4/27/12

Back in Business! New Pink Soaps.

Today it has been 2 weeks exactly since my surgery. Everything went well and I am on the road to recovery, even though it will be another 3 to 4 months until I am even allowed to lift even the lightest thing. My biggest problem, as anticipated, is extreme boredom. There is only so much one can do with the left hand only. I am sick and tired of taking it easy and reading and watching tv etc.,so today I decided to drive myself to a couple of nearby thrift stores. I also put my Etsy store back online. I made enough soap before my surgery, so I don't have to worry about running out. All I need is help with the packaging. I made several kinds of soap. Besides for the regular Prickly Pear, Tea Tree Oil & Shea Butter shaving soap, I also made a pink Pomegranate, Vanilla, Lavender shaving soap and a pink 100% Castile soap. Both are made with Pink French clay. The great thing about pink clay is that it is very mild and does not dry out the skin, so even people with dry skin will be able to use it. The pink clay makes the castile soap not only a pretty color, it gives it purifying properties for people (and babies) with even the most sensitive skin. I reformulated the pomegranate shaving soap and according to everyone I have given it to test, it has a more luxurious and silky long lasting lather than its predecessor. And let's not forget, it smells oh so good! Well, if you have read this, check out my Etsy store (even though the new soaps are not listed yet) www.xclusivedesigns.etsy.com

4/12/12

What to do with my time.

So tomorrow is the big day. I am finally having surgery on my right arm, which has been hurting furiously since May of 2011. After many doctor and specialist visits, many, many tests, physical therapy and cortisone injections, the medical community(and more importantly, my insurance company), have finally come to the same conclusion I did over 6 months ago: my arm is not getting better without surgery. Since I have multiple problems in that arm (torn tendons, bone spurs, ulnar nerve compression), I opted for having 2 surgeries at once, so I don't have to go "under the knife" twice. That way I have a scar on each side of my arm I can brag about. Of course this will prolong recovery time to at least 3 months before I can lift even something light :(
And unfortunately it is my right arm. By trying to prepare myself and using primarily my left arm, I have come to the realization that I might as well have a foot on my left wrist, because that's how bad my dexterity is with that left hand. Just trying to use the mouse on my pc with the left hand, makes me want to scream.
This means all project will have to come to a screeching halt, and let me tell you there are many! My Etsy store is in vacation mode and even though I made plenty of soap beforehand, I will need to wait until my youngest daughter comes home from college for the summer to do all the packaging and shipping for me.
So what am I going to do with myself? I cannot stand to stay in bed for longer than a day, and that is even when I am quite sick, so what am I going to do for 3 months without being able to work on my projects?
I guess I will dream up new ones, watch lots of home improvement shows and read a lot of books?! That will get old after about a week!
I started making a list of things to do while laid up, but could not come up with a whole lot of stuff that sounded even remotely interesting.
I also have been practicing to drive with my left hand only, which went fine, as long as I don't attempt to parallel park. Yeah, that did not go so well. I guess I could always just drive forward :)
Well, anyways the soap is made, and I now have all the time in the world to go thrifting.
So wish me luck, because the surgery is on a Friday the 13th, and even though I am not in the least superstitious, it is amazing how many other people are and have told me I would be wise to reschedule. There is a bright side to this: if many people feel like that, surgery volume for that day should be low and my surgeon will have all the time in the world to concentrate on getting things done right with my arm.
From now on posts will be shorter and fewer, because I am an impatient person and have no desire to have to type my ramblings with one finger.
But maybe I could get a secretary? :)
So if you read this and have suggestions and or comments, please leave them, because I am sure I will be bored out of my mind.