NZ - I admire your strength to overcome past differences and to make the last time together valuable for both of you. I pray there is a miracle in store for your dad. I am sorry you have this road to travel. We are all here for you!

Wendy, Life as a guinea pig is never easy. Thank you for letting the doctors experiment on you. The lessons you give them will help everyone in the long haul. It sounds like things are better and that is great. And you will continue to get better. Be sure to find something to laugh at every day!

And if you aren't already taking Lysine (antiviral), Zinc (antiviral), Vitamin D (healthier lungs), Vitamin C (antiviral and healer), and Vitamin B (mood stabilizer and healer) regularly you should start. I like the fast C/B/zinc delivery system that Emergen-C 1000 mg provides. Be sure to take the vitamins on a full stomach or the zinc may make you a bit nauseated. I take a Calcium/Magnesium/Zinc supplement from CVS that seems to keep me healthy, too. If you have never checked out EARTH CLINIC (online) you may enjoy hearing what everyone around the world is doing to help themselves heal from the long haul problem. Never add a supplement unless the doctor says it is ok! You can search out contraindications online as well. And you can search out foods rich with those minerals and vitamins, too, like cashews are rich in zinc.

NZquilter - I am so sorry to hear about your dad. I will be thinking of you both.

Wow, all it takes is one or two of us to be in need of a little emotional support and look at us all jumping in.

Wendy, I have a church acquaintance who is a long hauler. It has been almost a year now. She had tried everything in the book and ended up with a nutrition based doctor. She is not any better but she is not being poked and prodded as much. She is no worse for going off all of the medication except good food and vitamins and supplements for general good health. I am not recommending it for every one, of course not. For her it was OK to do.

I am sure, absolutely sure that there are many, many research studies going on to find the key to unlock the COVID mystery of why some recover so well and others inch along and suffer as you have. The challenge with research it is takes so long. When you are in the middle of a personal episode, who wants to wait five years or more for study results. But like another said, you are helping others down the line. My mom did that with her cancer treatments 40 some years ago. She was the guinea pig that helped my generation need less harsh treatments and less medication as a whole to treat cancer. For that I am thrilled.

NZ- you are doing the best thing for you, of course, but also for your day. He will rest easier knowing you are reaching out toward him even when feelings were bad at one time. You have a gift of time and are using it well. Good for you and pats on the back for being brave.

As you can see........Quilty friends are the best!

My Bday candies are going in the mail today.

I sure hope my life comes back, it's been a long time to be on oxygen, what? 4.5 months now.

But, I was just thinking about sorting charms. I've got to start another tote, (17x11) full of just the 2.5's. I've a face high stack of these boxes full of yumminess. Most of me wants to just lay here and try to recover from vacating last week.

NZ
Sending you spackle and paste.

Families are hard. Mom lived with us for 10 years and just went to live with my sister across the country when my health took a dive. She wasn't far behind me and we landed in the same hospital back in January. Hopefully she's recovering, we haven't heard from her no matter how many messages we leave. Families are hard, your doing great.

Ibex
I take a handful of vitamins, minerals and many supplements as I started all of this with FMS, SLE, HBP and a bunch of other stuff I wont bore you with. When I was in the hospital the first time they sent me home with a large box of new meds. They caused a severe GI bleed so back to the hospital I went. Took 4 hours for them to get me out of the ambulance and into the ER. I was on one of those boards, the one's you see them hauling people up a hill on, that one. I've several, chronic back problems that I get surgically aided throughout the year. Strapped to that board, I almost couldn't speak for the pain once I got into the ER. Anyway,,, side track there. So yeah, Turmeric, MSM, wow my brains! there's a lot, all that you mentioned and many more. I've an entire tea tray full of them, those 3 layer stainless tea trays. The best part of this story (that keeps getting longer) is that they got me off of soooo many meds in the hospital. Somehow no more HBP, sort of a miracle. And they got me off of HRT and I think it might have dialed my SLE back as the inflammation is tolerable. Course I don't get outta bed much these days which is helping the AT and PF in my right foot and AT in the left. I'm a mess.

WMU
When they got me off of most of my meds in the hospital I sorta freaked. All that's left:
I've a disease in my eye have a med and three drops
the SLE Plaquinel,
pain meds
an antidepressant/sleeper that I use for sleep but probably is helping me to get through this mess.
Oh and Lasix cause of the water from the pain meds, KTabs cause it strips your potassium and on it goes.
Oh too and all the inhalers, gee I'd pass without them, 2 inhalers, one is steroids, one nebulizer and no that's all.
It was like that... one med led to another and another to help that the Lasix strips the potassium from your body etc. I was so thankful just sitting there trashing it all. Through all of this, just since end of January, I gained 25 pounds! I'm sort of in shock and hope that weigh in yesterday was a whole lotta water and well you know... filler. Point is, I dropped from 30+ meds down to just the few on this list. I don't intend to add to it. Course all of this has tossed my body worse then what all I had going on.

