Redesign

For my 20th anniversary present to myself (August 4), I decided to redo our master bedroom bedding and accessories this summer. It was a fun project, and I tried to do it in a cost-effective way with minimal furniture purchases, sales, and no custom items.

Here is the before:







Here are the after pictures:







I liked the old "cottage" look, but we had had that bedding for almost eight years, and I was ready for different colors. I also wanted to go more tailored and less feminine, so I went with chocolate brown for a lot of the background colors and a more tailored bedding set without any ruffles. I moved out the trunk at the end of the bed,changed nightstand tables, and I also removed the heavy mirror that had previously been attached to the double dresser. Those changes really seemed to open up the space since the room isn't that large. The paint color was left the same as before, but it still feels a lot more airy.

I bought most of the items at discount stores, and I repurposed many things that I already had in the room. Here is a brief list of where I purchased the main items:

Bedding: "Audubon" by Rose Tree, Dillards
Throw pillows: Walmart
Drapes and curtain rod: Target
Burlap tablecloth and side table: www.ballarddesigns.com
Wooden nightstand: Riverside Factory Outlet, Rogers
Botanical wall prints: www.ballarddesigns.com
table lamp: Pottery Barn
vintage books: Friendly Bookstore, Rogers
tabletop frames: Hobby Lobby

I'm happy with how it turned out!

Surgery Complete

Thanks for all the prayers. I finished my oral surgery on my jaw tumor. I am only in minimal pain, but it's hard to open my mouth to eat or talk at this point without causing pain. The surgeon only took out part of the mass for the biopsy because it wasn't what he expected based on the CT scan. He said it is actually more bone-like, and not presenting like a tumor or cyst (which I think is a good thing based on his opinion). He felt that it was going to be painful and invasive to chisel out all the bony mass, and it appears that the five most likely things it could be are most likely benign. So, he felt that less pain right now was warranted, and hopefully, he won't have to go back in again to take out more. Keep praying! Pathology will take 7-10 days.

I'm resting now and trying not to talk too much. I'm on antibiotics and ibuprofin for a week, plus I have pain meds if needed. Hopefully, I will be back to my normal routine in a few days. I will be greatly relieved to get the recovery and the pathology results behind me!

Surgery

School got out about a week ago, and I don't really feel in the summer mode yet. I had to return to school for a full-day conference this week to get my summer professional development hours in, and then I had to go back to school the next day to grade make-up final exams from students who missed the original exam date.

Stuart's mom spent the week at our house, so she helped watch the kids while I wrapped up work duties, and I used the time with her here to do a lot of appointments that were more easily done without taking three children with me! All the kids are out of childcare for the summer, and Arden will return to her daycare/preschool during the first week of August to get back in a routine before I return the following week for inservice days. I took Owen to the pediatrician for a check-up, and both boys went to the dentist and got haircuts.

I had a follow-up appointment on Tuesday with an oral maxillofacial surgeon. After my dental appointment three weeks ago, the dentist saw an abnormal shadow on my x-ray and referred me to the oral surgeon to get it checked out as a possible cyst in my jaw bone. The surgeon did a head CT scan which confirmed that there is a partially solid/partially fluid mass inside my lower mandible in the chin area. It is around 1 inch wide by 3/4 inch thick. It is now classified as a "mixed tumor" and not just a cyst since it is partially solid. It is impeding circulation to my lower front teeth, and two of my teeth's roots are embedded in the mass. I have experienced slight teeth sensitivity in those teeth over the past couple of months, which is a result of the growth. The surgeon said it must come out, and it will be sent to pathology as a precaution. I have oral surgery set up for Friday, June 25, under sedation. I will have the growth removed and end up with about a 2 inch incision with stitches inside my mouth. He said the recovery/pain would be similar to wisdom teeth removal.

Please pray that the biopsy results show a benign mass, so that no further treatment or surgery is needed. Also, please pray the this procedure goes smoothly with no infections, complications, and a fast recovery. I think I will have to wear an external taped dressing on my chin for 4-5 days to support my chin muscles as they heal, since he said he has to cut through them to get to my jaw bone. So, I might not be leaving the house much for the week after surgery!