Friday, December 15, 2023

 


 It suddenly occurred to me that there is just a little over two weeks left in the year.  When I got some extra time to finish my manuscript, it seemed like forever.  Now I get that it's not.  Time to really get moving on it.

This past week did kind of melt, but largely because I got a tooth pulled on Monday.  My first, other than wisdom teeth.  I was all hyped up with worry and anticipation before the procedure and then, well, I felt a little out of it after.  It wasn't terrible, but not fun either.  Because there was some bone loss, the oral surgeon pack cadaver bones in the empty space.  It is supposed to tell my body to make more bone that will eventually replace the cadaver bones .  I think she said the cadaver bones would dissolve or disappear.  But, well, cadaver bones sent my imagination in high gear. Whose bones are they and how did they become available to a dentist? Who sells cadaver bones?  I've heard that people who get heart transplant seem to get some feelings and memories from the original owner of the heart. Were those bones going to send me thoughts from whoever they belonged to?  

So, far no weird dreams or memories that might belong to someone else.  

The recovery has been okay.  I took one fake Tylenol for the pain the first evening and that was it.  Meanwhile it was chaos as usual at my house, so I forgot myself and thought about all of them.  There is no such thing as a normal day here anymore.  Every day is filled with serendipity.

When I didn't feel up to writing, I at least worked on some crochet pieces.  I liked working on the Christmas tree and it was satisfying to finish it.  Though I think I may find some beads to sew on as ornaments.  

Thankfully, I got back into writing yesterday and will be gearing up to finish.  But then there's Jakey's birthday, his school vacation, Christmas and taking care of all the year end stuff.

Wouldn't it be nice if  the cadaver was a personal organizer or accountant who could  send some ideas my way.

10 comments:

Patty Jenkins said...

Good morning -- Hope you're making an easy recovery from the dental procedure. I'd not heard of using cadaver bones and it conjures up all sorts of thoughts. How does your body know which bone to dissolve -- is dissolved bone swallowed or absorbed by your body -- what if it came from a really horrid person. Oh my, probably shouldn't even think about such things!!

The tree and gift bag are so cute -- is there a crochet project for each day of Advent? I put the last stitch in the shawls I made as Christmas gifts -- now back to blankets, my very favorite thing to do.

You'd mentioned always having a little tail end of yarn popping up after weaving in yarn ends. I've discovered that if I thread the yarn end into a tapestry needle and sort of meld the yarn into the stitches, it holds better and the tails ends don't seem to pop out.

I've found several patterns for crocheting blankets that look like quilt squares, specifically Log Cabin pattern. Be a great way to use odds and ends of leftover yarn. My daughter quilts, all by hand and beautifully. She made a king-sized Log Cabin quilt -- a work of art.

It is hard to believe Christmas is so near -- I'm having the family here for brunch rather than doing a big dinner as my daughter-in-law and grandson are flying to Chicago later in the day to spend a week with her family. I had my menu all planned, then my grandson requested Eggo waffles!! They will be added.

The fake coyote my son put in his yard seems to be working -- no raccoon since it was put out. I thought it was going to be ceramic but it's sort of a rubbery substance with a faux fur tail -- looks very menacing.

Enjoy your week, your crocheting and your writing.



Betty Hechtman said...

Patty, I will have to ask the dentist about how the cadaver bones disappear. I haven't had any dark thoughts or any thoughts that don't feel like my own, so maybe it's just when you get a heart transplant that you get some of the personality of who it belonged to.

The Advent calendar has a few more small projects that I've seen for things like a lump of coal and a Christmas ornament. They spread the supplies for the tree over two days and the stuffing for it was the prize for December 1. There was some grumbling about how the things were organized and I guess there is a hook for a day up ahead. The grumblers thought it should have been earlier. There were some of those metal ornament hangers for one of the days, but the tree seems too big to be an ornament.

It is a whole other experience making objects as opposed to blankets and scarves. Your idea for a blanket that looks like a quilt sounds beautiful and intricate. Good luck.

Nice that you have family coming for the holidays. The people from Chicago will appreciate your sun. The last time I was there, it was cloudy all the time.

Glad the fake coyote is working.

Linda D Osborn said...

Wow !! I have had Tremendous amounts of dental work, including many teeth pulled. Never heard of the bone thing. I agree, how could the body know what to dissolve, and where does it go ???
I have to very carefully tell you about my daughter in law's dad. At 72 he was given a heart transplant, not usually done for someone that age, but he was a perfect match and could get to UCLA in 2 hours {required}. He was a from the deep south, very conservative, prejudiced, somewhat outspoken about his beliefs. Well, lets just say the doner was from San Francisco, and completely the opposite in every way. That heart lasted 14 years, rare, and i don't think a family gathering went by that he was not teased and asked if he was having any strange feelings from that heart. He always denied any influence from the donner, but it made for many family jokes.

Linda O. Johnston said...

Hmmm, Betty. It'll be interesting to learn if your cadaver bone contributor communicates with you! He/she probably will, at least in your imagination.

And your crochet work looks great!

Betty Hechtman said...

Linda Osborn, the cadaver bones have to be pretty tiny. The dentist assured me that they treated so they wouldn't cause me a problem. She recommended it because there was bone loss where the tooth was. I had the option not to do it and it cost a bunch, so I hope that she is right that m own bone will replace the bones she put in. I go back in a week or so and will ask about how the cadaver bones make their exit.

That must have been a shock for your daughter in laws dad to get a heart from someone so different. Maybe he had thoughts or feelings and kept them to himself. I remember reading somewhere that a man who got a heart transplant noticed he had a different taste in food that was like the original heart owner's.

Betty Hechtman said...

Linda Johnston, I also wondered how they got the bones. Did they come from someone who wanted to be an organ donner or from some foreign country where they sell off body parts. I have to wait three months to see if the bones worked and mine grew in their place.

I looked at the Advent calendar-- I'm a little behind in checking out the days-- and saw there are a number of other kits to make among other things, a star to go on the tree. It's nice because they are small and don't take too long to make. I finish before I get tired of working on them. I made a little birthday cake for my husband. Lasts forever and no calories.

Patty Jenkins said...

Hi again -- An update on the faux coyote -- my son sent me a video from his Ring camera showing a raccoon moving around his yard. The critter came nose to nose with the coyote, jumped about a foot in the air and hightailed it out of the yard!! It looked so funny!!

Betty Hechtman said...

Patty, I wonder what the racoon was thinking.

chkntza said...

I love the crochet items you made. Besides wisdom teeth and four molars pulled to make way for braces I haven't had any more teeth pulled. But I have never heard of cadaver bones used. That is very interesting. I hope they work for you.

Sally Morrison said...

Cute crochet items. I never get past doing a scarf or blanket though this year I'm working on a Christmas tree skirt that now will be used next year.

Have a wonderful holiday season!