Dodged a bullet….

It has been 6 weeks since my last post. I think the last step of my Mystery Quilt is about 4 weeks overdue. I am sorry. I have had a secret… but now I can share.

Right after Thanksgiving I had a bad mammogram. I am only 2 years post mastectomy/radiation/chemo and a bad mammogram is more than a little concerning. The bad mammo was followed by a bad ultrasound.

I was not ready for the surgery again (which this time would have to be far more invasive) or the radiation (the old burn scars are still sore) or the chemo therapy (at the moment the only physical attribute that I find is decent is my hair)… so I checked out just a little. Ok, I checked out a lot. I found I had a very hard time concentrating, and even when I tried, I couldn’t focus at all. I was in this weird “nesting” mode. I kept thinking about all of the time I spent on my couch looking at dust bunnies and wishing I had the energy to do something about them. I was fully believing I was going to be in surgery this week, and recuperating next week, then starting treatment right after the first of the year.

The last thing I was thinking about was blog posts, class samples and the next quarter newsletter. The second to the last thing I was thinking about was Christmas gifts.

I did manage to get the Christmas open house, 12 days of Christmas and two events completed, but thank God for Brianna and a great staff. I’m sure they were all wondering what exactly was in my coffee…

Well, the good news… all is well. I kept it a secret because I wasn’t sure what all was going to happen. As it turns out,  I have a mastitis (infection) with significant inflammation, but apparently, no new cancer cells. The bad news… I am not ready for Christmas or my final Mystery step. I thought no one would hold it against me if I was sick. Now that I’m not sick… I am just hoping you are all so busy with Christmas yourself… that you didn’t even miss me.

I do apologize. I didn’t even get a Christmas mug rug done.

In about 20 minutes Brianna and I are taking off to the cabin to join everyone else for our week of Christmas vacation up on the mountain. I am really looking forward to it (ready or not). The rest, calm and peace will be so necessary and appreciated. No phone, no internet, no last minute shopping. Just family, pinochle, reading and stitching.

I promise to come back with a better head. I will get your last step sewn, typed and posted and I will be back on track with the other fun things I was planning before I retreated into the dark recesses of my brain.

I hope all of you have a very Merry Christmas! Enjoy your family and remember it’s not about the presents, it’s about the presence.