FYI: I have some projects that need to be photographed and a ton of projects that were gifts and I can’t talk about until after Christmas. D’oh. When I have time, I will post about things!
Gillian at Crafting a Rainbow is hosting the Top 5 series again this year. I had a great time doing it last year and emailed her excitedly asking if she was doing it again.
I want to start off with highlights. This entry is not about sewing. It’s my highlights of the year.
1.
I’ve reflected on this day a lot this year. It was perfect from start to finish. I am so happy.
2.
We had such a wicked time being dorky tourists in Niagara Falls. A heart-shaped whirlpool tub in the room. Visited a wax museum. Saw exotic birds. Rode the boat under the falls. Got our pictures taken in an old school saloon. It was the best time.
3.
My husband.
Okay, I will switch gears from gushing over love, but the highlight of the year is my husband. Since getting married, I’ve never been more in love with him. We have grown so much as a couple this year and every day I find myself more and more in love. How is that even possible? Well, with such a wonderful guy as your partner, it’s easy! I love you, Dale. Sew very much.
4. My job.
I don’t talk about it that much here, but I’ve been enjoying learning a lot this year as a project manager on several corporate initiatives. I have been taking a lot of pride in that. For Halloween, I went to work as the Super Project Manager, which inspired a coworker to create the comic book cover above.
5. My Health.
I talk about it occasionally, but I live with chronic pain and it’s often the reason for large gaps in posting even when I have tons sewn. It takes so much energy out of me and makes it very difficult to do daily tasks let alone extracurricular tasks. I will often put my energy toward sewing rather than taking garment photos and writing blog entries.
I was “diagnosed” with fibromyalgia earlier this year. I say diagnosed because the rheumatologist did his tests in finding the pain centers and ruled out several things and then said “it’s probably fibromyalgia. Talk to your family doctor about these medications.” Then he handed me a list and I talked to my family doctor who wasn’t very helpful and hasn’t ever really been helpful for me.
Then I switched family doctors. My current doctor is amazing and sent me for a second opinion about the fibromyalgia due to joint dislocation I experience on a daily basis and the cause for the majority of my pain. I discussed that issue with the previous rheumatologist and my previous family doctor and they both saw that “as no issue.” Okay…
I have a bunch of specialist appointments booked and MRIs. I’ve seen another rheumatologist. I’ve had a ton of x-rays. It’s all been pretty painful to go through the tests and x-rays, because of the way they locate your pain, prode it to cause pain, and then manipulate your body to find the perfect angle for the x-rays.
I know this journey will lead me to a more definitive diagnosis. This is a highlight for me because I am finally on the right track and making my health a top priority. This is something I set as a goal this year and I am glad to finally be getting somewhere. I may never be cured, but I hope to have an actual treatment plan in place some day soon. I feel pretty hopeful!
Andie Wells Studio 
Sounds like a very good year overall! I hope things keep progressing positively towards a definitive diagnosis and better treatment plan. My partner has a couple of chronic health issues and he also struggled for a few years with doctors who were cold and fairly cavalier about some pretty serious concerns. Luckily, we ended up moving and he found an excellent doctor in NY. It’s crazy how much things can shift when you finally find a doctor who really cares and who takes you seriously.
It has been a good year!
I keep hearing that diagnosis on chronic illnesses like this takes up to ten years. I think it’s a reality because of doctors like that who don’t seem to really listen to their patients. I’m so glad that he has an excellent doctor now. It really does make a difference. ❤
Wove, twue wove! I’m so happy you’ve found the right guy and life is good. (Pain, not so much, but life, good.) I had the same “problem” writing up my highlights – how do I make it not just “I LOVE MY HUSBAND”? But really, someone who makes life great deserves to be celebrated!
May 2016 include lots of sewing, health, and happiness!
Right?! It’s so difficult to not make it all about love. 😉 It’s definitely something to be celebrated.
I hope 2016 is filled with lots of sewing, health, and happiness for you as well! ❤
Andie, I’m so happy for you that you’ve had such a fulfilling year 🙂 you and your husband look like real sweeties. Best of wishes to you in 2016 and I hope it it just as lovely.
Being a spoonie myself and having suffered through abuse, insults and disrespect from medical professionals I know just how frustrating and upsetting it can be to be on the ‘diagnosis merry go round’. If I am acting like some crazy trying to diagnose you on the internet, please feel free to tell me to GTFO. But I wonder if EDS is a diagnosis your drs have considered. It fits into those linked disorders – CFS/ME, fibro, EDS, POTS/OI – and causes pain and frequent joint dislocation. It is not a very well known condition, I only know about it because I suffer from CFS/ME and POTS/OI that I know about it. At any rate, I hope you get some answers with your health. The relief that a diagnosis and treatment plan brings is incredible!
I resisted putting EDS in my post because it’s not my diagnosis yet but it’s been said by many so far. I’m off to a geneticist next for that. If it’s not that there are other rare diseases that might be related to these issues. I score high on the hypermobility index and have so many related symptoms that are the same as EDS. We’ll see. Either way it’s definitely going on the right track.
I think it’s nuts how us spoonies get treated by health professionals.
Wishing you tons of spoons in 2016! ❤
I didn’t know what a spoonie is (do now) but realise I have now joined the spoonie ranks. I’ve finally got a diagnosis of sorts, only after pushing, but not yet useful treatment as what was tried disagreed with me. I wish you better health in 2016.
I’m glad you finally have a diagnosis. I hope the next treatment is much more helpful. Being a spoonie is tough, but we can do it. ❤ Wishing you better health in 2016, too!
Hi Andie! Thank you so much for your hits and misses. You are an inspiring sewer! Even with a job and a painful condition you have created so many wonderful pieces. I LOVE it that you included your husband and your love for him. Some of us without husbands need hope that it can happen for us too (meaning me, obviously!).
I have been living with fibromyalgia for over 20 years. It took 10 years to get a diagnosis. It’s a drag, that’s for sure! I have learned a lot from Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum’s books and his website vitality101.com.
I don’t know what being a ‘spoonie’ means though!
Best wishes for all your adventures in 2016!
Hi Denise! Thanks so much!!! Your kind words mean a lot to me. 🙂
I wrote a bit more about the spoon theory in the this post: https://sewprettyinpink.wordpress.com/2015/05/07/chronic-pain-body-positivity-and-sewing/
Here’s the original post on spoon theory: http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory/
Basically, people with chronic illness start their day with a number of spoons and need to use a spoon for each activity. We never know how many we get or how many we will use, but once the spoons are gone, they are gone. We can try to borrow from the next day, but that leaves us even worse for the next day. That’s being a spoonie. Knowing your energy is limited and you can cause issues by not listening to your body.
I’ll check Dr. Teitelbaum’s site out. Thanks! 🙂
May you have tons of spoons! 😀