I know it has been a while, I'm sorry for being absent all this time. I simply lost my mojo and have just found it again. I'll begin by warning you that this post will be long.
I am not one to complain, but the first half of this year has been one of the most challenging of my life.
Let me start at the begining. Scrapbooking has been a big part of my life. It has been a sanity saver for me as it helped me escape, be creative and made me focus on all the positives in my life. Being a stay at home mom, scrapbooking has helped me connect with other women and being a consultant allowed me to scrapbook guilt free as it was also a job. About 5 years ago, I hurt my wrist shoveling the driveway. I was diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrom. It was not bad a first, but I had to sleep with a brace and scrapbooking had become more challenging as using scissors and other tools started to hurt. Last december I underwent Carpal Tunnel release surgery. This was the start of my challenge. Even though my surgery went well, and I healed from my surgery, it started a domino effect.
Shortly after the holidays, I had the stomach flu, shortly after I had a cold that seem to be neverending. In the middle of February I caught a sinus infections. I was tired of being sick, but everyone around me had colds so I did not think much of it. It was cold outside and we were getting snow storms after snow storms after all. For the first time in months I woke up one Monday morning without a headach, able to breath from my nose. The day went by as normal until I brushed my teeth that night and spit out blood. I then noticed bruises on my arms that were not there earlier. I knew I had to go to the hospital.
I was diagnosed with ITP (idiopathis thrombocytopenic purpura) in 2001, but I had not had any symptoms of the disease since I had a spleenectomy that same year. I had forgotten I had it, but staring at my bruises and purple dots on my hands and feet, the memories of that year all came back.
I was not in the same place in my life. I had no kids back then, Nobody depended on me like they do now. I was scared as I sat in the hospital waiting room waiting for my blood test results. I knew when I heard my name though the intercom 30 minutes later that the results were not good. My platelet level were under 4000 ( a normal platelet count is between 150 000 and 400 000) In the span of 2 weeks I had a platelet transfusion, immunoglobuline treatments, prednisone and iv steroid treatments and 3 blood transfusion. I left the hospital with a platelet count of 175 000. Feeling good, but tired with a weening schedule for my prednisone for 6 weeks. I also had to go to weekly blood test to monitor my platelet levels.
I was looking forward to the day I was done my prednisone, I was hoping that my life would get back to the way it was before my ITP flare up. The day came and I did feel better for a few days. Then came the withdrawls. I was in bed with fever, nausea, headaches. It was awful!
All that said, I came over that hump, and I am feeling better everyday, My last platelet count was normal and the doctor thinks that the chances I have another flare up is very low. I still have to go for monthly bloodtests and will be monitored more closely to avoid another flare up. I started watching what I eat and will start training for a 10k run next week. It is frustrating that I have to lose that weight that I worked so hard to keep off for years but it has to be done and I know I will be proud when I attain my goal.
The first half or the year was bad, but I will make the second half make up for it.
All that to say, for the first time in a really really long time, I had not been excited about scrapbooking. All that changed this morning. Where was my mojo hiding? I'll show you!
Who wants to scrap with me? I'm scheduling a crop at my house soon, who's in? I have a lot of catching up to do!
