2012 November — Patchwork Times by Judy Laquidara

The Doctor Said . .

November 30, 2012 · by JudyL

This entire post probably should be labeled as “TMI” but since many asked, I’ll share what I found out today from the doctor. It’s nothing bad.

For years and years my cholesterol has been just barely over the “normal” levels. Different doctors through the years have suggested meds and because I’m not much on taking anything, I’ve resisted. Last year, the doctor here suggested we try Lovaza, which is a high level of fish oil. I’ve taken four per day faithfully for the past year.

For 25 years, I’ve been on hormone replacement therapy and last year decided I should stop taking those. I talked to the doctor about it and he said he didn’t have a problem with me taking them or not taking them so I didn’t. When I saw him the other day, the first thing he said was “How are you doing not taking hormones?” and I honestly told him . . not so good! The summer was miserable. I was hot all the time. I got a frowny face on my electric bill! I told him that I thought I could take just two or three of the lowest dose hormones and make it and he said that was fine.

Goodness . . I’m sounding like an elderly, sickly woman, aren’t I?

For probably 10 years, I’ve taken thyroid meds. Once, maybe 5 years ago, my blood work showed that my meds were too low. They increased them and the next blood work showed my levels were too high and I ended up back on the original dosage and that worked fine for all these years.

Last year, my Vitamin D levels were low so the doctor put me on a Vitamin D prescription and I was to take one pill per week. I’ve done that for a year.

So, I had blood work on Tuesday and I was a total failure! I failed all my tests. Vitamin D levels were lower than before I started taking the prescription. I just knew that after working in the garden and yard so much that my levels were going to be too high. Thyroid levels were low and cholesterol was up!

The doctor and I talked today and he said that low hormones can cause the thyroid levels to go down and can contribute to cholesterol being high so he wants me to take hormones every day for three months, along with my same dosage of thyroid meds and the Lovaza and instead of taking 1 Vitamin D pill per week, I’ll take three, and he’ll re-check all the levels in three months.

I’m going to live . . maybe I’ll have more energy. The doctor asked me if I had been tired and I told him yes, but I had attributed it to the time change. I’m ready to go to sleep when it gets dark! When my parents were here, my mom asked me a few times if I was tired and I told her yes, but I’m always tired. So, maybe we’ll get all my numbers right and I won’t be tired any more. Try keeping up with me then!

· Filed Under: Worthless Chatter · 16 Comments

2013 At Patchwork Times

November 30, 2012 · by JudyL

As 2013 approaches, I’ve tried to think of some fun ways to keep us busy and motivated. Here are the ideas I’ve come up with.

Sunday Stash Reports will continue. You do not need to know how much fabric is in your stash to participate! All you need to do is report how many yards were used in the past week, as well as how many yards were added during that same time, as well as a running total if desired. There’s no commitment. I never keep up with who reports and who doesn’t. You can do it one week, skip 10 or 40 weeks and do it again . . it’s up to you!
Monday Design Wall posts will continue. I love seeing those pictures and reading your blog posts about your current projects.
Friday’s On the Needles posts will continue.
The Stars & Stripes project will continue. We’re in the first quarter of that one and the second quarter will begin on January 1.
Quiltathons will continue monthly. The dates are listed in my left sidebar.
The Color Palette Challenge is changing. We will again have a monthly project sponsored by Vicki. Look for more information on this project on December 5.
The UFO project is changing. The new project will be called “Get it Done!“ Here’s how it will work. On the last day of each month, we will list four “things” we want to get done during the next month. It will all be quilt related projects. My list could look like this:

Make 80 half square triangles for Nicole’s Sofa Quilt.
Complete 8 blocks for the New Beginnings Quilt.
Bind the second Texas quilt.
Quilt the violet monochromatic top.

This project is designed to help us break down projects into more “do-able” goals and get them done.

6. A new project/challenge is going to be called “What’s Cooking?“ It’s kinda like that show where they get a surprise box of ingredients and have to use them. On Wednesday, I will list a few ingredients — maybe two, maybe more, and you need to come up with a recipe to use those. You actually have to cook it and share pictures! It will not be weird ingredients like pig brain or things that might be hard to find locally. You can use recipes you find on the internet, and if that’s what you’re using without changing anything, please link to those recipes. If you’re modifying a recipe or sharing one of your own, please share that recipe with us also. I anticipate having ingredients like:

strawberries and blueberries – where you could make some kind of salad or muffins or dessert
Italian sausage and spinach – some kind of soup or layered pasta dish comes to mind
bacon and brown sugar – recently I saw a recipe for bacon jam or, baked beans comes to mind

I would like for us to get creative and have fun in the kitchen. Most of us have to cook . . let’s make it fun! You will have a whole week to get your dish made and then share a link on the next Wednesday’s post. No whining! Be adventurous. There are going to be some things you just don’t like and you may not want to participate that week. That’s fine. You may not eat pork so the bacon week, you may sit out. That’s fine.

Let’s have some fun in 2013! Let’s get lots of quilting and knitting done and let’s try some new foods and new recipes!

· Filed Under: Home & Garden · 37 Comments

On the Needles – November 30, 2012

November 30, 2012 · by JudyL

My two socks at once on two circular needles is going so much better with shorter rather than longer needles. The leg is almost done and I should be able to finish it this evening and start the heel. This is my 13th pair of socks for 2012 and I’m pretty sure I’ll get these finished before the end of the year, and maybe even one more pair. I’m so happy!