Turns out I bought nine different fabrics between May and November of last year to make bandanas for Lizard. These were supposed to be a Christmas gift. He got a new knee a couple of weeks before Christmas. I'd hilariously thought I could finish a quilt every day of his home health rehab that I stayed home with him. The bandanas would be an easy project to knock off in between quilts.
Parkinson's and total knee replacement do not play nicely. These bandanas have been sitting next to my sewing machine since Thanksgiving. I finally finished them at 10:01 last night. His birthday was yesterday. I'm working from home, but it sometimes feels like two jobs. My regular job, plus, it feels a little as if I'm the only staff member in an assisted living facility.
That's not a complaint. I'm so glad I am able to take care of him.
However, the Parkinson's took a dramatic turn for the worse last week, and Lizard's had trouble walking, as well as every other thing he does. We were able to speak with his neurologist via telemed on Tuesday, then were successful in contacting his endocrinologist via a portal that afternoon. We spent my (extra long) Wednesday lunch hour (and his birthday lunch) getting his blood drawn. Now we must wait for results and what we hope will be a modification in his medication that will reverse the deterioration that has occurred in the last six days.
Lizard finally got to sleep peacefully at about 6 p.m. last night, and I went to work right away on the bandanas. Midway through, one of our neighbors brought over a homemade apple pie to celebrate Lizard's birthday and National Apple Pie Day. My whole neighborhood is awesome, but this Shelter in Place has brought everyone so much closer together, even though we must keep a physical distance. Everyone looks out for everyone.
Lizard already has about 40 bandanas I've made for him. We have been wearing them as masks while our real masks are in the washing machine. The bandana collection started, though, as a way to keep Lizard's head from sunburning while hiking or riding his bike. For the last two weeks, he hasn't been able to tie his bandana by himself, and last Friday, he couldn't even get his leg over the bicycle. The Parkinson's is going that fast.
When Lizard wakes up today (probably around 2 a.m., but he'll try to let me sleep), I'm hoping he will be thrilled by his new bandanas and fresh apple pie. (Update: He thought the bandanas were masks to be mailed today. Now he knows they are for him!!) Perhaps the change in his medication will come through today. That would be the best birthday present of all!
Linking up with Alycia Quilts and Confessions of a Fabric Addict. #NaturalDyeing #BetterLateThanNever #Thread #Finished #Bandanas
