Friday, July 13, 2012

No strenuous activity, no heavy lifting

 This morning I had a small chunk removed from my back and stitches added and sent home with instructions for no heavy lifting and no strenuous activity for 10 days. Wait a minute. Isn't that what pottery is all about?! 25 pound bags of clay, wedging, moving slabs around, ware boards, buckets of reclaimed clay, buckets of water, rolling slabs, lifting boxes....... not to mention my constant nervous energy and inability to sit still. I guess I am on extended vacation!

The V is for Vase show opens at The Bascom today, so hopefully I will have some sales this weekend. The house/vase on the right is in the show. I sent four pieces that I think were really nice so maybe they will go home with someone.


So this surgery thing is finally past me and not a looming dread on my calendar. Good news is, if you are going to have cancer, this is the one to get. It is surface only and can be removed with a simple out patient surgery. I  never go to the doctor, I'm never sick, only been in the hospital to have a baby. So the procedures and surgical atmosphere are foreign and unsettling to me. That was the worst part. I didn't realize until I was left lying on the table alone, all draped and sanitized, how nervous it all made me. I started hearing my heart beat in my ears and this weird quivery thing going on with my bottom lip. What if I vomit, what if I cry, what if they haven't numbed me and I feel the knife cut through my skin, what in the world do the poor soldiers in war zones go through when they get injured, what if my daughter or husband was having some major surgery, why have they left me here to think all of these morbid thoughts!?!?! It's amazing what your mind goes through and the thoughts that materialize out of nowhere. And so I started doing that breathing thing they taught me when I was having Wesley, and surprisingly it helped. I found my "focal point" as they tell you to do, and I took long steady mindful breaths, and it helped. Also helping to calm me were the nurses and the doc. God bless these people. The good ones are a gift to us. They were so kind and understanding and compassionate, they just glowed with it. And they were all so pretty and young! It was, after all a dermatologist office where everyone takes care of their skin!
All in all, not so bad, as far as surgery goes. So, I'm just going to chill for a couple of weeks, watch the tour, enjoy my kid being home and read some. No pottery right now though, until I get these stitches out. I'm not interested in having an infection or ripping open an incision.

My last post was a bit of a whine I know, but I feel the fog lifting ever so slightly, moving out of that art funk that we all get into from time to time. I do know that these spells pass and good comes from the brooding. I got a check yesterday from Lark and Key, yay! and I have a couple of invites for fall/winter shows. I got into Festifall once again, I was asked to be in a show at Cedar Creek Gallery, which is a beautiful place, very happy to have been invited to be in that show, and ironically, I have been invited to be in a show at The Greenhill Center in Greensboro for their winter show. The very same place all that beautiful beautiful pottery is showing right now (see one of my previous posts on that if you missed it), so that's cool and gives me something to set goals for. I have some ideas for the Cedar Creek show, no ideas for the Greenhill show, so maybe I will use this down time to do some pondering......
All is well for now. The Broomes are healthy and happy. Gerry had some tests done today as well and everything was clear there too. So we are good to go. Thanks everyone for the reassuring emails and comments the past couple of weeks, and the thoughts you have been sending our way. It feels good to hear from friends near and far even if I don't see you, I know you are out there with some good wishes!!!!
peace ya'll
xoxo

20 comments:

Ron said...

Take care and heal up. Good to hear you in better spirits. I had a dream the other night that I was at your house and I was looking through your mail and you had all these envelopes that were addressed to craft shows. Applications. There must have been 6 or 8 of them. Weird. I'm sure it's because I've been thinking about shows so much. Okay, well try and relax. Have some ice cream.

Dennis Allen said...

Glad it went well.Being told you can't do pottery for a couple of weeks will probably make you want to get back to it all the sooner. Enjoy your time off.

cookingwithgas said...

Good to hear from you- I am breathing a bit easier to hear all was clear with Gerry.
And happy you are taken care of- take it easy TB- sending you some good energy to heal quickly!

Michèle Hastings said...

Glad to hear the surgery went well. I too have used the Lamaze breathing techniques for things other than childbirth! It is especially helpful for me when having a dental procedure done... a couple of bad experiences have me really disliking the dentist.
Enjoy your break, you will go back to clay with lots of new ideas.

gz said...

