Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Reports of my death have been (slightly) exaggerated

So, two weeks ago, I was hauled to the ER with some alarming symptoms.  Skull cracking pain in my head, vomiting, heart palpitations, and a blood pressure of 230/180.  

Dr's considered an aneurism, or a stroke.  Once stabilized I was given an EKG and CT scan.  They found--nothing wrong.  My headache and nausea were apparently caused by stress, which in turn affected my heart and blood pressure.  Who knew that stress could do all that?  (Now the reason behind that stress is a whole other story......)

So I felt very fortunate (Once the head pains subsided).  What I failed to take into consideration was the fact that I have fibromyalgia.  Fibro + Stress =Flareup.  MAJOR flareup.  So major, in fact, that I failed to realize what it was!  In the past, a "flare" meant increased pain and exhaustion.  Not this time!  Suddenly I have the increased pain and exhaustion--PLUS lots of stomach/digestive trouble (think IBS), off and on nausea, more headaches, TMJ pain in my face and jaw,  and inflammation in my ribs that is so bad I am having trouble breathing.  Walking from one room to another is so exhausting I have to sit down and rest.  I can barely eat, I have no appetite, and when I do eat I get nauseous.  And when I don't eat I get nauseous.  

I got the message from my body this time, loud and clear--CALM DOWN AND REST.   Which is about all I am capable of doing these days.  So, although I may LOOK dead, I really am still hanging on--barely.

If you know a Fibro sufferer, hug them gently and tell them you love them.  Then ask what you can do to help them.

Then help us pray for a cure.  Because truly, this is NO way to live.

Saturday, March 26, 2016

Enjoy your EASTER while we can still celebrate it

It seems like Easter is one of the few things us Christians can still openly celebrate--at least for now.

Has anyone else noticed that, one by one, all the traditional American celebrations are being taken away?  No more Valentines in schools, no more Christmas (shh, don't even say that WORD).  Why is this happening?  Oh, because NON Americans are flooding our country, and these things OFFEND them.  So of course, we must appease these ignorant people, and bow down to them, and allow them to destroy our American way of life one symbol at a time. 

STAND UP, AMERICA!   This is OUR country, and anyone coming here should conform to US, not the other way around.   As long as we continue to allow this, our country will continue to disintegrate.  

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Queen Anne Doll




Queen Anne little girl, 10" tall, by doll artist Alena Sinel.  There are LOTS of people carving Queen Anne dolls now, but in my opinion, no one can come close to the artistry of Alena Sinel.  I don't know how she does it, but her dolls have SOULS.

I have other dolls by her--Clarimonde, Angelique and Lacey Rue.  They are all about 13" tall, and are not really "Queen Anne" dolls, although they are made in that style.  But I wanted a true Queen Anne--I have been looking at many dolls, but none of them grabbed me, until I saw this little girl.  I LOVE that she is so tiny!  She should be home next week.  I hope she brings spring with her, I am so depressed with the snow and cold we are having.

As a side note; I got a new computer.  After ten years with the old one, it was time.   Warning--Windows 10 SUCKS.  It is like they made this computer (HP Envy model) NOT to fill the needs of the user, who paid 700 dollars for it, but to satisfy the makers. There is more crap here that I will never use (Priceline, Tripadvisor, etc) and it is anything but user friendly.  The default email program is a complete joke--you cannot make ANY new folders, and every time you get an email you have replied to, it gives you the whole stinking thread of emails--like you forgot what you just said??  I am sure I have deleted many unread out of pure confusion.

Also, a big shout out to my friends--I no longer have your email addresses, because I could not import them from my old email program!  SO unless you send me an email, so I can save it, I have no way to email you.  My head cannot remember everyones addresses.  I put them all on an external hard drive before I shut down my old computer, but I cannot get them to go onto this horrible email program.

I am searching for a new email program that is compatible with Windows Sucky 10.

Did I mention I hate Windows 10?
 

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Giovanna Rosa--a possible Schoenhut Prototype





After much research, I have come to the conclusion that Giovanna IS  a Schoenhut doll--I believe she was made as either a prototype for a larger doll that was never produced, or a custom doll, in the likeness of a real girl.  The joints are Schoenhut--the spring mechanisms that allow her movements were patented by Schoenhut, no one else was doing them.  She is obviously old enough to have been made around 1911.  She is definitely a unique, one of a kind doll, and as such, I have no idea of her monetary value.  I do think she belongs in a museum, but I am just not ready to part with her at this point.  Maybe when I am too old to lift her, I will donate her to a museum--until then, I get to enjoy her.