Lessons in Life and Celebrations

Yesterday morning at 2am I woke with my heart racing.  thought I must have been so scrunched up I couldn't breathe or something but it didn't stop no matter what I did.  I finally rang the ambulance and it's all real what they say on the television... the woman on the phone chatted to me all the time and 10 minutes later 3 paramedics were in my bedroom.  Pretty embaressing when you have patchwork books on the floor for them to trip over haha.  15 minutes later I've had an ecg, was on oxygen and on my way to hospital.  Thought I must have been dying as the Drs and nurses were frantically trying to get a drip in and constant ecg's, xrays and finally a needle in my groin because my veins had collapsed by then. 

I have ATrial Fribulation now and my heart rate was very erratic.  I felt ill, absolutely ill, no energy, breathless, even moving in bed made my heart rate esculate. 

So I've learn't a lot of valuable lessons in the last 24 hours.  The first but not so important is to go and buy some new night attire.... ie.  nighties that are sensible enough to wear in public that don't say "I'M NOT THAT INNOCENT'.  Believe me, I got a lot of comments!

My visitor in Coronary Care. 
Must have thought I had some food
but Nil by mouth Mr Seagull..



Went to Coronory Care and monitored for the rest of the day while waiting to have an electric shock on my heart to get it back to normal rhythmn.  All ready to go, off to the loo and next minute nurses rush in to say my heart has sorted itself out and no need for electric shock. Talk about last minute.. heart must have been scared as I was.  I believe Atrial Fibulation is very common and in future I have to ring the ambulance straight away and not wait to see if it'll go away because it won't! 

I will have this forever now and so time to get really serious and change to a new lifestyle plan.  First up Weightwatchers and exercise.


What causes it?  I am sure obesity and high blood pressure has EVERYTHING to do with it but maybe excitement does too!  Joking

On Sunday my boss held a mid-winter Christmas lunch for our team at her home by the beach.  Over the last 12 months they have fully gutted and renovated their home and it is finally complete so it was a housewarming as well.  To add to the fun we had a game "Decorate your knickers for christmas".  Yeah, people think I'm weird but it is amazing what the girls thought of...

We also had to draw a name and take a $5 present for that person.  This is what I got.  A very appropriate present for a UFO queen. 

Sunday was also the 18th anniversary of my daughter Annette's liver transplant.  A real celebration. She is working fulltime, doing her Masters in Business Studies extramurally, a wife to a farmer and mother to Cam 11 years.   I think they put in energizer batteries because she just keeps going and going - that's why she is so well after 18 years though.



My daughter Annette 37 years old.  18 years since her liver transplant.



The holiday is over

My holiday in Nelson and Morrinsville, near Hamilton was wonderful but it's over now and I've been back at work three days.  The first day at work (Wednesday) I swear I could have gone to sleep!  It's so hard getting up at 7am when you've had 2 weeks of lovely sleep in's and no rush to do anything!!   It was especially wonderful to spend time with Myra who's now finished chemotherapy.  I have to say I really didn't know anyone in my circle of family and friends who's had chemotherapy and so I had no idea of the side effects.  I felt very humble that Myra had managed on her own for the last six months and been so ill.  And I feel helpless that being so far away I couldn't do anything useful. 

While I was there, Myra and I went for a FART trip (a Fabric Acquistion Road Trip)!  First we went to  Cushla's Fabrics in Waihi.  The scenery along the windy roads was amazing but sadly it was a horrible wet, cold day and so photo opportunities were out of the question. 

Next we went to Paeroa and found Patches and Cream, a beautiful patchwork and quilting shop.  They had fat quarters 5 for $25 and lucky me, a couple of jars of old buttons (oh I know I'm sad!). 

  

Beautiful quilts, bags and novelties adorn the walls and shelves. 
As well as several old toy sewing machines - remember them?



