Updates
It's not like there's been a lack of knitting. In mid-summer, I started Christmas gifts. By December, I was Christmas gift-ed out, and had to take a break, despite not being finished. But, there definitely quite a few projects being cranked off my needles.
There is also a medical update, of course. And perhaps a little bit of an explanation to where I've been, mentally. I was rejected by my first transplant hospital of choice, because they decided I definitely need a double lung/liver transplant. This has never been done in Massachusetts, and unfortunately, that hospital did not have the resources to be the first, as they didn't already have a liver transplant team in place. My second choice, the local Children's hospital, had to say no as well, because they are only in the process now of accepting Medicare. I'm on my last chance hospital, and will see them the day after Easter. If everyone says no, I will need to look at either Pittsburgh, or Duke. Which means moving.
The idea that that may be what I have to do has loomed on my mind pretty heavily. I try to keep it towards the back burner, as there's no use in panicking until it actually happens. But trying to afford a temporary move is no small feat, and not something I wanted to put my family through. I'm a quiet girl, so the idea of having to fund raise scared me, as well.
On Halloween of this year, a good friend of mine died in a horrible car crash. His name was Mike. Mike received a double lung transplant five months before the accident. There is no way to express the feeling of grief. Mike was one of the strongest men I've ever met, and I miss him greatly. His family, being just as wonderful as Mike was, donated the money he had fund raised for his own transplant to me and three other cystics who are facing transplant. Because I'm the only one expected to possibly have to relocate, they gave the majority of it to me. It's a miracle, but one that feels heavy to me. I love his family, for doing this for me, but it feels like at what cost? I'm going to make sure when I get my transplant, I'm going to make them proud of me.
All right, enough of that! Projects:
This is from the Woven Cables scarf I made for my sister. Made from Knitpicks Bare Superwash Merino, it's available as a free Ravelry download.
This is a hat I made for my best friend, Dee. I used two strands of Knitpicks Merino Style held together, this pattern, and the button was bought at a local knitting store, the Franklin Mill Store.
I made two Utopia hats- both were meant for my home IV nurse, but one was too small, and was given as a Yankee Swap gift instead, and the other did indeed go to Nurse Linda :)
And I made an Odessa for my friend Steph:
And a lone hat for me that made me look like an idiot, so also was given away in that Yankee Swap. I'll probably remake it, in the same yarn, but less slouchy. My head can't handle the slouchy.
So, that's all that's going on here!
