I'm still an art supply addict

 I went to Hobby Lobby today.  I was supposed to get large wiggly eyes that I can sew onto my sleep mask that I use during in-clinic treatment.  I totally blanked out on this.  I found the aisle with the colored ink pens & pencils, looking for Tombow brush pens.  

I didn't find Tombow but I found brush pens from Faber Castell: Aqua Dual pens.  I haven't tracked art supplies for at least 4 years.  At first I just got a couple black pens.  I really don't care that they're brush on one side & pen on the other, I was most interested that they can be washed like watercolor.  So I got the landscape set too.  Hmm, I can't access my stash of sketchbooks right now so a new mixed media sketchbook found its way into my basket, as well.  I did keep my smallest sets of acrylic paints, watercolor, and drawing pencils accessible.  No, I haven't been drawing on the walls, I have other sketchbooks but they don't do well with wet media.

WOOT!  I'm fitting into pants I wore 10 years ago with room to spare.  I don't know why they're in good shape.  Maybe I didn't wear them that long before "growing out of them."  happy happy

Almost May

Things are going well.  Schedule has only stabilized this week so I'm trying to get into the office earlier so that I can leave earlier.  I actually have more energy from better sleep except that I got a terrible rash from the harsh chemical they used to clean around the port.  I've never worn daily makeup because my skin is very sensitive, even to super-duper hypoallergenic stuff.  So now they're using different methods & materials on me.  Rash is healing slowly but  I'm taking an allergy pill to dull the pain & itching.  However,  it's making it hard to wake up when I need to wake up because of the drowsiness side effect.

Speaking of "office," I get in every day and ask myself why I keep going in.  I know it's the majority of my social interaction and the big boss & managers have been either uncharacteristically nice (especially compared to 2019) or they've just been leaving me alone.  On May 17, I reach my 13th anniversary at the company.  That's my next milestone.  Maybe I'll give notice at that time whether or not I like the annual review.

My first goal passed Feb 2021, when we learned engineering boss passed.  I had said I'll retire when he did, which he meant to do in early 2021 (he was already into his 80's).   My next goal passed when Mom passed. My 3rd goal was to retire once I got Medicare, my last mental obstacle.  But Dec 2022 passed while I was struggling with dialysis--turns out employer's insurance is still better than Medicare.  So the goal was reset to end of April, where we are now.  Only because passing 59-1/2 is just a number to shoot for, not that I need to draw from retirement accounts right away. 

Next step to transplant

Yay, I finally finished my "oiling" project.  It's that snowball that I created when I had to condition the cutting board, then came my knife block, then the knives in the knife block, then everything in my kitchen drawers that were wood or had dry wooden handles.  (That eliminated my Mom's & Auntie's utensils which were conditioned over 60+ years of much use.)  I had put the project aside when I wasn't feeling well, didn't have the energy for it.

So I have my appointment in August for a day of tests to determine the parameters to match me for a kidney.  Yea, these things don't move very fast.  Even after I get on the transplant list, it's still a waiting game for a match.   I've been to two hemodialysis treatments now and I find myself with more time in the day because I don't have to clean & set up for the overnight (every night) treatments.  However, I now go 5 days between Friday and Wednesday between treatments, so we'll see how I feel toward the next treatment.  But, hey, that means I can do weekend getaways & sleepovers now!

Fast recovery

I was actually feeling energetic by the end of yesterday (12 hours after I checked in for surgery), even more so this morning.  I think it had more to do with getting good sleep instead of waking up from sounds & light from the PD machine.  Got a couple errands done before I ran out of time and had to go to clinic.  But since I'm not connecting myself for a few weeks, I have extra time at night & in the morning.  I don't know what to do with myself!  

I brought my sketchbook to today's treatment but wasn't too ambitious.  There's not really a table to use while connected in-clinic, so I just played on my phone for 3 hours.  My neck was tired by the end.  I guess that rules out bringing my (huge) laptop, too.  I thought maybe I could get work done but my laptop is too heavy to just be on my lap and it gets too hot, so won't be bringing that.  There are no tables to put stuff on.  The TV for each chair hangs overhead.  Ooo, something to sketch!