Author: Dan

Thank you (and update)

Posted on by Dan

Thank you for the well-wishes, prayers, good thoughts and vibes, and offers both on and off the interwebs. I’m beginning to more strongly believe that regardless of relationship, faith or even proximity the great pooling effect of all that thought and energy can provide a cushion of support upon which to rest. I am touched. I’ve also been encouranged to post updates on the blog (even if there isn’t always scratchcrafty goodness to include). So, I’ll do my best to provide you (and me) with a central spot of information (so I’m not sending out so many different versions of it in as many different e-mails or calls).

I will be spending the next month (the 1st in a series of at least three extended hospital stays) at Regions Hospital in St. Paul. Like I mentioned in my previous post, I was admitted Monday night (March 16), after a bone marrow biopsy (taken the same day) confirmed what the hematologist was suspecting with my blood results. Tuesday, after a sleepless night of vitals, bloodwork and enough plasma and other blood products to get my coagulation factors high enough to have a hickman line put in, they final were able to do that. Treatment for the leukemia actually started Monday night with the main drug ATRA (basically a high dose of Vitamin A). Chemo started on Tuesday and will run for a total of 7 days.

So far the side effects haven’t been too bothersome (although I’m told they don’t really start to hit until a week or so in). Until then, I’m doing my best to choke down the “wonderful” food they serve here and gain as much reserve energy in case I can’t eat much later on.

I’ll post some more later with a description (and photos) of my new home away from home. Knowing that my immune system is completely gone really puts the kibosh on getting out of the room, the hospital does provide some equipment to help wile away they days (including an in-room treadmill, this laptop I’m writing from, and other forms of electronic entertainment). My friends from work sent over a ton of books (thank you!), and I’ve already finished Kevin Kling’s The Dog Says How.

Thanks, again, for the outpouring of support. This is going to be a strange ride, but one which we’ll look back on not just with bewilderment, but also amazement and newfound strength.

12 Comments

Adding unpleasantries to the mix

Posted on by Dan

Well, friends and readers, I’m a bit at a loss of words right now, but feel like I should at least start a note about the upcoming months. I was recently (like, 24 hours ago) diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia. I’m sending this note from my hospital room, where I will be confined for the next 4 weeks. The treatment, from what they’ve told me, is very good and has a 85-90% positive outcome. But, my stay will be confining (since I will be spending most of the time in a somewhat sealed room). I have plans to work on some knitting during this time, but I’m not sure how often I will be updating the blog. I’m not sure I want to turn this into a follow-Dan’s-health-blog, but this is such a huge thing for us right now, it didn’t seem right to not say anything. So keep us in your thoughts (especially Virginia, as she starts to pull super duty of housekeeper, supporter, caregiver and partner), and I’ll do my best to scratchcraft away the hours of recovery.

29 Comments

Comfrey

Posted on by Dan

Comfrey

Virginia, with the month or so remaining of winter (optimistically speaking), finished another cardigan. This is Comfrey from Rowan’s Purelife – The Organic Wool Collection. She knit this using a yarn from Thirteen Mile Lamb and Wool — a fantastic small farm in Montana that raises sheep (to quote from their Web site), “without using chemical fertilizers and herbicides on our fields, and the sheep grow on grass, clover and alfalfa with no antibiotics or hormone supplements. The livestock are fenced out of the creeks to protect both local wildlife habitat and the quality of the sheeps’ drinking water. Our principal protection against native predators are our guard dogs and llamas and our own vigilance; because we have chosen not to use lethal control methods against coyotes, bears, wolves, mountain lions, our ranch is certified as “predator friendly”. It is a choice which, like many of our land management decisions, acknowledges risk in the interest of learning how to coexist with native species while caring for the land.”

Comfrey

Not only that, but they also use both naturally colored wool and natural dyes for their yarns. Their color palette is quite something. I think Virginia had a tough time picking between the colors that they have. But, this is, in my opinion, a very suitable choice for this sweater.

Comfrey

I think she agrees, too.

5 Comments

Cake and Yarn (What more do you need?)

Posted on by Dan

I was jonesing for some cake today, but with Virginia fighting a cold and myself not wanting to get one, I figured it would be best to just leave it… unless, the cake was actually good for us.

Good-For-You Cake

I’m calling this a good-for-you cake. The recipe is as follows:
In a small bowl, soak then combine (I used a wand blender to liquefy):
1/3 cup finely chopped dates
1/4 cup oats
1 1/2 cups boiling water

Add to mixture:
2-3 Tbsp. sour cream
2-3 Tbsp. canola oil (I wasn’t measuring that carefully)
1 Tbsp. maple syrup

In a medium bowl combine:
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cup white flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cardamom

Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, briskly mix together until batter is smooth, but not overmixed. Pour batter into greased 9-inch round cake pan and bake for 30 minutes (or until toothpick comes out clean) in a 350º oven. (I actually used a 7-inch springform, but it was a little small for the amount of batter, and I had a difficult time getting the center done without drying out the sides–hey that’s what experimentation is all about, right?).

Because I had a smaller, but taller cake, I cut it into three sections and spread some cooked-down blackberries (with a splash of lemon and 1/2 tsp. corn starch to thicken it) between the layers… and since we had a bit of cream in the fridge, it seemed like a touch of freshly whipped cream on top was appropriate. Perfect with an afternoon cup of tea.

In the spinning department, I finished up another bump of superwash merino. I kettle dyed some top in several 3 oz. portions (I actually thought I had set aside several 4 oz. portions, but I blame that mistake on the vicodin I was taking at the time…).

Handspun - Superwash Merino

This skein is actually only 2.8 oz. but I was able to squeeze 220 yards of 3-ply yarn out of it. Probably not enough for a full pair of socks, but I’m spinning all this sock yarn a similar weight, so there will probably be some mixing and matching going on.

1 Comment

Springtime Bunnies and Socks

Posted on by Dan

Inspired by the foraging bunnies in our back yard, a sign that Spring is on its way, I decided to show my support for warmer weather by making some little effigies.

Springtime Bunny

Of course, there’s never just one bunny in the yard. So, true to nature, I started putting together a whole warren.

Springtime Bunnies

Although, I have a feeling I did something to anger the weather gods, because I just finished shoveling 8 inches of snow off our sidewalks and driveway this evening. So, looks like we’ll be waiting a little while longer for Spring.

In knitting news, Virginia finished making a pair of socks from the new “Knitting Socks with Handpainted Yarn” book by Interweave. Our friend Barb (owner of Wild Geese Fibres) designed this particular pattern in the book, and this pair was knit with Koigu.

Sock #36 (52 Sock Challenge)

4 Comments