Checking In At Long Last
I've sure been missing in action these past couple of months. Have been going through a rough time...was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in August. As you may imagine, that brought my entire world to an abrupt halt.
But after a couple of months of carefully chosen exercise, music, reading, whining, and of course chocolate, I'm more or less on an even keel again. I'm doing all I can to keep the symptoms from getting worse, and I've finally resumed my knitting. At first I was too anxious and distressed to do *anything,* including knitting. But I dipped my toe in the water, just knitting one row at a time, and now I'm back. And it feels good.
The first thing I completed was a Christmas item, so I can't mention it here. ;-) The second thing is a stocking for my grandson Aaron, and it's not a surprise, so here's a picture:
It's an old, out of print pattern that I used to make stockings for my three kids when they were small. Now I'm using it for a new generation!
Currently I'm working on another gift, so can't mention that, either. All these secrets! But that's a big part of the holiday fun.
I can truly say knitting is therapeutic. I know it's helping me keep calm. Thank goodness for yarn and pointy sticks!
But after a couple of months of carefully chosen exercise, music, reading, whining, and of course chocolate, I'm more or less on an even keel again. I'm doing all I can to keep the symptoms from getting worse, and I've finally resumed my knitting. At first I was too anxious and distressed to do *anything,* including knitting. But I dipped my toe in the water, just knitting one row at a time, and now I'm back. And it feels good.
The first thing I completed was a Christmas item, so I can't mention it here. ;-) The second thing is a stocking for my grandson Aaron, and it's not a surprise, so here's a picture:
It's an old, out of print pattern that I used to make stockings for my three kids when they were small. Now I'm using it for a new generation!
Currently I'm working on another gift, so can't mention that, either. All these secrets! But that's a big part of the holiday fun.
I can truly say knitting is therapeutic. I know it's helping me keep calm. Thank goodness for yarn and pointy sticks!
posted by Elizabeth Delisi at 10:59 AM
9 Comments:
I'm so sorry to hear about your new health worries. I'm glad you've found strategies to help you manage your life. And that you have sticks and string to help you manage your stress. Hugs from the Sunshine State.
Thanks, Toni. It wasn't totally unexpected as I had developed a tremor, and my dad has Parkinson's. But I don't think we're ever truly ready to hear, "You have ______," where the fill-in-the-blank is something bad.
Thanks for the hugs, will take all I can get. ;-)
Liz
Liz,
I certainly can see where knitting would help calm you - and I am sure that is a wonderful feeling. I hope that the Parkinson's is slow in developing and that you feel better and more in control as you adjust to handling this stress.
Thanks so much, Sara. It's a funny thing...I knew knitting would be calming, but I had to have already achieved a certain level of calm to be able to go back to it. Once I hit that, then the knitting helped with the rest of the stress.
Liz
Big hugs on this difficult challenge. I'm so glad you've been able to get back to knitting and are finding some peace with your sticks and yarn. I can't count the number of difficulties my knitting has carried me through. Life is better with needles and string, eh?
Absolutely right, Laura. And yarn is cheaper than therapy!
Liz
Adding my hugs to all the other Yarnies'! I'm sending warm thoughts your way, Liz! Knitting is truly a miraculous stress reliever because one feels constructive and relaxed all at once. Keep the needles moving and calm will follow.
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Thanks, Nancy, I agree. It was tough to get re-started, but now I'm on a roll. It's nice to know I have something I can still do well!
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