Selected!!

Yesterday I was judged into the Catskill Mountain Quilters' Hall of Fame!  I am delighted and honored.  Induction ceremony will be September 15. 

Always something beautiful

 The challenge:  Riding mowing for 7 hours over the last two days in 90+ heat and humidity with one hand.  If you recall, I severed the tendon and cut into the bone on my right hand (dominant hand) on June 23.

 

The reward?  I have seen a zillion butterflies.  And look!  This one has an injury as well.

Last I posted was June 23.  Night of the Super Moon.  I was reveling in the aromatic roses that grow in my garden.  I as finally catching up on yard work that was hampered by all the flooding we had been having.  I was working long hours in the garden.  As evening was getting late, I wanted to ride that wave of goodness and get just a little more work done.  I was weeding a bit of a raised bed where speedwell was overtaking the area.  As I was tugging mightily on those stubborn plants, I drew back my right hand, fistful of weeds and S.L.I.C.E.D. the back of my thumb on a ceramic mushroom's broken edge.  I invented a new cus word.  Then, gazed down at the damage and knew I had to have stitches.  I went over to the neighbors and let them know I was driving myself to the ER and could they keep an eye on the brush pile I was burning.  They offered to drive me in, but the cut didn't hurt much and the hospital was just 20 minutes away.

At the ER, all agreed I needed stitches.  And a tetanus shot, antibiotics and x-rays.  Now, I realized I could not bend or extend my thumb - that was very concerning.  While waiting on x-rays to see if garden debris was preventing my thumb from moving, I asked the staff if I could go outside to see the rise of the "super moon".  They laughed and agreed.  What a glorious moon it was!

Four hours after arriving in the ER, I was released with 5 stitches and told I had not cut tendon.  However, I needed to see a hand specialist due to the inability to move my thumb.  The next morning I called that doc's office.  Got an appointment for Thursday.

On Thursday, it took the hand surgeon all of 10 seconds to realize I severed the tendon completely and needed to have hand surgery the next day!  Unfortunately, that meant I had to miss attending the Beekman Boys' wedding.  :-(

Surgery showed not only did I severe my tendon, I also cut into the bone!  The joint had to be debrided, the ends of the tendon found and sutured together.  I woke up with a cast and told I would have to wear it for months and have physical therapy for months.

Naturally, it is my right hand!  Stitches were removed July 8 and replaced with steri-strips.  A new spica splint was made and I was bandaged up again.  Under strict orders not to use my right hand as I could easily rupture the tendon repair. 

So, no stitching.  Not supposed to work in the garden. Did I mention I also have rheumatoid and osteoarthritis?

I've been doing what I can and trying hard not to do those things that will damage my hand further.   I've just added a new pattern to my craftsy site.  It's a sequin bird motif that can be stitched as is or added into a sweet fan.  Looks great on a crazy quilt block!  Thankfully, I had this stitched up already and just had to type up the directions.  There are a ton of close up photos in the pattern!!

http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/embroidery/hand-embroidery/sequin-bird-motif/60941?_ct=iuqhsx-kdyluhiqb-huikbj-fqjjuhd&_ctp=60941

The pattern for the sequin bird motif and fan is only $4.00!