So many quilts

I finished stitching the binding down on the big quilt last night, just in time to use it on my bed. (It's good to have a "big" quilt when it's cold -the small twin-sized ones I use in the summer are good for that, but when it's cold out, I need something that will drape over the edges of the bed).

No pictures; it was about 8:30 when I got it done. Maybe this afternoon if the weather stays good.

I do still want to make a label for this one. Haven't decided whether to embroider one (as on my other "large" quilts) or go the "easy" route and use Pigma pens.

I think I am going to embroider at least a simple label for the quilt for my niece. That's next up, stitching that binding down.

I also have a quilt to pick up - the most recent one I had taken in is "finally" (in the words of the quilt shop owner) done. (I don't mind that it took a while; I'm happy that she has so much business that she has a waiting list. I suspect a lot of people piece quilts in the summer when it's too hot to do stuff outside, and then take them to her to get them done for Christmas presents). This is the Backyard Baby top I finished a while back. It was going to be the quilt that, if there was an enormous surprise and my niece was actually a nephew, would go to him, as it's a more boyish quilt. (Still, I'm glad she turned out a girl; I can send the owl quilt to her, it looks more girly to me. It's not SUPER girly, but there is some pink on it, and also cute owls and some flowers here and there.)

***

Turns out, no allergy shots while on ANY beta blocker. Apparently the risk of anaphylactic reaction, especially the kind that don't respond to treatment of them, goes up somewhat. (I suppose it's all tied to blood pressure; one of the issues with anaphylaxis is that blood pressure drops sharply.) So, oh well. The nurse suggested I talk with my doctor (the internist) and consider other meds but you know? If I'm getting good control on the beta blocker I think I would rather try living at least a year without allergy shots (to see what happens with my allergies) and focus on getting my blood pressure down.

(Also, that's 35 to 40 minutes a week I get back....)

Because I do think the beta blocker is working. Haven't taken my bp this morning but when I got home yesterday, I felt kind of wiped out so decided to experimentally take it to see what it was. It was 148/98, which while it is still too high, is lower than any other reading - and that after a full day's work.I do feel a little tired and not-exactly-lightheaded this morning, despite a good night's sleep. But I'm taking that as evidence that what is supposed to happen is happening.

Aside from the tiredness, as I said yesterday, I feel more physically normal than I've felt in a while....so maybe this was just coming to a bad point and I needed to do something about it.


I think also part of the stress over the blood testing is related to my not even really consciously remembering - until this morning - that it was after a "routine blood panel" that my dad embarked on six months of being tested, poked, prodded, given scary potential diagnoses, until finally it was settled upon a diagnosis that, while scary, was treatable and was very early stage. Never mind that my mother has had 15 years of routine blood work with the only recommendation coming back that she cut back on cheese and red meat, or that the other many years of blood panels my dad had came back mostly normal. (We're programmed, or at least I am programmed, to remember negative situations)