Gallbladder is gone and guess it’s a good thing it is!

So I survived the night!  LOL  And now I am on laptop instead of phone so can type much better!  I just couldn’t figure out how to get comfortable last night using it so stuck to phone.
 
Let’s see………..gallbladder was removed yesterday morning.  Just the normal post surgery stuff yesterday.  Last evening Stacey was here for a while and then Doug stayed and watched the Steelers game that went into overtime of course but at least they won.  Unfortunately they have lost a couple guys for the season plus other injuries.   It was after midnight when Doug left, in fact probably closer to 12:30 and he called me at like 1:10 that he was home and exhausted.  Poor guy.  Between all our stuff this weekend and then yesterday his system doesn’t know if it is coming or going!
 
My night was a typical hospital night…………..I think I was awake more than I slept.  Every time I got up to use the bathroom it was a major production because I would have to take the things off my legs that were keeping the circulation going then get up and unplug the IV pole and take roll it in to the bathroom with me.  So then they decided that EVERY time I went they wanted to do this mini sonogram thing so I would have to beep the nurse to come in and do that. So I would head back to bed, plug the IV pole back in, put the things back on my legs, turn that machine on, and then beep the nurse and wait for her to come in and do the scan.  So then take time to go back to sleep and then do it all over a couple hours later!  LOL
 
My throat is hurting really bad from the tube they put down during surgery.  They said that is a common problem.  This morning I almost feel like I am getting a cold but it may just be the really irritated throat and my allergies making me feel like that.  The air is SO dry in here and it could be that.  I have been taking a pain pill just about every 4 hours and sometimes it was more because my throat hurt bad but my belly does hurt some too so it helped keep me more comfortable with that, too.
 
The whole scanning thing was that they felt I was retaining water in my bladder and they were concerned about that.  But I have convinced them that is just the way I am.  Since I am not uncomfortable or have any bladder infection signs the doctors and nurses are tending to agree with me………that’s just the way I am and that I don’t empty it all the way all the time.
 
The surgeon’s Physician’s Assistant was in this morning and said I am doing really good.  I told her what I ate last night for dinner (meatloaf, potatoes, pudding, fruit) and she was quite surprised and then I told her I had potato chips last night with no problems and she was VERY surprised.  She said that my gallbladder itself wasn’t in the best condition but she’s seen worse.  The part that both she and the surgeon couldn’t believe was how bad things AROUND IT were.  She said there were a lot of adhesions which happens when an organ has a lot of inflammation and infection.  She said something about when there are problems like that the stuff in your abdomen all adheres to the organ that is bad and there was a lot of it.  She said my gallbladder was bad longer than the two years I have had the nausea.  I asked her how they were still able to do it laparoscopically because I had heard that the reason they would have to do it the old fashioned way opening my belly all up was when there are a lot of adhesions………….but she said that she held the gallbladder out of the way while Dr. Georgiades carefully cut away the adhesions and then they were able to take it the way they did with the 4 one inch incisions.  So my impression?  They are pretty good surgeons apparently!  She also said that they really gave me a lot of IV fluids throughout the surgery and since because of my prior problems with general anesthesia so that IS why I didn’t have problems…………but that is also why I have to keep going to the bathroom because I am having fluids pumped into me more than normal.  That along with all the shots and patch they gave me for nausea made it so much better for me after the surgery.
 
She took all the bandages off the incisions and they are looking good.  They are not concerned about the bladder thing since I am not having problems.  They have unplugged the IV from the thing in my arm now so next time I head to the bathroom it will be just me going!  YAY!  She said Dr. Georgiades will be in sometime later today (late morning or afternoon) and I will be able to go home. 
 
My instructions are low fat diet for a couple weeks so my body adjusts to no gallbladder and the bile going straight from liver to intestines without being stored in gallbladder.  She said some people have diarrhea for a while and some don’t so I may have it and may not. I was supposed to see the doctor next week to decide about work but he is out of town so I won’t be seeing him for 2-3 weeks………..so she said no work this week for sure………..and I should play it by ear next week and if I am feeling good enough to go in half days but if not feeling good then don’t go in at all but not to try full days until after next week.  That will work I think.  Let’s see………..no driving for at least this week.  I can take walks but to be aware that I will tire easy to make them short and work up to longer ones.  No lifting or anything this week at all then after this week lifting and any activity is based on how it feels………..if it I hurts, don’t do it.  She said after this week I really can’t do any damage to the incisions or anything, it might just hurt is all.  So basically this week she said do nothing but rest a lot and maybe little walks………….and then starting next week do things as tolerated and if it hurts stop………..and then work my way back to full activity that way.  She said I might still be tired for up to 3-4 weeks as my body heals because all my resources will be going towards helping everything to heal.
 
