Looking Good!

Dr. Salloom of Mountain View Veterinary Hospital called yesterday to let me know that Dr. Everett, Rufus' surgeon, had reviewed the x-rays taken last Friday. He says they look good, but he wants Rufus confined for at least another month, with the soft bandage on his leg. Nothing unexpected, and quite honestly, I'm happy to keep this big happy bouncy (!!!) puppy confined for six months if it means his leg will heal better. Of course, confinement in practice is much different from confinement in theory, so we shall see. In the meantime, I'm challenged just to keep up with Rufie when he goes out on potty patrol - this critter moves fast, even WITH a recently-broken leg!

Meet the Author (or at least one of them!)

How cool is this? My co-author, Peg Krzyzewski, will be at the Kalmbach booth Saturday, June 12, at 3 p.m., at the 2010 Bead & Button Show. It's possible that our book, Making Mixed Media Art Charms & Jewelry, might be available, so if you stop by, do be sure to have Peg sign your copy. I'm very excited for her, and wish I could be there with her to celebrate all things charming! You GO Girl, and show everyone just how wonderful mixed media art charms are!

Free at last! (from the cast...)

Rufus in his red cast, tagged with love 

Rufus got his cast off today for his follow-up x-rays, and Dr. Salloom says the x-rays look great and that Rufus' leg is healing well. We are waiting for Rufie's surgeon, Dr. Everett, to review the x-rays as well, and give Rufie a clean bill of health. Hopefully we'll hear something around the middle of next week.

A detail shot of Rufie's last cast...

Rufus is still battling the inevitable cast infections, but he's on antibiotics and out of the cast, so we're hoping those naughty spots heal faster.

Rufus, rocking the new blue soft bandage

I asked Dr. Salloom if she would be able to spot an infection in the bone on the x-ray, and she said yes...so this is very good news indeed! That's been our biggest worry, that the cast infections would wander toward the bone and metal, and cause more problems for this giant puppy. We are thankful that Rufus is healing well, and we are very grateful for all of the love and concern you've shared with us.

Rufus Update, 4.29.10

It's been crazy-busy around here lately (with 2 kids and 3 dogs, I wonder why?!?), so here is a quick update on how Mr. Rufus is doing:

Rufus is still chilling in The Mosh Pit, wondering when the heck he's going to get to go on a real walk again. (Mama's wondering the same exact thing!)

Rufie is still in a full leg cast, and I've been taking him in once a week for bandage changes. He does have a couple of bandage sores happening, which we expected with the full leg cast. We are all (Hansens and vets) keeping a very close eye on him, and praying that no infection will develop at the surgery site. The folks at Mountain View Vet Hospital in Lacey, WA have been absolutely wonderful, especially about doing frequent bandage checks when Mama gets paranoid about Rufie's condition.

Rufus has been taking antibiotics constantly since his surgery, the first go-round was Clavamox for 4 weeks, and now he's on a new one (can't recall the name off the top of my head) for another 4 weeks. The Clavamox was to prevent infection with the metal in his bone, and this second antibiotic is to prevent the bandage sores from becoming infected. Despite the heavy antibiotic use, his gut appears to be doing remarkably well. We have him on Skoki food and Wholistic Canine Complete Joint Mobility, as well as canned pumpkin.

I'm taking the big guy back to the vet this coming Tuesday for a bandage change, and I think they're planning to cut his cast down, to below his knee, which will give him a little more mobility.

Overall, he's doing pretty well, considering he's a great big puppy with a badly broken leg!

Anticipation…or…are we there YET?!?

Sunrise in my front yard, anticipating the day ahead

This month’s theme for the Art Bead Scene Blog Carnival is “Anticipation.”

For me, anticipation is a double-edged sword. While it’s exciting and pleasurable to look forward to something, it’s also frustrating to wait and a little scary because I don’t know exactly what to expect.

Here are a few ways we artists encounter anticipation on a regular basis:

• planning, executing, and finishing our own projects
• participating in swaps and stalking the mail delivery person for our return packages
• patiently practicing our skills to better manifest our artistic visions
• coping with lengthy publication schedules before we see our articles and tutorials in print
• sitting on pins and needles before hearing the results of design competitions or approaches to galleries

For those of us who are lampwork artists, the hours between turning off the torch and opening the kiln the next day seem e-n-d-l-e-s-s.

This is what came out of the kiln this morning...mmm, pretty...
I'm eagerly anticipating what I will create with these beads!

Anticipation frustration usually happens when I’m locked into a particular outcome, or maybe because I’ve scripted something in my mind down to the gnat’s heinie. This might be a new bead or jewelry design, an event I’m planning to attend, or a collaborative project with another artist. Expecting a certain result limits the options available, and quite often sets the stage for disappointment...too, this can be a waste of creative energy that would be better used more productively.

One way I deal with anticipation frustration is by setting general goals and outlining baby steps (thank you FlyLady!) I can take to move toward those goals. This enables me to maintain my momentum, especially on large or long-term projects, despite an apparent lack of immediate progress. Too, having things written down enables me to review my plan, assess the current status, and adjust my approach, if need be. It’s kind of like heading off on a road trip with a map at your side – sure, you can take detours or unexpected stops if you choose, but the map will be there to help you get back on track.

detail of Pennsylvania map, circa 1974

It’s fun to visualize the future, but I believe it’s essential to keep an open heart and look forward with a willingness to accept and experiment with what transpires. A piece of paper posted at my art table reads:

If I knew then what I know now,
I would have been less fearful
and more trusting
that the Divine will care for me.

Reading this reminds me to stop and breathe, and make sure I’m firmly planted in the present and not freaking out about the future.