Rob's Eye, Take #4

Rob after surgery #1. (AR = "attach retina.") Face down around the clock so the gas bubble can float up and hold the retina in place.

Last November, I posted on Instagram about my "go bag," which is a description I'd heard in movies, I suppose, either in spy scenarios or full-term pregnancies when you gotta be ready to run out the door with essentials in-hand. I created a little "go bag" for myself when Rob's retina detached. On a Sunday evening as we were getting ready for bed, he came into the bedroom and quietly suggested that he may drive himself to the hospital, you know, because maybe something was seriously wrong with his eye? What a pitiful and ridiculous suggestion. Of course I dragged myself out of bed and drove the him, with his broken eye, to the ER. 

Turns out he was entirely correct. Although he was quickly admitted, it took hours of tests and I don't know how many interns and residents to verify that his retina had indeed become detached and needed to be re-attached ASAP. I think they determined this around 3AM. (There was a test that I don't think Rob would recommend: from my vantage point, it looked like the doctors were using tiny ice cream scoops to, well, scoop underneath his entire eyeball, all the way around it, looking for any other damage or injury. Apparently this procedure was painful.)

What does this have to do with weaving or fiber art? Not much, other than to say it can be an excellent idea to have small projects ready to go at any time. You never know when you might be spending lots and lots and lots of time in the hospital or doctor's waiting room. We were sent home around 3AM in order to "get some sleep" before we were to come back around 5AM for the emergency surgery. This is when I quickly gathered some projects to keep my hands and mind occupied.

Pictured below is my little pouch from November, including some small twining projects which are extremely portable. Lots of people use plastic Ziploc-style bags, and I use those too, but I love Topo Designs pouches. They come in a bunch of different sizes and shapes -- I even use one as my wallet/purse. This one holds quite a few small tools easily, too. 

Rob's retina detached again in November (surgery #2), and he had cornea surgery a couple months ago (#3). This week is surgery #4 to repair the membrane in his eye, and we hope this is the last. Time to prepare another little "go bag" of small and easy projects.

November's kit contents. Tapestry needle. Weaverite tool. Little scissors. Extra waxed linen. Two waxed linen twining projects. One wool/jute twining project - a tube that elicited questions (what is that for?) in the waiting room.