Watch this spot for mission news in 2012.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lumps

This is the story of my lump, but it starts many years ago (starting to sound like a fairytale already).  When I had my first baby I was determined that I would work at maintaining a flat stomach.  I didn't want to look like I was three months pregnant unless I really was.  I noticed that several of my girlfriends had not lost that last little bit of pudge after having their first baby.  No, I didn't become an avid workout freak.  Like everyone else I had my ups and downs.  However, I did have my one isometric exercise I would do if I felt my stomach need some extra work (after menopause if becomes a downhill battle).

Life moves forward and I go through menopause.  Nature seems to fight against you once you stop those periods.  My hips broaden and my stomach muscles didn't work quick as well.  This past summer I felt a lump in my abdomen that didn't seem functional.  My thought was maybe it was a muscle or maybe scare tissue from an old c-sections.  I pondered it for awhile then decided to check with an expert on anatomy, my doctor.  

It took me awhile to make the appointment because I felt silly fussing over a lump.  I knew it would worry me if I didn't talk to an expert, so I made the appointment.  My doctor poked my stomach in several places if this hurt or that hurt.  It didn't, but I was beginning to think it would if she didn't stop poking me pretty soon.  The doctor decided the best thing to do was get an ultrasound.  I think the ultrasound ended causing me more discomfort than the doctors poking.  

I was surprised how quickly the doctor received the results.  I was in to see her the next day. She said there was a mass in the uterus.  I recalled that several years previous an HMO had told me that I had a cyst, but didn't recommend anything.  When the doctor heard that she had me get a blood test, CT scan, and see a surgeon.  

Celebrate quilt

For Mother's Day 2010 my daughters gave me the class and some of the material to make this quilt.  There are 104 snowballs in this quilt.  I finished almost half of the snowballs by the end of the school year.  I took this project with me to Nebraska to work on while I visited my daughter and her family.  Tadaah, I finished it.  It turned out to be more of a challenge than I expected.