Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Show & More Good News!

The Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival

The Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival in Jefferson, WI  is one of the biggest shows in the country.  It's always the first weekend after labor day.

While I've been a visitor for many years, and then worked as a vendor when I was a part of another yarn business venture, I've never been a vendor under the Purl Talk name, until this year.   And wow, was that a whirlwind of fun - literally - it was very windy that weekend.

I had chemotherapy scheduled the Wednesday before - but there were so many friends and family offering to help.  We set up Thursday, and then the show started and we worked Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  All my friends were asking me  " Did you eat, Laura?  Did you drink, Laura?  Go sit down, Laura!"  They all took care of me.  What a lovely community of caring people.  Now that is something to really be grateful for.

There was a little cold snap and everyone was wearing their beautifully hand knit sweaters and shawls.  It was my kind of style show.  -Just gorgeous.  The only problem... now my "want to knit list" is even longer.

I saw old friends, and new.  The energy was so uplifting.  It was a very, very busy show.  Loads of sales.  I completely sold out of several items.  It was wild and I loved every minute of it.  Now I have lots of work ahead of me to make more inventory.  More fun!

Here's a few snapshots.  What a great time.

More Good News

I just went through another round of scans.  The CT Scans look at everything from the neck and below.  The MRI looks at the brain.

All of the tumors are continuing to shrink and there are no new lesions!  The lesion on my shoulder bone...no longer visible.  The affected lymph nodes... no longer visible.  The lung metastases are disappearing.  The main tumor in my right lung is shrinking.  When they found it, it was almost 5 cm, in June it was 2.5 cm and now we are down to 1.8 cm.  And in my brain - you can just see the "ghost" scar tissues from where the tumors were. 

I'm so relieved!  Over the last month I had a few vision change episodes that made me a bit nervous.  They were just like the ones I had right before I was diagnosed, but I guess it was just a fluke.

I'm overwhelmed with joy and gratefulness to my medical team and to everyone else that has provided support and love over the last 6 months.  Thanks so much.  I have to continue with treatments - it will never be gone.  But I'm so happy to have more time with my loved ones and friends.   I'm hoping to be around for many more years. 

I'm still dealing with some of the weird side effects.  Yucky GI problems.  My finger nails are splitting and delaminating.  But my hair is growing back now that I am done with the radiation and the one type of chemo.  I'll take the good with the bad.  It seems a small price to pay

Gleam

Our local Olbrich botanical garden has an annual outdoor evening art/light installation every fall. Every year it's something new and we always enjoy going.  I just love to see artistic creativity.  I'm afraid that I don't take very good photos at night, but you'll get the the idea.  

What's Coming Up?  Gilda's 5K Run/Walk.

Gilda's Club is named after the funny and famous Gilda Radner - and now there are Gilda's Clubs all over the country - there to support patients and families struggling with cancer.  Other than the medical system, it was one of the first resources I found to help direct me to information and a support network.   They offer all kinds of free wellness services, seminars and workshops.  It was a really great resource early on.

I signed up for a 5K run/walk for Gilda's Club - it also acts as a fundraiser for them.  I'm trying to exercise as much as I can, within reason.  Staying as healthy as I can will hopefully give me some buffer if I get sick.  With the timing near a chemotherapy treatment,  I'll most likely be walking.  I miss running but the chemo fatigue just doesn't let me at the moment. 

Alaena and her friend Katie decided to turn us into a team... named the "Swiss Cheese Heads" from my joke about me after radiation.  (Now that I've had 17 holes blasted into my head - am I finally a true Wisconsin Cheese Head?) I'm looking forward to it!  It's on Sunday, October 5th.  

 

Sybil is Coming Home.

For those of you that don't know, Paul's mom moved in with us.  Unfortunately, she injured herself with a compression fracture in her spine just before she moved in with us last month, and after only a week of living here, she was admitted to the hospital because of her pain.  She spent 2 weeks in the hospital, and now another 2.5 weeks in a rehabilitation facility getting stronger, where they can work with her on Physical and Occupational Therapy multiple times a day.

PT and OT will now be coming here to our home, and we have some in-home help coming too.  It will all be an adjustment, but I think we will manage.   

Plus, her 95th birthday is just around the corner - on October 10th.  I think we will have to do some celebrating!

 

That's all for now, folks....

Take care and do something kind for someone else,

Laura