It was a week of illness at the Bella Risa Compound. 🙁 And it was spring break. Not a fun way to spend it! But I got some time with the bluebonnets today, so my artist soul is happy at the moment. And I’m madly in love with my hubby right now too. And generally feeling blessed and happy overall.
Day Seventy-One ~ My Turn
Even though Anna was home sick, I had to go in for my 8-week thyroid check. A normal TSH level should be between 0.4-4.5. After surgery, mine was 88. With levothyroxine tweaking, it went down to 7, then up to 16, so this check was to see if the latest increase in the dose helped. I know it’s still not right, I’m still losing hair and gaining weight (UGH!!! I have gained nearly 15 pounds since surgery), but my levels came back this time within a normal range. I talked with my doc and she agreed to raise it a little bit more. Fingers crossed that I feel better soon. This is getting old.
Nikon D750 | 35mm | f/1.8 | 1/250 | ISO 1000
Day Seventy-One ~ Stormy
The weather this week was stormy. We had multiple thunder and lightening storms and rain for about 4 days straight. The sky was super dramatic tonight… and even though there are a thousand and one cloud pictures on the internet, I had to add one more.
Nikon D750 | 35mm | f/7.1 | 1/250 | ISO 50
Day Seventy-Two ~ MLG Model
Anna was still feeling ill (more on that later) so mom was sweet to stay with her while Curtis, Dominic, and I went out to dinner with the Swansons. Dominic dressed up a little and wore his new fedora. He says all the Major League Gamers wear fedoras. Isn’t he a handsome kid???
Nikon D750 | 35mm | f/2 | 1/160 | ISO 100
Day Seventy-Three ~ I Wanna Mustache
Stuart found an old whistle of Dominic that was shaped like a mustache and he kept carrying it around the house. This little fella is soooo energetic that despite trying off and on all day, I could not get that adorable picture. Instead I got this shot of him chewing on the mustache whistle just like he thinks he is allowed to. Nope, now it’s in the trash.
Nikon D750 | 35mm | f/2 | 1/160 | ISO 200
Day Seventy-Four ~ Brave Girl
So what I thought might be a tummy bug ended up not being a virus. Poor Anna was so severely constipated that anything she ate came right back up. She threw up 9 times over the last three days, most of it bile, and twice she threw up in her sleep (sooooo sorry, mom). We gave her mega doses of Miralax, nothing. Milk of Magnesia, nothing. We gave her a little mag citrate late on Friday and she finally pooped. Then she had diarrhea and puking for 2 days. I’ve never seen her so ill. She slept all of Saturday. She still wasn’t eating or feeling well on Monday, so I took her to our doctor. She was concerned it might be appendicitis or a partial obstruction, so she sent us to the ER for a CT scan. Anna was so brave getting her labs and IV.
Nikon D750 | 35mm | f/2.2 | 1/160 | ISO 640
Day Seventy-Four ~ Better with Fluids
The CT was clear and the fluids perked her up. She is better now. Whew.
Nikon D750 | 35mm | f/2.2 | 1/160 | ISO 640
Day Seventy-Five ~ Work In Progress
I was so stressed out from Anna’s illness (and worry that something was really really wrong), that on Tuesday I was a zombie. The only thing I managed to do was get a little more work done on the dragonfly picture I’m coloring from Hanna Karlzon’s book, Dagdrommar.
Nikon D750 | 35mm | f/3.5 | 1/250 | ISO 400
Day Seventy-Six ~ Injury
When it rains, it pours!!! Late on Tuesday, we are all outside enjoying the beautiful weather. Suddenly I notice bloody paw prints all over mom’s patio. Charlie? What happened? So much blood. He injured himself on his right hind leg, above the paw. We got it cleaned and wrapped and I took him to the vet on Wednesday. You can see here where he is trying to lick it, they got it shaved and there are two huge gashes. We think he caught it on the metal landscaping edging that is around the rock area by the pool. He is recovering nicely now… but seriously. Ouch!!!
Nikon D750 | 35mm | f/2 | 1/200 | ISO 800
Day Seventy-Seven ~ Bluebonnets
I needed a little soul-enriching time, so on the way to the grocery store I stopped to take some photos of the bluebonnets. They are magnificent this year!
Nikon D750 | 35mm | f/2.5 | 1/1250 | ISO 200
Day Seventy-Seven ~ Standing Out
I love how this lone yellow wildflower looks against the backdrop of the bluebonnets. So very pretty!!!
Nikon D750 | 105mm | f/6.3 | 1/200 | ISO 200
Day Seventy-Seven ~ Ladybug Butt
One of my all time favorite images is one I took a couple of years ago of a ladybug ascending a bluebonnet. This one makes me laugh… the butt of the ladybug as it scurries away.
Nikon D750 | 105mm | f/5 | 1/200 | ISO 200
Day Seventy-Seven ~ Abundance
So much pollen, so many flowers, where to go? Buzz, buzz, buzz…
Nikon D750 | 105mm | f/3.5 | 1/640 | ISO 400
Day Seventy-Seven ~ Wildflowers Abound
I love this one… two other types of wildflowers (I have no clue what they are called) spring up out of the bluebonnets.
Nikon D750 | 105mm | f/6.3 | 1/200 | ISO 200
Day Seventy-Seven ~ The Token Shot
I had to get one lone bluebonnet in focus!
Nikon D750 | 105mm | f/5 | 1/200 | ISO 200
Day Seventy-Seven ~ Sea of Blue
A pullback shot of the enormous field I found. It’s so pretty!
Nikon D750 | 35mm | f/5.6 | 1/250 | ISO 200
Day Seventy-Seven ~ Watchful
I was done taking pictures today, but when an opportunity like this presents itself… well. The vulture is watchful, waiting on the dead tree stump for something to die, pretty blue sky in the background. It’s the circle of life. By the way, Curtis and Dominic are sick with a chest cold and fever. Sigh.
Nikon D750 | 85mm | f/5.6 | 1/400 | ISO 400
I hope everyone has a great week, is healthy, and enjoys their spring break. Paris pictures will start posting soon. My high school friend, Marco, got his first checkup at MD Anderson after finishing his first round of chemo. No new tumors, blood work is good, and some tumors have shrunk or are gone. For Stage IV colon cancer, this is good. Blessings friends, enjoy your present moment. <3
