Lovely Summer for a change.

The last two summers have been a trial for us as a family.  It started 2 1/2 years ago when my husband nearly died from Pancreatitis.  He was airlifted to Iowa City University Hospital where he spent nearly two weeks between ICU and a regular room.   While he was there they discovered a heart murmur which had to be addressed.  It turned out he had a leaky heart valve that needed to be replaced and a partially blocked Vein that needed to have a new grafting!  He was back in the hospital for open heart surgery in August and was not fully recovered until after the first of the new year.  Nearly a full year from his first attack.

My episode started a year or after his first attach, when I went to the emergence room with pain in my chest.  An EKG showed nothing wrong with my heart - thankfully.  Further tests showed a shadow behind my heart.  At that point I was sent to my regular doctor - then to a  pulmonary Doctor for evaluation and biopsy. 

It was cancer.

After months of daily radiation treatments and weekly Chemotherapy treatments, the tumor was reduced enough for surgery.  A month after surgery I started another round of Chemotherapy - much stronger stuff.  That ended right before Christmas.  I've been back once and do to return in another month for some evaluation.  Been praying that all continues to be well.

Dave and I are working on our bucket lists - so far this year we have been to Gettysburg:

Little Round Top

Scenic Tower

Cemetery Ridge

Cemetery Ridge.

   After Gettysburg we drove down to Antietam which is in Maryland. Had a great time there, learning about what happened.

It was a great trip.  Later this year we want to go to Vicksburg and Shiloh and my friend and I want to go to Paducha , Kentucky to visit the American Quilt Museum, Hancock Fabrics of Paducha and whatever other trouble we can get into!!  LOL  

In the meantime I have done some reading.  Not a lot when I was on Chemo, but later when I was in recovery.  

The Last Chance Olive Ranch & The Darling Dahlias and the 11 O'clock Lady by Susan Wittig Albert

The Fix,  The Fallen, and No Man's Land by David Baldecci

Aunt Dimity Slays the Dragon, Down Under & Detective by Nancy Atherton 

Lord of the Rings by Donna Andrews

The Handmaiden's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Borderline by Nevada Barr

A Large Number of books by Hope Callahan

Pirate by Clive Cussler

Murder at the Book Fair and Body on the Porch by Steve DeMarre

And Then You Dye by Monica Ferris

Partners in Crime by Gallager Gray 

Sanctuary by Celina Grace

The Tarnished Chalice, To Kill or Be Cured by Suzanna Gregory

Rock-a-bye Bones by Caroline Haines

Among the Mad, Mapping Love and Death, & Lessons in Secrest by Jacqueline Winspear

I didn't get a lot of sewing or quilting done.  Chemo just takes it all out of you,  but things are getting better and I am starting to get things accomplished.  I'm working on two Quilts of Honor for Veterans and have two more planned.  I also taught a quilting class and have another one or two in the planning stages.