Just calling back here after a while away-being ill when you're normally active is no joke, but use it as a break to think and re-evaluate. I'm just re-starting after about two months off.
Hope you heal quickly.
x gz

Tracey Broome said...

Hey Ron, that is too weird! Maybe your dream brought me luck since I got the invites :)
Dennis, you are so right, now that I can't work, I want to!
Thanks Meredith, I appreciate all the emails and warm thoughts, they sure helped!!!!
Michele, I KNOW! The DENTIST! Ick!! I had the worst experience last time I went, I lost my temper with them as well, which didn't help at all. I may never go back , my teeth may just have to fall out! This was much better :)

Tracey Broome said...

Hi GZ, I was just catching up on your blog this morning and seeing what you have going on. Glad to see things are good for you, thanks for the wishes :)

Hollis Engley said...

Way to go,Trace. It's not so bad after all. Relax and enjoy the enforced rest for your body. I'm guessing your brain is going to keep working just fine.

smartcat said...

So very pleased that you came through with flying colors. I find those breathing techniques oh so useful. Last time I had a 'procedure' done everyone in the room was commenting on my low steady pulse rate.....normally my blood pressure goes haywire just going into the doc's office.
Take care, catch up on games, start a notebook...whatever floats your boat!
Virtual {{{hugs}}} and good wishes wafting your way!

Anna M. Branner said...

I truly was thinking of you this week, trying to remember when The Appointment was. So glad it is behind you. And believe you me I am also one of those sick, hyperventilating types before tests and surgeries. I've been through my share.

Sit back and relax and breath that big sigh of relief. Check a weaving book out of the library! :)

Susan Wells said...

I was wandering when I'd see a post. Glad your torture is over. Ick. AND horray for invites and vases. Happy days. Juice is your friend. Or is it beer?

Tracey Broome said...

Hey ya'll, thanks so much for the comments. There's a little bit of pain rearing it's ugly head now, so I will be brief and give you a big group hug and thanks. I'll be back later!!! Appreciate all of your comments SO MUCH!
xoxoxoxo

klineola said...

Be well, Tracey. Maybe instead of potting you could pick up my blogging slack?
:]

Amy said...

Glad you're laying low and that the procedure went well. How wise you are to use breathing techniques. Hope peace is near, especially these next few days.

Lori Buff said...

I'm so glad to know everything went well. Good for you remembering to do breathing. Once I was waiting for a dentist to do something painful to me so I started following my breath as One would do when meditating and it really helped.

Shannon said...

nothing like having the cancer behind you. It's a great feeling. :) And what fun to be given permission to just lump around a bit.

Unknown said...

Tracey, I'm being a bit slack keeping up with you, but me and Jakki are with you Broome folk, heart and soul. You'll be fine, of course. Life is weirdly full of these issues. Jakki is convinced this house is poisoning both of us!.. some days I'm inclined to believe her!! doctors here are funny buggers, they've got their money, so why give a crap. How's healthcare over there? Jakki is worried about moving back by the cost of healthcare, even with insurance/employee healthcare. A friend of hers had his tonsils out recently and even with insurance had a stiff bill that would seriously cripple us. How is Obama care going down? it's odd that this seems so unreasonable to the American folk, healthcare should be available o everyone and it's one of those things i am happy to give my tax money too. I'd hate to rot away, purely because of cash. Rest up Tracey and you'll be back with a bang! Anyone else with thoughts on US healthcare please chip in. We've had so much rain for our 'summer' that we're about done with his green (very) and pleasant land.

Peter said...

Kind and Healing thoughts from us too. Px

Tracey Broome said...

Hi all, took a little break yesterday fro the blog, thanks for all the comments, I'm a bit behind!
Scott, I really can't address the health care issue, Gerry has a good job and good insurance, so we don't seem to have any problems with that. I'm sure those that are self employed would have more input. I will say that we do have trouble sometimes finding a doctor that is in our allowed network, it's a hassle with that....

Judi Tavill said...

So glad you are well! Definitely take it easy! I am so glad you had a positive experience with your doctors! Best ofvall wishes to you!