This is a beautiful Singer sewing machine in excellent condition.  Weren't they a work of art in those days? 
And look at the gorgeous cupcakes





I love the quilt in this window.  It's made in fabrics with leaves, stones, acorns etc etc.  Beautiful autumn tones.

And of course I went to Wright Fabrics in Morrinsville and bought a few more batik fabrics.. . BUT I did buy ones that will go with a fabric I already have.  I'll put a photo up tomorrow.  But I did go back and buy a little bit more.. I love batiks, they are yummy! 

Birthdays Get Better with Age!

I have also made Isaac a bumper pad using extra blocks I had from his quilt.  I ran out of fabric for the binding so my lovely sister is finishing it.  I found this quilting book at the Library and saw this neat idea for making a bumper pad/book.  So I made the backing with blocks of eye spy fabrics.  When Isaac is moving around the cot and maybe pulling on his bumper pad,  it can be folded up and tied into a book or laid on the floor so that the family can all look at or play games with it... EYE SPY!!  This is a fabulous book for ideas especially in lovely bright fabrics but with large and small blocks...

The bumper pad in 'Fresh Quilting' folded into a book.  I will post a photo of Isaac's one when it is finished.

I keep saying I'm not celebrating my birthday as I'm getting older but each year my birthday is so much better and exciting than the year before.  I was in Nelson for my birthday last week and was treated like royalty by my sister and her family.  It was wonderful.  Lunch out, dinner at my nieces (my favourite choclate self saucing pudding.. and simply deeelicious, thank you Stacey).  My son gave me money for a treat.. hmm Nelson is the Bead Gallery.. and I just can't help myself when I go there...

These were all on special - fill a bag for $10!!  Yummy.

I also had numerous lovely messages and emails from my children and friends and today when I arrived home there was another parcel from my friend Martina in Germany.  Two beautiful patchwork magazines with even more inspiration including these lovely bag patterns.... 

Magazines from Martina

We also went to Shoe Clinic and I had an assessment of my feet. 

I've had Plantar Faciitis for a year now and it is so painful.  Despite buying new shoes it doesn't go away.  I didn't realise my right foot veers to the right.. maybe a bit of ballet dancer in me after all (haha)..

$249 later I have a great pair of shoes which support my foot and I can walk in them without any pain!!!  Fabulous.  I owe my sister heaps for taking me there.  Geez, they're the most expensive shoes I've ever bought (and believe me there wasn't any choice) but our feet are important.  

A quilt for Isaac FINISHED.

I've just returned from Nelson where I went to meet my new and only great nephew Isaac.  He is sooooo beautiful and so snuggly.. Aren't babies gorgeous?  Here's a photo of his quilt and cushion I made.  He seemed to love the colours.

I tried to embroider the letters of his name in the blocks.  First time effort but I think it was a great idea.

Little Isaac (3 months old) after a bath.  Babies are all gorgeous (especially when they're not your own) but Isaac is the wind beneath my wings, he has melted my heart .....again, as did my grandchildren when they arrived... Isaac fell asleep in my arms one night and it was Awesome, how precious is a sleeping baby.. those tiny features snuggled up close, content and warm.   I am so in love with Isaac.. can't wait to see him again. 

My lovely niece and her husband have built a new house close to Nelson on a few acres.  They have so many amazing visitors....beautiful birds, rabbits etc including these gorgeous pukeko's striding across the section. 

There's been a lot of rain down there as this photo shows.  Even had ducks in the water one day.  I sat in the lounge and the view was so peaceful and relaxing.  How lovely to live in the country close to town. 

I took another photo of the quilt I made for my niece and her husband as a wedding present 5 years ago.
It is a lovely quilt and I am still so pleased with how it turned out.

And now I'm back home again for the night and packing to go to Hamilton tomorrow to stay with my dear friend Myra.  The sewing machine is going with me this time, a week of sewing, catching up, fun and friendship.  The last time I saw Myra she had her first chemotherapy treatment 6 months ago.  That's now finished and I'm looking forward to celebrating with her.