Not quite dead

Since my initial post, I've had several bouts of bronchitis, potentially induced by esophageal reflux. The back to back to back bronchitis episodes caused fainting that got me trips to the cardiologist, a stress test, blood work, chest x-rays, &tc. All the testing has simply reestablished that my neurocardiogenic vasodepressor syncope is exacerbated by illness. (Back on ProAmitine and a high-salt/increased fluid intake diet, and all seems good.) My symptoms are induced by hot environments, dehydration, exercise, and if I stand for too long. As long as it's not exercise induced, I can tell far in advance if I'm going to faint, so I can sit or lay on the floor as needed. Twice I've fainted after exercise, and the last time I broke my nose and got a concussion. Not fun, that.

Too bad the CA DMV has to know about it, because they have (once again) threatened to take my license. (Not like I *like* driving, but this state isn't configured for walking and mass transit is a joke.) Monday, I have a phone interview with the DMV to determine - I'm guessing here - if I'm still alive and am therefore eligible to drive. When I had a similar incident a few years ago, I had to take the driving exam over again.

I've also had a couple surgeries: a D&C (Google it, I won't go in to detail) and a week later, a Nissen fundoplication. Back in 2000, I had laparoscopic gall bladder surgery, and was up walking the halls that evening. That was after a 5-day stay in ICU for a blocked common bile duct - pancreatitis anyone? This surgery was WAY more painful, though no one thought to mention that. It was supposed to be a 24 hr, 59 min "out patient" surgery, but the one port they created just under the left rib line was so painful, I was in the hospital for almost three days... with really nice opioids to keep me down. I'd scheduled a 4-week leave of absence - damn lucky I did. This is the end of my fourth week, and I'm still in discomfort, and occasionally in pain. It is my most sincere hope that this will reduce or eliminate my reflux so I don't have more bronchitis, or potentially pneumonia, from it. In two months the otolaryngologist will tell me if it worked, or I need to go back on one or more of the three drugs I was on.

I'd naively hoped that, with all this time off and a quick recovery, I should have some time to relax and maybe do some hobbies I'd been ignoring. Right. It's only within the past week or so that I've been able to knit (lots of baby things for a friend) and the past couple days I've done fiber dying. I tried to do drum carding, spinning, and just ball winding, but that was tiring and caused pain. At least Kona, the ever loyal French bulldog, was here to force me to get up and minister to her needs (open the door, close the door, open the door, close the door, ...) I just want to be all better so I can start my exercise program again and get back to a normal weight... which will also help with the reflux.

Back on topic
Well, my medical history isn't the reason I created this blog, but rather to share my limited knowledge of fun fiber and string stuff. I cochineal-dyed some Merino-blend roving and Easter egg-dyed silk roving yesterday. The cochineal was a stove top affair while the Easter egg dyes are edible, so they did their naughty staining in the microwave. When I figure out the whole photo thing, I'll have to post what I created. Not prize winning stuff, but usable and not aesthetically offputting. (I'm really selling it, aren't I?)

I also forced my mild-mannered spouse to take me to a real yarn shop - The Black Sheep in Encinitas. There, I finally got Addi Turbo lace needles (such a difference they make!) and picked up a few skeins of snazzy yarn. Since I'm making baby items, paying almost $20 USD for 50g of yarn wasn't as painful as if I were actually making an adult-sized garment.

I got a package from my sister-in-law early in my recovery. It was two pounds of Corriedale fleece! I love that breed! I have been hoarding a couple eBay-purchased fleece for a while, and this triggered me to send them for processing. (I buy raw fleece, but never have the time or inclination to scour them in the washer.) In my opinion, Zeilinger Wool Company is *the* company for fiber processing. They now have most of my stash: 3# of Shetland to scour, 10# of Corriedale to make into roving, and 5# of Romney to make into roving. In a couple weeks, it'll be here, and I should be spinning.

Actually, I still have a bunch of silk roving, some alpaca to spin, and some llama to card as well as a small box of Lincoln to scour. And I already have two large bags of white and brown Merino pindrafted and waiting ... and a large box of SUO (Sheep of Unknown Origin) roving taking up space. Oh, and did I mention the roving I purchased from Alpaca Direct or the superwash I got on eBay? Yep, more spinning and knitting in my future!

And after all the spinning, I'll have hanks of yarn to make into center-pull balls. Wouldn't a squirrel cage swift be the thing for that task? I'll see if my kind and wondeful spouse agrees or if he'd like to continue standing around with yarn on his hands.

Not quite on topic
I want to go to Pennsic this year, but with how fatigued I get and how much discomfort I'm in, plus all the stuff I need to do to prepare for the trip, I'm not sure I'm going to go. I didn't buy airline tickets yet, nor have I made any new garb, so maybe my family will see me only in October when my niece gets married. And then there's all the stuff I have to do at work... If I think of this logically, I really doubt I'm going, but I really want to go. Poop.