So I guess that’s about it.  I am pretty excited that I ate real food last night and chips and ice cream and had NO nausea or anything!  So here’s hoping that all that and all the pills I have been taking for all that are done forever!!!!  They keep telling me low fat diet but we’ll see!  I want meat and food and EVERYTHING!!!!  LOL

Catch ya on the flip side…..

Well, this is it………..this might be my last blog for several days or so. I am FINALLY having my gallbladder out on Monday. After 2 years of nausea that has been getting worse and worse I am glad. Nervous……….but glad. I don’t do well with general anesthesia and it has to be used so that part is giving me some anxiety. But I just got the phone call that we have to report to the hospital at 6 a.m. on Monday. Not sure what time the cholecystectomy (medical work for yanking of the ole gallbladder) will be, but hopefully sometime that morning. I will be in the hospital overnight and then home on Tuesday.As soon as I am up to it on Monday or Tuesday I will be checking my emails on my Blackberry, so feel free to email me at fyremonksgal@msn.com .

Have a busy weekend planned, which is a good thing to keep my mind occupied and not as much time think. Tonight hubby has bowling and I go and chit chat with other wives. Tomorrow is our last day at Ligonier Country Market for the season so here’s hoping I sell a bunch of stuff. Tomorrow night we have tickets to a comedy night at our buddy’s fire department so that should be a good time. Sunday we are taking my daughter who just moved to Pittsburgh to our favorite flea markets and maybe hit Oktoberfest.

So probably not much blogging time between now and the sugery so……….catch ya on the flipside where I will be gallbladderless!!! And hopefully nausea free for the first time in 2 years!!!!

 

Computer Monitor Cleaning………

I have seen this before but was forwarded to me again recently and just had to share because it is SO adorable!

Your Monitor looks a bit dirty.

Click the link below to get a FREE CLEANING!

http://www.actrix.co.nz/special/cyberclean.html

Newest Beaded Banner I Made

I had a request for a “masculine” banner that a guy wanted to purchase for his Dad. I had this pattern from a kit I had purchased:

(Please note: This is NOT a pattern I designed so please do not ask if it is for sale. I only sell patterns I have designed myself unless I have duplicates and I don’t have a duplicate of this pattern. The kit is available online if you look. Thanks)

So using that pattern, I changed a couple colors to make it look more hunting/camo colors and here is the completed banner:

Hopefully he will like it but I will find out tonight when I deliver it.

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

Okay, so I’m not a HUGE chocolate cake person……….actually I’m not a huge cake person…………but I received this in an email and it seemed quite interesting. Wonder if it works? Has anyone ever tried it? Comment and let us know if you have!

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

1 Coffee Mug
4 tablespoons cake flour (that’s plain flour, not self-raising)
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional) a small splash of vanilla

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well

Add the egg and mix thoroughly.

Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.

Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla essence, and mix again.

Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.

The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don’t be alarmed!

Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.

This can serve 2 (Ya RIGHT!!! LOL)

And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world?
Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate
cake at any time of the day or night.

Beaded Banner Instructions and Free Beaded Banner Patterns

Don’t forget to check out my website www.bannersbybonnie.com  for your free beaded banners instructions as well as free patterns all of which are available as immediate downloads for you.

Beaded Banner Supplies – One Stop Shopping

It’s been a little while since I posted anything about Beaded Banners by Bonnie so I thought I would take a moment today and do just that.

 

Not only does Beaded Banners by Bonnie sell completed beaded banners, I am now your one stop shop for beaded banner supplies to make your own beaded banners.

 

BEADED BANNER PATTERNS DESIGNED BY ME:  Any of the patterns I have designed are for sale.  I don’t have them posted on Ebay yet nor is my website set up so you can purchase from there (yet!).  However, if you go to my website www.bannersbybonnie.com and look at the first slideshow, all those banners/patterns are ones I have designed and are for sale.

 

The patterns range in price from $3 to $7 each plus shipping, however the majority of them are $4 plus shipping.  The price includes a color printed pattern which is full size so you can put the banner together on top of the pattern as well as a bead list with colors and quantity of beads needed per color.  I only charge exact shipping, not any extra handling charges.

