to go back on the chemotherapy and the injections and the anti-malaria drugs for the time being. Unfortunately the ultrasound showed something new. Carpal tunnel syndrome.

It shouldn't be a surprise. With all the typing I do at work and all the sewing I do at home it would be surprising if something didn't show up. But that's only part of the continuation of issues. Pain is still high so he's increased meds for that. My blood work from yesterday still shows way-way-too-high inflammation rates so we're starting something new.

Steroids.

Every time the doctor has brought up steroids I've declined them. The side effects have always worried me and after seeing hubby on them the last few months I've become even more leery. But when hubby asked, Do you want to get better? I only had one answer.

Yes.

So after trying to stave off steroids for years, I guess I'm going down that road. And I'm not happy about it.

The only thing I'm really happy about right now is the next sewing project for us. Some applique, some additional fabric, and a soon-to-be festive set of pillows for the new living room. (If you've been reading the blog over the last month or so you might recognize some of the cut-out pieces and will be able to predict what the design will be.)