Last week, I reached a minor milestone…. When I signed into blogger to write a new post, I realized that it was my 200th post since the birth of my blog. I wondered how I would celebrate this feat because as many of you know blog beginnings are shaky at best. I thought an art give-away would be in order and offered a special fabric ACEO to the first person to comment. As fate would have it, Jafabrit was the first to comment. I have been reading her blog for awhile now and have been charmed by both her art work and the “Geordie Lass” phrases she sprinkles about on occassion. One in particular stands out: “I’m chuffed” is frequently used by Jafabrit when she’s really excited and/or pleased about something. I just knew I had to incorporate this word into my gift to her.
She asked me why I had chosen this particular image for her. To tell you the truth, my daughter just did a unit in school on chameleons and I thought this would be perfect for an ACEO. Chuff the Chameleon just seemed to be the right fit!
In other news, I had a little bit of a medical scare the past year. I haven’t shared it and really debated whether or not to do so at all. But, here it goes. Last summer my doctor suggested that I have my first mammogram since I had turned 40 in 2006. 40 seems to be a magic number in the medical community. I went last August and then got a call a day later saying, “Well, we found something, we’d like to do another mammogram and in addition, an ultrasound.” Nervous, I scheduled the appointment and wouldn’t you know, the sonographer and radiologist were speaking quietly to each other looking at the screen, asking me to submit to another mammogram. Then the radiologist gave me some options…he didn’t think that the spot they were seeing looked like cancer but if I wanted to, I could have a biopsy or I could wait 6 months and do it all over again. I asked him, if it was his daughter, wife, mother, etc. what would he recommend? He felt confident that I could wait. I decided to do so after reading the literature on biopsies and also the fact that it was small enough that my treatment options wouldn’t change in 6 months time.
Yesterday, I had my follow up mammogram and ultrasound. I had sort of blocked the whole thing until about 2 weeks ago, when I started to get nervous and played out all the possibilities in my head. The results: There is still something there, but it hasn’t changed/grown etc. and the doctor thinks it’s just a fatty cyst lodged deep in the muscle tissue of my breast. So, relief washed over me and we’ll do another follow up in 6 months time. Why am I sharing? I think it behooves every woman to go in for her annual mammogram. What if it had been something? I never would have known until it had progressed and required more invasive treatment. Needless to say, I’m chuffed!
The photos below are my ceramic ufo from last summer with a coat of celadon glaze on top. It should be out of the kiln by now and I’ll post a photo when I go to the league early next week.
Entries (RSS)
I am VERY VERY VERY glad that you don’t have anything!!!! That happened to me once but I am 27yrs. so they did it a bit differently. Just a lump but it could have been cancer. Just like yours could have been. I TOTALLY AGREE with you women SHOULD go and get their annual mammogram. I plan on it when my doctor tells me that I should start that. Do you know what year you should be when you start that?
Thank you for sharing all of that with us.
Anyhoo…I think that medical issues should not be kept in the dark. They are reality.
The ACEO that you made for Jafabrit is wonderful! I agree with you on that one toooo. Her work is very inspirational.
How long does it take to make a work like those ceramic works? If I could I would go to a class to learn how to do that. That is sooo kewl! I love to see your oppinion on my blog. It always brings a smile seeing you have commented!
I love both these pieces and looking forward to seeing the final glaze on the pot.
I went through a very similar experience to yours when iturned 40 but I actually had the needle biopsy. Needless to say, I never miss my annual mammogram! Goood for you for speaking up about this!
LOL! I can just see you now going around saying you are chuffed to bits about this or that. I usually say I am “dead chuffed” whereas mandy (another Geordie blogger) will say “chuffed as mintballs”. And thank goodness you are chuffed about the mamogram results. You try not to panic or let it bother you but the thoughts of it lurks eh! I am happy things are okay.
Your ceramic pieces look good.
I will post soon why I thought the choice of image was interesing and made me chuckle. Anway, thanks again I really love it and everytime I look at it now I smile.
Whew! I’m relieved you don’t seem to have anything serious. A friend of mine has been waiting for 12 different docs to agree about her need for chemo and radiation after a radical double mastectomy and all the other trouble she has had. I hear more from her this coming Monday. Something like that is scary.
I remember going in for the regular mammogram–or boob squish test, as we call it–and having them go through all of that. Not a comfortable feeling. I’m fine though, and breasts are pretty good for an old lady.
Oh, I like the chuffed phrase, too! That was a fun sharing.
Glad to hear that you are keeping your health under control.
I love Jaf’s ACEO.
The pot looks good to. How did the teleseminar go?
Hi Angela, I think that for most women, 40 is the magic number unless you have a family history and you/your doctor have found something in your annual exam.
Hiya Andrea, I’m glad to hear you’re okay…I think there must be more women out there with similar experiences.
Jafabrit, I am chuffed that you’re chuffed!
Thanks for the comments Mary, I’ll think positive thoughts for your friend, it has to be a very stressful time for her. The test definitely is not comfortable!
Hey Janet, the teleseminar was good, Alyson currently has it available to listen to on her website…I’ll see if I can find the link for you. Here it is:
http://www.artbizcoach.com/resources/dorrell.html
Hi Cynthia. Thanks so much for sharing that story. I think it is very very important for any human to make a clear and cautious step to watching their body…learning more about it and really being able to identify when something doesn’t feel right. I too have had my share of scares with bumps and ultrasounds and luckily they’ve been benign tumors. But I 100% identify with the nervousness and fear that you’ve mentioned. It can really take a person over if you let it. It’s hard to experience to say the least…the not knowing …the waiting.
I’m so glad that things are okay and that the spot has not grown. That is a wonderful sign!
Hugs!
Amber
SO Glad you are OK! Thanks for sharing that info you were brave to do so. I love the word Chuffed and the aceo…wonderful, can’t wait to see the UFO!
Thinking happy thoughts…H
Cynthia! I’m so glad you are ok, and thanks for sharing! You know we had that scare with my 14 year old son, thank God it was just a cist! I think that another important thing to mention, women are not the only ones who can have breast cancer! I’ve already bugged my doctor about when I should have a mammogram, but I’m still a couple years off.
Looking forward to seeing your ufo completed! And the chuffed chameleon is wonderful!
Very frightening … very good to hear you are fine though.
Love the gift you gave the brit. As usual your work is beautiful.