Weeee! I have dropped 2 pounds overnight. Here's hoping I can get a full 5 pounds before I see Doc on Friday. That will be back at the last number I weighed in at a few weeks ago. He just wants to listen to my lungs. I'm thankful for him. He's really gone overboard for me.

Thanks everyone, ya'll are great.

Had a thought, I'm really behind on my work as we weren't here last week and I've got an MKAL I'm starting, which means I'm dyeing yarn. Well, should be but I'm stuck in bed. Neither hear nor there. Have you noticed Chatty Patty fell into my lap?

My thought... I drafted a pattern for a charm quilt several months ago,,, before all of this happened. It's a two different block type of quilt that you can do up in a diagonal rainbow. Least that's what I keep telling myself. I'll probably have to break down and actually buy a design wall this time. Last time I hung a sheet from my photography backdrop pole. Sticky flannel would work better. Hum, anyone ever tried to hit a sheet (or whatever) on the wall with spray adhesive?

(Takes so long to type cause I can't remember words so forgive me if there's some real mixups here.)

Anywho... what say you? Would you like to see it? I'm not some master designer... I took off 20 years and have forgotten most of what I'd learned. That said, I thought if some of us were sewing it that would make me get moving. It takes several sizes but uses a lot of the 2.5 if I remember correctly. Sigh, braaaaiiinnss,,, anyone seen them? Please return in a zombie proof box. And with that, have a fantastic day.

NZ, so sorry to hear of your dad's cancer diagnosis! A lot of things change when something like that happens, and I pray it's changes for the good in his case, and he's open to patching things up. Big hugs to you!

Yes, Wendy, I'd love to see the charm quilt you designed!

Wendy, please do share!

Your not going to believe this, spent about an hour searching for the pattern and I can't find it. I've 4 more boxes but I ran out of steam.

Speaking of steam, if any of you like fantast, a little grit and steampunk, Shadow and Bones. It's a TV series based on a YA book trilogy. I binged it and so totally want more but cest la vie will have to wait until 2022 unless I get the books.

May birthday candies are in the mail to day!

Mailed mine too, except the one to myself!

Thank you everyone for mailing out packages so quickly!

Wendy, when you find your pattern we would be happy to see your efforts at designing. Be we all know how hard it is to prepare a design for someone else to use. Right?

I have received envelopes from:

April 27th: Patricks Mom
April 27th: barbarakibler23


Thank you!

Well I tossed the rest of the boxes, it's no it any. Shuffled through the book shelf, its not in any of the books or files there. I can't think of any other place I'd have put it. So back to the drawing board.

I think it looked like this with the elongated triangle. The main block not the alt, that was different. Guys, this is so bad, my brains, that I only just remembered that this was the shape of the main block.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vpB0md5OAO...inacLayout.jpg

This large elongated star reminds me of the main block but I'm pretty sure there was more to it and it ran with the alt block. Sigh.
Worst comes this is Straigts of Mackinac and it's a beauty. Cours you need to make this so you can see the curvey circly thing. Brains I want them, no I need them. :-)
Course here's one in a rainbow gradient like I was thinking but this one has a block of color,,, I'm thinking more of blending inside of each block as well as ... course my brains are shot, I might need to make it like this. Plus my massive Y2K quilt was done like this... one color per block and I did it until I ran out of that color scrap. HA I could make a quilt that could cover the world if I did that now.



https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZpSOnMd0b...014_215524.jpg

AHWU Searched for a design wall, Fons and Porter is just $20 something at Amazon but it's too small. Your talking about that stuff for tables that JoAnn's has on those massive rolls right? I could sew it down the center. I'm house bound so I have to buy online. Would regular flannel work?

What do ya'll use when you have something going this large and fiddly? Meaning Light to Dark, diagonal rainbow gradient.

Wendy, Love the quilt. What a great way to use up the scraps.
I got the table cover from Ross, It has vinyl on top and flannel backing.

Wendy -- gorgeous!!

I think any cottonlike underside on plastic table cloths would do the trick. Walmart - $3.50-5.00, depending on if they are markdown. Stuff on rolls at JoAnns is too expensive! Do you do the pick up shopping at Walmart (order online and drive over and they load it into the car for you)? If so, you can try one out after your next shopping trip.