 

Until I get the patterns posted on Ebay or have my site set up with a shopping cart, just email me the patterns you are interested in purchasing and your zip code and I will let you know the exact cost and shipping.  Once you decide exactly what you want to purchase I can invoice you through Paypal or you can send me a money order.

 

OTHER BEADED BANNER PATTERNS:  I have a few extra beaded banner patterns that I did not design that I plan to sell.  These are patterns from duplicate kits I have purchased or pattern assortments I have purchased and received duplicate patterns.  A word to the wise from someone who made the mistake, if a company offers a pattern assortment, for instance 10 patterns for $9.95, don’t order 3 sets because you will end up with 3 of each pattern!  Make sure you find out if you can get a different variety with each set you order.

 

In regards to these other patterns, please do not ask me to make a copy of a pattern and sell it to you.  If it isn’t my own design or if it isn’t an extra copy I have, I will not make copies of other people’s designs.  That is unethical and I won’t do it.  You are welcome to ask if I happen to have an EXTRA copy of a pattern to sell, but if I don’t I cannot in good conscience get a copy made for you.  Thanks for your understanding on this matter.

 

BEADED BANNER RODS & END CAPS:  I sell the very hard to find rods and end caps for making beaded banners.  The rods I sell are white vinyl coated metal.  They come approximately 13 inches long.  The minimum they will be is 13 inches but they may be up to 14 inches in length.  Each rod comes with a removable end cap on each end.  The caps are snug enough to not fall off but they are removable for putting through the beads of the beaded banner or for cutting the banner to a smaller size.

 

As I said, the beaded banner rods are approximately 13 inches longs.  They can be cut with bolt cutters, however if you have specific sizes that you want other than the 13 inch length, I would be happy to cut them for you.  Please notify me by email at fyremonksgal@msn.com as soon as you place your order because my usual turnaround time for shipping out orders is same day.  You can mix and match sizes with your order, such as an order of 20 rods and caps has 10 cut to 8 inches, 5 to 6 inches, and 5 to 12 inches.  Whatever sizes you need I can provide, but again please email me as soon as you place the order.  DO NOT put the message regarding sizes or other specifics in the area for messages on Paypal because for some reason we do not always get these messages.

 

Rods and end caps can be purchased at my Ebay store using this link:

 

http://stores.ebay.com/Beaded-Banners-by-Bonnie-and-More?refid=store

 

BEADED BANNER END CAPS:  If you have your own rods but don’t have a source for the end caps, I also sell end caps by themselves in various quantities.  If you want to make sure that the caps I sell work on the rods that you have, please send a self addressed stamped envelope to me and I will send you 2 end caps free of charge.  Send your request and SASE to:

          Beaded Banners by Bonnie

          130 Townsend Park Court

          Murrysville, PA   15668

 

If you want to go ahead and purchase the end caps you can find them here in various quantities:

 

http://stores.ebay.com/Beaded-Banners-by-Bonnie-and-More?refid=store

 

BEADED BANNER THREAD:  I have various colors of thread for making beaded banners in my Ebay store, also.  The spools are 125 yards and I can’t tell you exactly how many banners you can get out of a spool but I know I can get several out one.  You can find the thread at this link:

 

http://stores.ebay.com/Beaded-Banners-by-Bonnie-and-More?refid=store

 

BEADED BANNER BLANK GRAPH PAPER:  Interested in designing your own beaded banner?  I sell blank graph paper in two sizes (regular banner size and bell pull size) and they come in regular paper or card stock paper and in various quantities.  The beaded banner grids are true to size and all you need is colored pencils, crayons, or Sharpies and color in the beads for your pattern.  The graph paper can be found here:

 

http://stores.ebay.com/Beaded-Banners-by-Bonnie-and-More?refid=store

 

BEADED BANNER PONY BEADS:  I have pony beads for sale in various colors.  The pony beads I have listed in my Ebay store are the ones I actually have in stock, however I can get any color and type that you need if you don’t need them immediately.  Beads are available in opaque, transparent, and matte in many colors.  If you need a color you don’t see, just ask.  The beads that are currently for sale and ready to ship with no wait are listed here:

 

http://stores.ebay.com/Beaded-Banners-by-Bonnie-and-More?refid=store

 

If you have any questions at all about any of the beaded banner supplies or you have a special request for colors of beads or thread, please feel free to email me at fyremonksgal@msn.com .

