MY FIRST BLOGOVERSARY was 2/5, let's celebrate!!

 
It is very hard for me to believe that a year has gone by since I started this blog. I could have and should have started one a long time before that. Some of you are aware that in spring of 2005 I was injured on the job, and that the surgical site got infected with MRSA. I won't go into the details of all that transpired, but I will say that 4 surgeries later, I am MRSA free, 3 bones shy in the left wrist, some ligaments, and muscle pieces and also 4-5" of muscle in my rt elbow were also now missing.

At that time one of my occupational therapists (PT for the upper limbs) suggested I make a blog of my journey, that it might help with my depression.  You see, I had only received my degree in Medical Imaging 5 years prior, so now my new and well beloved career was over.  I told him "maybe", but never did.  I should have listened.


I had some physical issues before that injury, in fact was scheduled to have my left knee replaced in the beginning of June. I had some major cervical spine issues I was dealing with and I had just went another round with a nasty Kidney stone before that. (I am a producer...there are 4 in the left kidney right now) Just a month before the injury I lost my Dad.

I finally had that left knee replaced in 2008, I had some complications afterwards, and a mysterious ongoing pain and some burning behind the knee, they kept checking me for blood clots, and not finding anything, one day on a visit to my knee guy, I told him sometimes the pain went all the way down into my ankle and instep, and sometimes it was a pain, and sometimes a burning sensation. He said that sounds like nerve, which means your spine, and sent me off to see a spine specialist. During this time, I had also been through many tests with a Gastroenterologist who finally decided I had IBS (Irritable Bowel syndrome) to me it was just so funny that both of these issues didn't spring up until after surgery and anesthesia.  At any rate, the spine guy ordered new MRI's of both my cervical and lumbar spine. He said that my cervical spine was much worse than the old MRIs showed, one of the 4 bulging disks I had was now fully herniated, and the Osteophyte complex I had was 4 times the size it was when first discovered. He said, "Surgery will greatly improve this, and your arm will be better (left arm...went numb or dead, or tingly) and your pain will decrease, however I will not operate on you, due to your size anesthia is risky."  In my mind I was thinking, hell I got my knee replaced, that was major surgery. He went on, "You may find someone who will, but it won't be me, additionally, let's talk about your lumbar spine. You have spinal stenosis in 3 vertebrae, they are not to a point where surgery would come into conversation yet, but it will progress, and again, it would be high risk surgery, that I would not do. I also believe that no other surgeon would do it, unless you dropped 100 lbs. or the spine was so bad that you were not functioning at all."  NIIIICE, so now what?  well I would have had the spinal stenosis anyway he says as it is hereditary and my dad had it, but due to my previous car wreck in 1993 (beginning of the neck, knee an spine issues) that put everything on the fast track. I left his office that day feeling like, I should just die now and get it over with. I was 48, my dad was in his 60's when he was DXed with spinal stenosis.

I was not on anti-depressants or in therapy, I knew I would benefit from both, but I couldn't afford weekly therapy and my family doc would not prescribe an anti-depressant, she did give me an anti-anxiety and upped it when the gastro guy told her it would help with my IBS.  THANKFULLY BC/BS Horizon jumped in and found me a psychiatrist who would see me and medicate me without going to therapy.  IT made a huge difference.

ENTER the BLOGOSPHERE!!!  I had several arty friends that had blogs, and one day I decided to actually start viewing some of them...I looked a little each day, and one day I found the 2010 button for ONE WORLD ONE HEART, I clicked on it, and read about this wonderful international "gathering".  I visited a few blogs off the list at random, and some said YOU MUST HAVE A BLOG ( and that was actually part of the rules to begin with)   so I took the plunge!!!

I have never looked back, sometimes I go on about family crap or my health, but for the most part I talk about my view on life, the world, and art, and I share my art and my cards ( I am a member of OPERATION WRITE HOME- something to make me feel like I have a purpose, something else that blogging brought me)  This wonderful, wonderful tool, has allowed me outside of my home (as I am mostly housebound) I have made countless connections, many of which I am proud to call friends. Friends with illnesses or disabilities, and friends with wonderful ABILITIES, and just friends of like thinking.

I could kick myself (well I can't actually, LOL) for not listening to that therapist back in 2006, I think it would have made a world of difference, maybe I wouldn't have needed anti-depressants (I really don't think that, but hey, one never knows)

By the time of my 1 year blogoversary:

I had over 180 followers
over 9,500 page hits

over 315 posts
and participated in 11 Blog hops (including Last years One World One Heart and this years)...I am very proud of myself. :) I'll be prouder when I launch my Etsy shoppe, another thing I have been procrastinating for over 3 years. :(

I DO know I have all of you to thank!! you been interested in what I have to say, you like my pictures, and in general make me feel like I matter. So I toast you all! and say thanks a million for doing much for this semi-wrecked woman, and making her feel not so wrecked.

To help me celebrate a few of my friends have donated some prizes for me to give away. 

***YOU MUST visit their sites, and comment about something you saw there.

**YOU MUST comment on this post.

** NO ANONYMOUS comments allowed

**YOU MUST list your email in your comment

*** OPTIONAL, but I would APPRECIATE it---tell me what your favorite post of mine this past year was.

Please list in your comment here what would be your first choice for the prize, and I will try my best to accommodate.

 OK onto the goodies:

MagicMoon SoapWurks is donating a $10 GC...visit them here  I highly recommend the pumpkin soap for your face :)   

 Nicole from Beadwright is donating a sampler package for her bead backing for doing flatwork beading

You can get this awesomely HUGE digital package from Dezinaworld (this Image here is just a sampler) It is the ROSEY LEE set...the winner will get the full set

From FROG'S ATTIC  you could win this wonderful Heart Vintage Valentine Box (picture is not the item, it is not the actual size, it is just for viewing)

Bugaboo Stamps (one of my Favorite digital stamp companies) is offering 5 digi stamps, of your choice!

Next is a $15.00 GC from one of my favorite jewelry and other crafters...Love You More Designs

And from Me, a winner will receive 2 ACEOs  which will be wrapped in some lovely ephemera and come along with 2 tiny glass bottles of beads with cork stoppers.

 Here on the left we have "CAT = LOVE" hand made Marble technique Card stock, german scrap and dew drops, rubber stamping and an image from a calendar.

On the right we have "Natural Hope" crinkled and waxed tissue paper, rubber stamping, stickles, milagros praying hands, a MUCHA gal image raised on foam tape 

If you purchase anything from these shops, please let them know that I sent you. (Susan Guzy)

DRAWING for the PRIZES is Friday Feb. 25 at Midnight EST