All is right in my little world again!
If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you know this already. Last Wednesday, my mom had a Transient Ischemic Attack, and Monday she had surgery to clear a blockage in her carotid artery. She’s home now, with what appears to be no permanent damage except that she can’t remember anything from the day she had the episode.
This was the most traumatic thing that I think has ever happened in my life! I see my mom nearly every single day, and I just can’t imagine life without her. Thank you to everyone who kept us in your thoughts and prayers, we so appreciate that.
We see the TIA as a warning for BOTH of us to get into shape, stop our unhealthy habits, and get some exercise! We were really given a second chance, and I can’t tell you how grateful we all are that it wasn’t more serious.
On Thursday, the day after she was admitted I was packing up a bag for myself to take over to her and Nathan suggested that I put in some yarn and needles for my mom. Great Idea!! With all she’d been through, it really did help her to keep her hands and her mind busy, and to feel productive even though she had to stay in bed. We spent long hours together in hospital knitting. I kept thinking of that Elizabeth Zimmermann quotation, “Knit on, with confidence and hope through all crises.”
She worked on single-skein scarves (and finished THREE of them)and I cast on for an off-the-cuff shawl.
I’m just finishing up my summer Design Your Own Shawl workshop, and so I’ve got shawls on the brain. I ended up with kind of a hybrid of the types of shawls that we’ve talked about knitting. It starts out as the typical two-triangle shawl, with an increase point down the middle and a few hopeful little flower motifs knit in, and then turns into two ruffled sections with increases spread out over them.
This is truly a prayer shawl, as the whole time I worked on it, I was hoping and praying that Mom would come out of this ok. I used an ombre-dyed sock yarn called Nightfall from Fibro Fibers. (My color is cherry.) I’d been saving this yarn for something special, and used it for this in hopes that I’d start knitting through this dark situation and come out into the light in the end. And I did!
August 20th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
Great news about your Mom … indeed every single day is precious and important … hard way to learn a lesson but good that you have resolve to change a few bad habits !
August 20th, 2010 at 2:42 pm
…Not that we have a TON of unhealthy habits, but we need to eat better, exercise more, and just THINK about our health!
August 20th, 2010 at 3:44 pm
So glad that your mother is doing better and I do believe that knitting is the best medicine, both mentally and physically. The shawl is beautiful and I love how it really tells the story of this crisis with its colors – starting dark during the “unknown” hours in the beginning and growing brighter and happier as your mother’s prognosis got better and better. I’m looking forward to your fall shawl class. I can’t wait to sign up!
August 20th, 2010 at 6:15 pm
I’ve been following along your posts on Twitter–I am so glad that everything turned out so well for your mom! It was great to see her knitting away up there.
August 20th, 2010 at 8:16 pm
I am so glad to hear your mom is ok! I don’t know what I would do without my mom either. Your shawl is beautiful and so is the yarn. Best wishes and prayers to you and mom.
August 20th, 2010 at 9:24 pm
The real bad habit is not realizing how precious every day really is … otherwise maybe Michael Pollen has it right … read the ingredients and don’t eat anything with more than 5 listed and don’t eat anything that has contents you don’t understand ! Give your Mom a hug from your cyber friends …
August 21st, 2010 at 1:46 am
I am glad your mother is better.
Your shawl is beautiful! The yarn works wonderfully with it!
August 21st, 2010 at 4:05 am
Thank goodness that your Mom is going to be fine. Sometimes, I think we knitters enjoy sitting and knitting so much that we forget about exercise. I know that all this has made me realize that I need more exercise, too.
August 21st, 2010 at 6:23 am
Best wishes to everyone and glad your mom is on the mend! The shawl is beautiful and its nice to see that knitting helped get you “through” in some small way! Hugs and hugs
August 21st, 2010 at 9:38 am
Mom looks great- I am so happy for your good news!
August 21st, 2010 at 3:27 pm
Wishing your mother a speedy recovery
August 21st, 2010 at 3:53 pm
so sorry to hear that, but so glad that your mom will be okay. it is scary when our parents get sick. definitely know that feeling. knitting got me through that dark time too.
that shawl is gorgeous. love love love the yarn.
August 23rd, 2010 at 8:25 am
Thank goodness your Mom is doing better now. I love your prayer shawl, too – especially that middle section!
August 26th, 2010 at 6:57 am
so glad to hear your mom is ok! it’s so scary when an unexpected health problem swoops in and knocks you over. glad to hear she is seeing this as a “second chance”, what a great attitude to have and great approach to life!
August 26th, 2010 at 6:02 pm
Glad to hear that your momma is doing fine. I’m sure it was a scare, though.
Sending good thoughts and prayers your way…
August 30th, 2010 at 8:30 am
I am glad your is doing well now. I discovered your blog yesterday and I really like it.
September 1st, 2010 at 11:52 am
Hi Stefanie,
I rejoice with you about your Mom. She is so cute in her bed knitting…through the crisis. I like that. On another note, I just realized today that I really, really want your pattern for the Whirligig Shrug, but how can I get that? IK Weekend 09 is sold out! Any solution?
Ana