 

Thank you!

 

Bonnie Matthews

Beaded Banners by Bonnie

 

 

Eventful 24 Hours

So………..had a quite eventful 24 hours.  It started last evening when because my tooth was hurting quite bad I decided not to walk the dogs with hubby.  GOOD THING!  I was sitting in the living minding my own business when I heard this loud noise……….ummmm kind of like a gas line rupturing.  I jumped up and thought oh my goodness the house is going to explode………..and then I remembered we are all electric and have no gas lines coming to the house.  I ran to investigate and saw water spray out of the bathroom into the hall.  I ran into the bathroom and the thing that attaches the wire line to the toilet had split and water was spraying everywhere.  I turned the water off at the line and thankfully Doug had just got home and we mopped up all the water.  He then headed to Monroeville to get the parts at Lowes because all of the local hardware stores are closed by then.  So about 15 minutes later he calls me…………he hit a deer!  Thankfully Doug was okay and the car was okay and on he went.  So then he gets home and fixes the toilet and everything is fine and we go to bed.  Well I never went to sleep becasue my tooth started hurting REALLY bad……..and I was out of pain pills and was miserable.  I finally fell asleep around 2 a.m. after taking a few ibuprofen.  So then I wake up at 5 a.m. with major gallbladder issues………….very nauseous and the whole works.  I spent the next 3 hours with my head in bucket and finally felt good enough to go to work a half hour late.  So then I had my pre-op physical at 10:30 and had an EKG which was fine and bloodwork.  I voiced my general anesthesia concerns to him and he said he will red flag that so the anesthesiologist is aware of my past problems.  I then went to the dentist at 1:30 p.m. and he pulled two teeth that were too far beyond repair.  So here I sit in pain thinking about a very eventful 24 hours where the toilet blew up, hubby hit a deer, I was in pain from a bad tooth, was very sick because my gallbladder needs to come out, got my pre-op physical, and had two teeth extracted.  What a 24 hours.  LOL

Beaded Banner Pattern Purchase on Ebay Update

Just an update on the beaded banner pattern situation……

 

Jenny from Beadshak and I have emailed and she has accepted my apology and appreciated my honesty and integrity.  Thank you, Jenny.  She noted that she had reported the seller to Ebay.

 

My plan was that when the patterns came I would post feedback for the seller of the patterns as positive (because the product was sent promptly and was as described and she had already left me positive feedback) but in the comments part for EVERY pattern I was going to put “Copyrighted patterns. Should NOT have been sold and I should NOT have purchased them.”.  However I did not get a chance to do that because the patterns came yesterday around lunch and I immediately went on Ebay to post the feedback and she was already no longer a registered user.  Hopefully Ebay got to her because of the Beadshak complaint and she has been banned and she didn’t just disappear on her own and will show up with another ID on Ebay.  But we will all be watching and trust me I will be much more careful with future purchases!

Beaded Banner Patterns

I got myself in a predicament this week.

 

As most of you know that would be reading this blog, I design and sell beaded banner patterns and supplies and also completed beaded banners.  I am always on the lookout for new patterns and sometimes kits (if the price is right).  Because of that I have a search set up on Ebay for “beaded banners” and I get an email on a daily basis of any new beaded banner items listed on Ebay.

 

I am always wanting to add to my collection of patterns which at this time is up to 120 that I have designed and over 100 that I have obtained from kits or patterns purchases from other places.  When I find a kit cheap on Ebay I buy it and also there are some kits I have purchased just because I love the pattern and want it bad enough that I will buy a whole kit even though I have thousands of beads at home and all the supplies to make banners without needing a kit.  In addition, I have made purchases from a couple places online when they have offered 10 or 20 pattern assortments and even kit assortments.

 

Because of purchasing assortments of patterns as well as assortments of kits a few times and also because I have purchased duplicates of kits several times if the price is right and kit is cheaper than what the supplies would be, I have extra patterns that I have not designed that I have sold.  I don’t need more than one of a pattern so I have sold the extra patterns a couple times just to get rid of the duplicate. 

