Gnomograms Transmissions from the server garden

Despite the cloak-making and flower-planting going on around here lately, the past couple of months haven’t been the best. I have avoided writing about any of it because I didn’t want to be depressing, but I just kind of need an outlet, you know?

A couple of weeks ago, my dad was diagnosed with colon cancer. This was the end result of a long couple of months during which the following happened:

• Dad went to a healthfair for work.
• He found out he has type II diabetes.
• Then he had a series of heart tests to find out of the diabetes had messed with his heart. They put him on some medications.
• They also found nodes in his lungs.
• And they also found a hernia from all the weight he lost un-diabetes-izing his diet. Surgery #1 to correct this.
• Then the medication he was taking made him bleed.
• This lead to surgery #2, in which 2 feet of his colon were removed.
• And the tumor they found was cancerous.

We just found out he won’t have to have chemo, which is a huge relief. The moral of this story, people, is to get regular physicals. Seriously, this stuff can creep up on you. Dad is now working on getting healthy, and he’s even lost about 40 lbs.

My grandfather is losing his fight with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and melanoma. He’s not doing very well at all. I went to see him last weekend, and I wasn’t 100% sure he knew who I was. It’s really hard when someone you love gets to that end state–confusion, pain, etc. It’s so hard to watch. I just…I dunno, it’s going to be soon. He is my favorite relative, if you’re allowed to have favorites. He and my grandmother have lived down the street from us ever since I was really little. I’m at a loss.

On top of that, I’ve been having some mood issues I’m trying really hard to get under control. Crazy mood swings, extreme anxiety, and even rage–to the point of not being able to function. I won’t get into it more than that, but it’s something I’ve been struggling with lately.

But I’ve got a supportive husband and the most huggable dog ever. Both have good shoulders to cry on, and both are really good at putting up with me when I’m nutty. I swear the dog somehow knows when I’m sad because she comes over and sticks right by my side when I’m upset. She’s the best dog a girl could have. And Josh is pretty awesome, too. As for the cat, well, she doesn’t really do a whole lot except annoy everybody. But I guess I love her anyway. Quilting and sewing is also keeping me sane–now you understand why my last umpteen posts have been about crafty crap. Anyway, that’s what’s new over here. Anybody got any cool or exciting or uplifting news to share? Please divulge.