:-{ :-)

Well, this time I really dropped the ball. It's been about a year since my last post. My illness has not gone very well for the most part. My skin is literally like tissue paper from Prednisone, etc. I still bruise & bleed badly. I was able to stop Plavix so I do clot when I bleed now. My joints & bones are in bad shape, I am rarely able to get a decent night's sleep w/o help. I developed a Cryptococcus Neoformans Infection. Fortunately my dermatologist caught it while she was treating me for Squamous Cell Carcinoma (a skin cancer due to the immune suppressants). If she hadn't it could have killed me. She referred me to an Infectious Disease/Internist. I am very happy with him and I am now moving all doctors to the part of town I live in. I had been with my Rhuematologist for about 20 years but her office had gotten so unresponsive that I feared for what might happen during a really bad time. I am in the middle of the change over and it's hard. I still need to write a letter to my former dr to tell her that I'm leaving and why. I will really miss her but do like my new doctors so far. I am having a stress test in 3 days and next week I will have my 2nd cataract removed. It will be good to be able to see clearly.
My art has gone well. I now paint with oil on canvas and often mount them on stained wood. I joined clubs and made some good friends who have been very kind and generous with their time and experience. I joined a studio but for quite a few months have been unable to go due to my health. I have had good response to my work and it makes me very happy. I said when I started this blog that I needed some interest, something to do to feel worthwhile and I found it. I found more than that. I found my passion and it's saved me.