 

I have noticed that other people have also done this on Ebay occasionally.  So when my Ebay search the other day showed up a bunch of patterns for sale that I didn’t have, I jumped on it and bought them.  So this is where my predicament started.  The next day I wanted to update my list/spreadsheet of the patterns that I have and I went back and looked closer at the pictures and I realized that a few of them had markings on them indicating every row number.  MY HEART SANK…………I FELT THIS AWFUL PIT DEEP DOWN………you know that UH-OH feeling you get when you know you screwed up?  I knew that the only place I have seen patterns like that was at Beadshak, so I proceeded to log on to their site and see if they were their patterns.  They were.  My heart sank more.

 

Why you ask?  Beadshak is owned by a gal that designs patterns like myself.  I purchased patterns from her in the past when I first started making banners.  Beadshak is actually the reason I started designing my own patterns.  Because of their policy, I was unable to sell banners made from the patterns I purchased from them so I decided to invest in software and start designing my own patterns so that I could sell the completed banners.  Soon I had people who wanted to buy my patterns and thus the start of Beaded Banners by Bonnie.  However, I respect Beadshak and their designs and have never sold banners made from their patterns per their policy.  In fact when Beadshak requested that I take some completed items I had made from their patterns off the previous site that I was selling my products on I obliged. 

 

I used to check out Beadshak’s site regularly just to see what the competition was doing and also to make sure that I wasn’t designing anything that was too close to what she was designing.  However, I have been so busy lately with processing orders for patterns and supplies and also making banners for orders that I haven’t checked out their site for quite some time.  Because of this I did not recognize that some of the patterns I had purchased were from Beadshak or I never would have purchased them.  I figured they were extra patterns someone had from duplicate kits or assortment pattern purchases.

 

I contemplated what I should do to make this right between Beaded Banners by Bonnie and Beadshak and I decided to wait for the patterns to arrive to see if I could determine if they were duplicates or extras before I contacted Beadshak to tell them what had happened.  I felt bad that it happened, but if there was a way I could determine that they had purchased the patterns from Beadshak and used them and then decided to get rid of it because they weren’t going to use it again then I wouldn’t feel quite as bad and would just let Beadshak know it happened.  However, when yesterday’s Ebay search for “beaded banners” came my heart sank again………..only lower this time.  All of the patterns were reposted for sale on Ebay which meant that copies were being made and sold.  I knew that for sure I needed to let Beadshak know what happened and what a huge mistake I had made, although it was not intentional.

 

I emailed Beadshak this morning to let them know what happened and that there was nothing I could do because I had already made the purchase and the patterns were being shipped.  However, I assured them that I would only use the patterns for personal use and I assured them that I will not make any banners to sell from the patterns that I purchased since that is their policy.

 

I share this with all of you for a couple reasons.  First, I wanted to make a public apology to Beadshak and let them and anyone else that may see or hear that I purchased the patterns on Ebay know that had I known these were not extra patterns from kits that I would NOT have even considered purchasing them.  Secondly, I am writing this to ask all beaders out there to respect the designers such as Beadshak, Beaded Banners by Bonnie, and others and not make copies of the patterns you purchase.  If someone else wants a pattern, refer them to the source and let them purchase the patterns direct from the designers.  It’s not like any of us ask that much for our patterns. Thirdly, I am asking that the seller of these patterns stop making copies of patterns and selling them at their own profit.  It’s not fair.  Think about what it would feel like if YOU designed patterns, sold them, and then saw someone making copies of them and selling them on Ebay.  If you have a pattern left from a kit you no longer want that is one thing, but to make copies and sell them is unfair to the designer.

 

Do my patterns that I sell get copied and shared?  I would be stupid if I thought they weren’t.  I’m sure that Jane Doe purchases one for herself and then her friend wants a copy and yeah, she probably makes her one.  Is this right?  No.  I don’t have a policy as such specified on my website.  However each pattern goes out with the note “Pattern  designed by and property of Beaded Banners by Bonnie” and also with “Pattern not to be copied or sold” on it.  But to think that Jane doesn’t make a copy for her friend Mary would be ignorant on my part.  Hopefully most people are honest enough to not even share it with a friend, but I’m sure it happens.  But for someone to make copies of patterns designed by others and blatantly sell them to anyone, let alone on Ebay, is so totally wrong.

 

I’ve said enough.  You get the point.  People have policies.  Follow them please.  And if you want to share an occasional pattern of mine with a friend that can’t afford to purchase their own from me at the reasonable price I charge, that’s your choice.  But don’t make copies of my patterns or Beadshak’s or anyone elses for that matter because we WILL find out.