Squishyness!

Winter has definitely arrived.  Woo hoo!!  We had our first snow of the season over the weekend.  Nothing major, just enough to cover the trees and the ground.  I love winter and it always puts me in the mood for knitting.  So recently I went to Barnes and Noble and got some books and then hit up the yarn shop in Ligonier.

The first book I got was  November Knits.

 So I could make this cardigan.

Out of this awesome squishy yarn.

Then I got the book Joy of Sox. 

 I love hand knit socks!  Can't wait to make these knee highs.

Out of this squishy yarn.  I love the colors here.

The final book is Weekend Hats.  I'm making two hats.

 Here's the yarn for the ripple hat.

And I've already started the hat on the cover.

Out of this Malabrigo yarn.

This is the first year I won't be knitting any gifts for Christmas.  Of course I say this now but we still have 30 days until Christmas.

Aloha, Friend

Our dear friend Ben flew back to Hawaii on Sunday after a month long visit.  We were sad to see him go but so happy to have a month with him.  Phone calls and text messages just don't cut it once you get to see one of your best friends in person.  PLUS ukelele serenades are pretty cool.

Of course now we no longer get to snicker at complaints about the cold.  No, it's back to hearing about the glorious warm weather and sunny skies.  Recording local musicians, great coffee, and jam sessions on the beach.

But then I can't be too jealous.  I'm sure I'll rub it in plenty when we visit him in the new year.  Love you Ben!

It's Hard to Pick A Favorite

We got our wedding photos from the photographer today.  This photo is definitely at the top of my list of favorites.

Our niece NatNat can definitely ham it up when asked.  Now we just need to go through the 3000+ photos, pick what we want, then get them printed.  It's nice owning every photo and not having to pay the photographer more for printing.

Once the evil side affects pass I'll be back to posting regular creative stuff.  The past week has been rough as expected but happily the internet never fails to entertain.  Thanks for the tips y'all!

Oh, You Again

The week before my wedding I had an unscheduled visit with my neurologist because of the latest, and most painful, effect I've had from MS.  Banding.  Also known as Girding.  Or the MS Hug.  It happens when the muscles between your ribs go into spasms.  It feels like someone is twisting your ribs in the front while crushing them in the back.  All the while they're sticking a knife upwards in your sternum.

Banding is just one of the many effects that can happen when you have lesions in your spine.  Neurologists are pretty well versed when it comes to what part of your body is going to get hammered when it comes to the brain and cervical spine.  The lumbar spine is another story.  So far I have Lhermitte's Sign which is an electric shock sensation that travels down the spine and arms and is associated with movement of the neck.  Banding is my latest lumbar lesion hell.  Plus the lesions don't even have to be active.  They just have to move along with the spinal column.

I started getting banding over a year ago but then it was just pressure around my ribs.  While it was uncomfortable it wasn't really painful.  Then I started getting sharp pains that would last about an hour.  This would happen every three months or so.  Over the past two months I've been getting banding consistently every week, many times two to three times a week.  This past month often the banding lasted 10 hours.  Ten hours of excruciating pain where it is impossible to get comfortable.  I will pace for hours.  My breathing will become so shallow that often I've come close to passing out.  I've researched various methods other patients have used (heating pads, massage, hot baths, etc.) but even they have met with little success.  Neither did I.

My neuro has me on the highest dosage of the muscle relaxer prescribed for MS.  She increased my dosage of another medication I take for muscle spasms but that hasn't helped.  So last night after another 10 hour bout of banding I went in for my usual MS infusion and told the nurse about my talk with Kelly and that I wanted to start the IV steroids whenever she was ready to.  I figured it wouldn't happen until next week after my usual six month MRIs.  HA!

Johnna came in after talking to the neuro and told me that after my infusion was done I'd get my first round of IV steroids today with a second round tomorrow.  Though I was shocked I was also relieved.  And petrified.  I don't have a very good history of handling IV steroids well.  If fact I'm allergic to them but not in a life threatening way.  More in a week or two of misery way.  As in it hurts to even touch my skin.  But really?  At this point I DON'T CARE.  I will try ANYTHING to make the banding go away.

Plus I got to come home with my spiffy IV all ready for tomorrow.

Hey.  When you are a crappy stick dealing with an overnight IV is no biggie.  Plus I've been thru this at least 10 times so this is nothing.  It's also a great way to get your amazing husband to wash your hair and massage your head to the point where you're on the verge of falling asleep.  HEAVEN.

This is Charlie's first experience with me coming home attached to medical equipment.  It's an unexpected and ugly sight to see.  But his first reaction was to pull me in his arms and just hold me because he knows it isn't easy.  But this time it will be easier because it isn't just me going thru it.  It's us.  I already know it won't be as bad as other times because he's always there not just for me to lean on, but MAKING me lean on him.  And that is love I've never known and for which I am so grateful.

And Then Two Became One

Wedding mania is over, except really there wasn't anything manic about it.  Everything went off without a hitch.  We were officially married on October 19th at the courthouse.  It was a simple and lovely ceremony.  I'm glad that my sister sent us a few pics.

Everything about it felt right.  I wasn't nervous at all.  I knew and know Charlie is exactly the person I'm supposed to spend the rest of my life with and that's an amazing and comforting feeling.  After the ceremony and pictures with our awesome photographer we all went out for a great dinner.  Both my family and Charlie's get along so well.  My parents and Charlie's mom graduated together, so there's a lot of history.  Our nieces kept everyone in hysterics and I definitely teared up the first time they called me Aunt Sabrina.  Adorable.

The next day was the big reception and what a party!  Everyone who RSVP'd was there.  It was a packed house.  And there was a lot of dancing.  The biggest hit of the night though was the photobooth.  Over 500 pictures were taken.  Here are just a few.

The props were a big hit.  It was great because the booth printed two copies of the photos so guests got to keep one copy and the other went into a photo album for Charlie and I.  It's a great blackmail tool keepsake.

A few words about the two guys in the last picture.  Both are great friends.  The one on the right is my best friend and man of honor who did a great job with the usual holding flowers, train adjustment, etc.  But both he and Brad, the dude on the left, have been friends with me for 12 years and were there when I was first diagnosed with MS.  They've been there and know about every change and progression of the disease.  (Well, the TRUE ones.  Apparently there was a rumor circulating that at one point I wasn't able to even "wipe my own ass."  I'm glad to say that's a fabrication.  I sure as hell have no idea who would have done it for me!)

So throughout the night both Chambers and Brad did the additional check ins to see if I needed a break or if I had taken my meds or if I was overheated.  Or did I require an Asti break.  It's great having friends that know you so well and vice versa.

As a result of Chambers' usual charm, my aunt's are all in love with him.  To which my response was DUH.