On the 10th Day of Christmas...

On the 10th day of Christmas, my recovery gave to me: a bumpy, red, itchy rash all over. To be fair, it was probably the meds. I'm now off all pain meds and taking Benadryl, plus an antibiotic, until I stop scratching! 

So here's how the song goes for me these days: 

On the 10th day of Christmas, the season gave to me...

Ten bumps and hives

Nine marks where I've scratched

Eight alarms on my phone for meds

Seven new prescriptions

Six exercise walks

Five kinds of healing teas

Four socks  almost finished

Three friends a-visiting

Two additional prescriptions

and a new bottle of Benadryl for me! 

If you've been playing along at home for any time, you may remember that I am super prone to side-effects. So prone that I make my Sweetie read the info sheets, so I don't feel like I'm just "manifesting" a reaction, but I'm only allergic to a couple of things...well maybe a couple new things, now too....lol!

I think I'm also allergic to Sweetie saying, "Stop scratching!"

The good news (and this really is good) is that I'm not in much pain. I've had zero pain meds today (my last Gabapentin was at 10pm last night), and I'm doing ok!

So you take the good, you take the bad, you take 'em both, and there you have... whatever you have. God is still good, and this will pass. In the meantime, I'll just be over in the corner scratching and hiding from anyone who tells me to stop it! 

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit (don't scratch!) in Good Health! 

Have a Hap- Hap- Happy New Year!

Because of my surgery, we did not get to see our son and his family this year for Christmas. I'm happy to say that our daughter and her family did make the trip out to visit her brother, and this picture was one of the fun memories that she sent to me from "Kansas, she says, is the name of her star!" I added some details, and we all wish you the happiest of new years for 2026!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Ready or Not...

Christmas 2025 is in the books, and 2026 looms large ahead! I am thankful this year, 5 days after back surgery, that I was able to do some fun things this week! From a nice Christmas visit

to having Christmas dinner with our daughter and her family (and the boys' gingerbread houses),

to casting on a pair of new Christmas socks (Must Stash Yarn in the colorway "Bumbles Bounce"),

to fun cards and greetings from friends!

New gadgets made this possible, and helped me to manage my pain along the way...

TENS unit. I've read the how and why it works, but I've had too many narcotics to explain it to you. Also, it's purple, and I'm sure that helps. 

My back brace is nothing compared to Joan Cusak's neck brace in 16 Candles! Whew!

...I have even managed a few chores along the way, including getting the lights off the tree, 

and I've finished the first Bumbles sock!

So all in all, 2025 has been a good year, despite some hard losses. We've lost friends who were way too young, family members we thought we had more time with and friends who have been like family for decades...we will mourn for them all and pray for those left with holes in their hearts. Please Lord, help them find their meaning and worth in You and in Your Son, whose birth we celebrate every Christmas. 

I've often heard that Jesus is the Reason for the Season, and I'm thankful to Pastor Paul of White Flag Church (from St Louis, we livestreamed their Christmas Eve service on Wednesday) for reminding me that I am the reason for the season, and YOU are the reason for the season. Jesus came for sinners, you and me included, so that we could be connected with God in Heaven forever. Yes, so much to be thankful for! 

Am I ready for 2026? Am I ever ready for a new year? I guess it doesn't matter, because ready or not, here it comes! Let's see what it brings together.

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health! 

PS-If you want more details, I had an L3/L4 Laminectomy, with the removal of a synovial cyst on my spinal cord.  The benign cyst was putting pressure on nerves leading to left hip and leg pain, and the recovery has included some pretty intense nerve pain in those areas. But this is just a blip in my lifetime,  and I should be "right as rain" in a few weeks. Prayers and good thoughts gladly accepted, thanks! 

My 2025 Era

Another new year, another new snow

Looks like winter finally decided to show up! On cold, snowy days like this, I'm glad my hobby is a cozy one! I have plans for hats and mittens, but first, I'm knitting some whimsy! 

A dozen hearts to share with friends that I won't see as often in 2025, because I'm starting a new job a week from Monday. More details about that next week...for now, I'm sharing my heart with the friends I work with here...

and knitting housewarming gifts for friends in new homes...

and thinking about moving onto a little selfish knitting for the rest of this month. 

How have your first four days of the new year treated you? I hope that you are well and that this fresh, new year has been good to you so far. Drop a comment to let me know if you have any fun plans! 

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health! 

Happy New Year!

Each of the last few years has brought it's own challenges. May 2025 bring us all love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against these things there is no law. 

Knit in Good Health, friends!