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"Quality of life"......a gift that just keeps on giving.
The 2020 Holidays are over. What was your favorite gift? Was one of your gifts what I call a “quality of life” gift? Was it a new special pillow that made you sleep better? Perhaps you were given something that made your life a little easier like new shoes with a softer sole. Or maybe your family gave you a Mayo gift like the Pain course or a Habit workshop?
It’s never too late to think of and thank yourself for your endurance, generosity, and kindness to yourself. And these may be things that you have never mentioned because you didn’t want to be a burden or a nuisance or appear to be selfish.
I went crazy this year and got three of my quality of life gifts. I’ll share them with you and hope you realize how very important they were and are to me.
1. My MFR therapist began to feel that one session a week was not sufficient. So, we set up a six week trial of 2 sessions per week. The difference in tolerance was amazing. I didn’t have to endure increasing discomfort for 7 days….just 3. And so….gift #1. When I let my family know they found a way to help with the additional cost called a “stocking stuffer”.
2. For over a year I have been noticing more and more pain in my hip. Several years ago, I had an injection which was done poorly and so I wasn’t too excited about trying again. This time I had a chat with myself. “Why, Chris, are you going through increasing pain when there is a solution?” So I gathered my strong determination, had the injection, and am just jumping for joy. And my insurance covered it. Great…..another quality of life gift received and appreciated.
3. My 2021 quality of life gift brigade begins tomorrow when I have my preliminary appointment to fix my arthritic thumb. I can no longer open a jar or turn a key in the door lock. Seven years ago I had anchovy surgery on the left thumb. It is perfect. Now, why have I let the other one reach such a painful stage? I really don’t like surgery but this one is relatively doable and I won’t need too much help at home.
So Happy Holidays to me.
And thank you friends and family who shouted encouragement and helped support my wishes for a few things that just needed to get done.
What items would qualify for your quality of life? Let’s all share and help each other develop our 2021 list of can dos and must-dos.
Be happy and content in 2021.
Chris
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After my 5 yr old's return from her visit to her dad's new home, she said, "Mom, I didn't like the house." Why? Because it doesn't feel lived in." Oh, dear! My house is clean but sometimes I do have to move some things or unclutter a bit to get the cleaning done. Smiles
After being 1 cup short of flour needed for homemade rolls, I began placing all ingredients needed on the counter before starting a recipe. Learned long ago that is the surest way to guarantee I'll have all that is needed. I do like to clean as I cook because facing all of the clean-up later is just "too much".
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6 Reactions@sueinmn You are certainly a busy lady! I, too, love to quilt and I used to dye fabric (only smaller pieces, though). I got more into ice dyeing and snow dyeing? And you live in the perfect place for snow dyeing! We’re having another spring day here but dreading the thought of drought.
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6 ReactionsLove these - I'm guessing the upper one is newer - you talked about his need for spare visuals, and is is much more streamlined to my eye? I keep trying to paint, but tremors make me unhappy with how most of my work turns out - I find sewing more forgiving.
@julieo4 - Oh the parallels between people - my Featherweight is among my favorite machines! I learned to overhaul old Singer sewing machines one summer when confined to the upstairs by multiple hip surgeries - Jerry set me up with my own "shop" on the dining room table, and I fixed up 4 of them - 3 extra-heavy duty ones for our 3 households - for mending backpacks, sewing upholstery, etc. And one to put in my grandmother's Singer cabinet for my daughter - she was afraid to use Great-Grandma's machine & wreck it, so we have safely stowed it away. Then I tuned up my "baby" so it really purrs - I love sewing quilt blocks with its erfect straight stitch.
Sue
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5 ReactionsLaughing again - my wedding dress was made on Grandma's Singer - which my Mom inherited. The day the last stitch was finished, my wedding gift arrived - a brand new Singer - with a zig-zag! I wore it out in about 10 years, and a few more machines since then...
Sue
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6 ReactionsJulie, Julie, Julie! Featherlight is a word that can make many of us salivate and lust enough to need to ask for forgiveness! Thank you for the smile. Nancy
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3 ReactionsHi, 1nan, I found myself nodding in agreement as I read your post. It took me a long time to org. my thoughts before seeing doctors and even longer to start jotting down questions or issues. Longer still was to reduce to 2-3 questions/issues in writing to take along with me. If more than that, the docs tended to brush off the last few and I'd come away feeling disappointed. Decided that it had more to do with their pressures and time constraints per patient than disregarding me because I am a senior.
That you've traveled extensively and collected fabrics from such diverse countries had to bring great joy. Must have been difficult sharing them with other quilters when you downsized but oh my goodness the added pleasure you spread by doing so.
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3 ReactionsSue, when grandchildren started coming I totally lost my sensibilities! It never occurred to me that there would be 9! By the time the were three they each had three. The crib quilt with theme for the nursery, a heart themed baptism quilt, and one at age 3 years for whatever their love was at the time. Lesson learned. Great grandchildren get one themed by my choice that they can grow into than as toddlers, such as appliquéd owls, hot air balloons, and the butterfly quilt for our baby girl coming this week. (Laurel Burch had the perfect fabric line for that one.) And now on the hunt for June and a zoo theme. But never again “3 by age 3”! Because we know it didn’t stop there. 😂
Nancy
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3 ReactionsLove Laurel Burch fabric. Haven't seen it in ages. Do you have pictures.....quilts? Grandchildren? You are a super grandmother.
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3 Reactions@1nan I did quilts for all my family members. Blue star wallhanging for sister when my nephew was off to serve in the Army. Numerous baby quilts for friends. This coming from someone who flunked home ec in junior high school, really! I have crocheted baby blankets, also. I have Laurel Burch horse and cat fabric. I do have some zoo themed juvenile fabric...
My little champ of a machine is a Kenmore 1040, named Mr. Joe [more than just a pretty faced Ken, think GI Joe!] I also have two older Kenmores. Fabric is sorted by color families, except for novelty, batiks, and Southwest. I did 6 labrobes for stepson's family at holiday. Next big project is a flimsy for the travel trailer. And some hand-quilting on a wall-hanging.
When crocheting, it relaxes me so much I often fall asleep with hook and yarn in place. On a trip, my husband has commented I fall asleep, and never drop a stitch ;))
This "quality of life thread" helps show us what we define as our compasses.
Ginger
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6 Reactions@fiesty76 I have found that knitting every day helps the arthritis in my hands. If I don't knit I seem to notice more pain and stiffness in them.
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