I use a piece of insulation for my quilt wall. You know the stuff with the shiny silver backing. It is covered very tightly with flannel. I got it from my sister-in-law's stash when she passed away.(Along with all of her fabric, tools, mats, and on and on. Lucky me!) It is at the very least 25 years old and likely closer to 30. Still very sturdy and is used every day. It could use a new cover becasue it is not longer bright white from being used for so long. It is light weight and the flannel is attached to the back with good old duck tape. Bet she never expected it to last this long!

Wendy - give yourself some grace, please. Do what needs to be done and then some things that bring you pleasure.

Gaijin - Wowzers two arrivals already!

I've received one so far - Patrick's Mom

I have received so far:

April 27th: Patricks Mom
April 27th: barbarakibler23
April 28th: WMUTeach
April 28th: ibex94
April 28th: NZquilter

Thanks to all!

Hi Ladies!

I have received five of my envelopes:
NZQuilter
ibex94
Patrick'sMom
BarbKibler
WMUTeach

I don't know if it's my post office or something else, but three out of the five envelopes were ripped. Nothing fell out, but I wanted to make you aware. One was the entire right side, one about an inch on the bottom, and the other went from the bottom of the envelope up about 25% into the envelope - on the front and the back! The two that did not have any rips were the yellow office envelopes.

My cards should go out tomorrow to my Emerald Sisters!

Wendy, your quilts are beautiful!

A month late. Yikes. This little resent package arrived in 4 days. https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images/smilies/eek.png I hope the original package is found by someone who likes little squares of fabric. https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images/smilies/smile.png

got five more yesterday - thanks everyone, I'm getting excited about opening them in a few weeks.

Patrick's Mom 4/26
BarbaraHibler23 4-29
Gaijin 4-29
ibex94 4-29
NZQuilter 4-29
WMUTech 4-29

Thanks everyone who answered about the flannel wall. I don't have access to anything other then online cause I'm 1 hour from the stores and don't drive and on top of that Covid LH has me strapped to the machines. I have to wait until someone is going down and they have to want to detour for me. Walmart seem to be $14 to 50 online they are 54x108 so I need two. The $14 is for a white one.

WMuTech, why the insulation? What's it for? I seem to be allergic. When I was younger I used to be able to climb into the attic and would always come down itchy and in need of a shower. :-)

The current postmaster changed out sorting equipment. Mail has been in tatters ever since. I taped my envelope. Did that help it at all? Mine was not a yellow office envelope.

Did they arrive intact? I am particularly concerned about whether or not my envelope held up with the tape that I added. I am very glad it got there!!!

Good afternoon everyone. My candies will go out tomorrow.

ibex - it was intact, but it was ripped. Yours was the rip on the bottom the ran up the middle of the front and back by about 2 inches on each side. The rip started in the area between your two pieces of tape. In addition part of your flap ripped as well. And I just noticed an inch rip on the left side thru the tape! Maybe Edward Scissorshands is working for the Post Office now. Your card has gone thru a lot to get to me!

It seemed all three of the envelopes with rips were kind of crumpled, etc. I even wondered if they had been in a high moisture/rain area - they all seemed not as stable as an envelope should be, if that makes sense. Another card which had a rip on the bottom was taped on all sides. I could tell you all took a lot of care and attention to getting your cards out proper, and it was sad to see what happened to them along the way.

Macy B The insulation is the quilt wall. You and push pins into it. it is firm, but very light weight. Mine is not attached to the wall, but some quilters do put them on the wall in a semi-permanent way.

I have received so far:

April 27th: Patricks Mom
April 27th: barbarakibler23
April 28th: WMUTeach
April 28th: ibex94
April 28th: NZquilteR
April 30th: macybaby
April 30th: AHWu


Thank you all!

Deborah

Ladies, it will help everyone it you would tell us who the sender was when a package arrives damaged. The tear will not likely be the fault of sender, but it will help every one to know if a heavier envelop is needed. You can post here or PM the sender so they are aware their envelops are being damaged. Thanks, All.


Have a beautiful week-end. Happy May Day!!

Today was no bills, but lots of envelopes!

MacyBaby
Cuppy
TravelingGramma
YarnFairy
AHWU
Gaijin

Thanks!

I have received so far:

April 27th: Patricks Mom
April 27th: barbarakibler23
April 28th: WMUTeach
April 28th: ibex94
April 28th: NZquilteR
April 30th: macybaby
April 30th: AHWu
May 01: cuppy
May 01: Loveofquilts
May 01: TravelingGramma
May 01: Yarn Fairy and the Pixies

Looking forward to opening them soon!