Good Friends, Bad News, and Quilts

Yesterday was terrible. I took Michael to the dentist because he had been complaining with one tooth, but when the dentist took a quick look, amid Michael's screams, tears, and jerking away, he said that he couldn't see anything wrong. I explained that with a flashlight I saw a crack in his tooth; he said that those sorts of things are common, and the fracture on the tooth was old, and he thought Michael was fine. I ask how we should go about getting x-rays and a cleaning and he said that we'd have to schedule it in his other office. In his other office he has an anaesthesiologist and Michael would be "put under". Yes folks, my child will have to be under general anaesthesia for x-rays and a cleaning. And this *is* the second opinion. Stinks, huh.

I cried on my friend Maren's shoulder, and she told me that every kid at her little boy's school has to undergo this type of treatment plan. She talked to me for a long time to help soothe my frazzled nerves, the same as she has been doing for the past 19 years. Thanks for always being there, Maren.

But it still stinks, and I got teary and my stomach hurt all day just thinking about handing my kid over to a whole lot of people that I don't know while they do the same anesthesia you get when you get major surgery done. The patient is intubated and on a ventilator while the procedure is done. Michael has had 6 major surgeries in his little lifetime, so I know exactly how I'll react to this; this isn't new for us.

It stinks.

So, after Amber & Jared got home from school I called April to see if she wanted to go hang out with me. I told her I was thinking of getting Mexican for dinner and go to the fabric store. She said she would go (Thank you April!). I told her about Michael and she commiserated with me. Dinner was great; it is a local place that has authentic Mexican food. And then we visited a couple of fabric stores. I picked up some material for Josh's quilt and she picked up some material for her etsy shop and some other projects she is in the middle of. She is a true seamstress, while I, on the other hand, am not. I had a great time and felt much better by the time I got home. And today, after a good night's sleep and the great time last night I am feeling like things aren't so bleak after all. Thanks April for being a great friend, for the great time, and for the listening ear.

Unfortunately, while I was out I missed a call from my friend Sherry. :( I can't believe that we have been friends for nearly 25 years! Yep, ever since junior high. She was the one that got me through the hard times after an ugly divorce. She was divorced at the same time, so we always hung out together, went places together, and double dated. After I got remarried we lost touch with each other for awhile, but a couple of months ago we "found" each other again on a high school website that reunites classmates. It has been great catching up! She has always been a terrific friend, and I'm glad that she is back in my life. I'll call her this weekend.

And! This is some of the material for Josh's quilt that I picked up, along with the rotary cutter, self-healing mat, and ruler that April helped me see that I desperately needed if I was going to cut 10 bajillion 3 1/2" fabric squares!



I have struggled with the colors, prints, and basically whole process! of this quilt, but I have decided to do a mottled red fabric for the front (or the back, depending on how you look at a 9 patch quilt!), with the 9 patches being things that Josh has like growing up. The fabric has patterns like: a dart board, pool balls, camping, wildlife, and bandannas, with the...hum...assessory? secondary? fabric being prints that compliment those.

I still need to buy more fabric for the big 9" squares that will go in between the 9 patches. So, I'll be back at JoAnn's this afternoon (the same as I have been every day this week as I have pondered this quilt!).

And thanks to you, my blogging friends, for always listening to me, for the great ideas, and for words of encouragement. Where would I be without such great friends in my life? It is too scary to even think about.

I hope that your day is going well, and that you have a great weekend!