I had sinus surgery last Wednesday, which with any luck will solve some of the recurring struggles I've had with energy and basically feeling lousy for, believe it or not, over a year. The ear/nose/throat doctor could not believe that no one had picked up on the sinusitis, considering how advanced it had become. Oh well, fixed now, and hopefully I am on the road to recovery. Just didn't realize how out of it I'd still be by now. Lot's of couch time, lots of catching up on TV, a little reading, and hey - why not? A very little Zentangling which was easily done while reclining on the couch. Above, the previously stamped page in my button book.
And here transformed with a few squiggly lines and some shading. I like it!
And now it is Sunday, and I'm still having to keep the activity pretty curtailed, but I managed to work on my Positively Creative Art Journal a bit at a time. First, paint the spread, supposedly with only one color, but I wanted to do something more interesting. than that. I used a different brush and got some really nice swirly texture with it. Then I added some white, just tapping the tip of the brush along the page to create specks and short lines. Unfortunately, it wasn't covering up what was already on the page. As I added a second coat, I lost the swirls completely, but I'm not too unhappy with the streaks I created alternating the gold and the white paint until I had good coverage.
Today's prompt was "What's your favorite word?" I admit, I'd looked ahead last week so knew this was coming. In fact, Dale Ann warned it might take some time to come up with a single favorite word as opposed to a combination of words. Knowing I had this surgery coming up, I considered several words of a positive nature like hope. But once the day arrived, there was no question of what my favorite word this week would be: FRIENDS! You see, I live alone, don't have a significant other, have no family close by, so can only call on friends when in need. I needed someone to drive me the hour to the outpatient clinic, wait around for hours, sign-off as my escort and take in all the post-op instructions, then drive me back. Then I needed someone who could monitor me for 24 hours, feeding and medicating me and generally making sure I was ok, doing what I was supposed to be doing. A lot to ask of a friend, but easier when two share the task. Thank you Meg and Robin, my art group friends, for coming to my rescue! And I can't forget to mention the additional friends who sent well wishes and emotional support, and checked up on me via e-mail, text and phone. They too are mentioned on my journal spread along with quotations about friendship that I've collected over the years.
And now I'm feeling the urge to revisit the couch. Let me leave you with this Friendship Blessing by John O'Donohue, parts of which I copied to my spread:
May you be blessed with good friends.
May you learn to be a good friend to yourself.
May you be able to journey to that place in your soul where there is great love, warmth, feeling and forgiveness.
May this change you.
May it transfigure that which is negative, distant, or cold in you.
May you be brought into the real passion, kinship, and affinity of belonging.
May you treasure your friends.
May you be good to them and may you be there for them; may they bring you all the blessings, challenges, truth, and light that you need for your journey.
May you never be isolated.
May you always be in the gentle nest of belonging with your anam cara - soul friend.
6 comments:
Sorry you had to have surgery, but glad you're well into recovery mode. Feel better soon. Hugs.
Couch time, TV and reading -- sounds like a typical night for me! Your journal looks like fun. Hope you continue feeling better, but don't give up the couch time.
Happy to hear you are okay.....been wondering about your silence.....now hit the trottle hard!
I have to admit, when I was told "light activity for 14 days", I thought - oh, my normal life. ;-) But apparently, it meant even lighter activity! Either that or I'm a real wimp. Well, will enjoy the excuse to take it easy until the doc says otherwise! Puttering in short stints is working pretty well, then as Mary says, perhaps it will be hit the throttle hard soon. Thanks for your well wishes.
I'm a little late reading your post. Glad you had the surgery, and hope it helps. My husband had it done and it has really improved things for him. I presume you're back to normal, now. Yes?
And I'm a little late replying, Pat. Would answer directly but don't have an e-mail address for you anymore. Anyway, yes, better, but not totally back to normal yet. Close though. Things are compounded by ears that won't clear up in spite of the tubes they put it. But that too will come. I'd just let everything go way too long combined with it taking docs so long to pinpoint. I was skeptical going into the surgery but know now it was the only answer and glad I didn't wait any longer!
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