You Just Gotta Love Health Insurance....

Image from phillyburbs.com

So, I saw the neuromuscular doctor yesterday about the focal hand dystonia. Read previous post here. Several problems, of course. Doctor said the dystonia is severe and not only affects my hands, but my forearms, too. Treatment isn't easy either.

We are starting with an oral drug Clozapine. Not too thrilled with this option as it causes drowsiness and is habit forming. The doctor really doesn't think it is going to work, but wants to start there. Why? Because my insurance will fight covering the next best option: Botox injections into the muscles.

I happen to have Blue Cross/Blue Shield. I know, not very lucky. Anyway, the doctor said that all insurances will cover Botox for this medical treatment....except BC/BS. They claim it is still in the experimental stages. What do they think I'm doing? Using it so I can have the youngest looking hands and forearms in Western New York? Geesh! However, the doctor did indicate that they have been using Botox specifically for dystonia since it was developed in the 80's. It is only recently people have been using Botox for anti-aging. So, the doctor is writing a love letter to my insurance begging them to cover this treatment. If they do, treatment won't be very easy. It's not as quick as going in, getting a shot or two, and leaving. The doctor has to isolate every muscle that is affected with dystonia before injecting them, and he did indicate that there are alot of muscles involved. It will be about a 2 hour process every 3-4 months, and with the dystonia this severe, I'm only running a 50% chance that it is going to work.

The only other treatment option for guaranteed success would be to have an electrode implated on my brain. Okay...no way! No one is going into my head unless they are taking out something that doesn't belong there!

Okay, so now the pouty-whinny-baby in me wants to come out: What the heck! I'm only 41...I don't look a day over 28...I'm slim...I eat healthy...why am I suddenly falling apart?!

Oh, and thank you for the well-wishing on my upcoming surgery. I truly appreciate it as I am so nervous. However, due to more tests the my health insurance needs to cover the surgery, it is now postponed until the end of May. Like I said...you just gotta love health insurance....

Manic Monday...

Or should I call it Maniac Monday...which is about where I am right now. I love my easy days where I send the husband off to work, drive the kids to school and sit down with a cup of coffee in silence while I drop my EntreCards. I spend the next hour cleaning the house from the morning rush and get to work by 10am. It's my schedule, it's my routine and I live for it!

Well, it appears that the next two weeks are going to be adjusted slightly (hence the woman in the picture above.) I had to go to the doctor this morning for a problem that occurred over the weekend. The result? Surgery on May 7. Great. I hate going under :( Oh, that's not the last of it....

Tomorrow I have an appointment with the neuromuscular doctor to begin Botox therapy on my hands for the recently diagnosed focal hand dystonia. Not so crazy about injecting botulism toxins in my body, but my work day will be basically shot. Further, without treatment, my work is hindered (can't move the hands, can't work). Then on Friday, I have to go to a cosmetic dentist to finally get a couple mini dental implants (molars) that I have been gearing up for the last several years. Another day shot. Now I have to fit in a pre-op exam in the next week (did you see that? It was another day flying away) and work on the dental implants are going to have to wait until after the surgery to lower the risk of infection before surgery. Then we have a couple week recovery time from the surgery. This is so not cool. In the mean time, I have to help my step-daughter with transportation home from work for a few days a week. I am going to have to try to get out of that one as work for the next couple of weeks are going to be seriously comprimised. Well, in my opinion they will be.

I am going to try my best to keep up with work over the next several weeks as I am so unhappy without it. My husband complains that I work too much, but how can you say I work too much when I'm doing something I truly enjoy? I keep telling him it is my "Paid Hobby".

Okay...sorry for the rant . I will get back into the swing of the good post thing come tomorrow morning.

Repeat after me: "It will get better, it will get better..."

French Country, Anyone?...

Daisy French Country Vintage Button Necklace
Alterity
1000Markets

I have recently fallen in love with the vintage French Country look and have made my first attempt at vintage french country jewelry...of course, with vintage buttons! Don't worry, the buttons were not damaged in the creation of this piece! The main button is a vintage ceramic button (probably the 70's or 80's) featuring blue and yellow flowers, and little blue vintage glass buttons (turn of the century 1900's) from Germany were added just up from the ceramic button. The rest of the necklace was hand-wired (no manufactured chain here, folks) from tarnish-proof copper wire to protect your skin. Various vintage glass czech beads were either wired on the chain or drops from the handmade links on the chain. I currently have this piece for sale in my 1000Markets shop (Alterity).

The creation of this piece was brought on by a bad case of "I love challenges!" I am a member of the Jewelry Artisans' Marketplace and every month we are prompted with a new challenge. This month's challenge was "Flower Garden". This was my challenge contribution this month. You can see other artisan's challenge results the Jewelry Artisans' Marketplace blog. A lot of talent here!
Keep an eye on my shop at 1000Markets as more will be coming soon!

10 Advantages To Selling Online...

1) Your wares are available for viewing 24 hours a day, not only when your shop is open.

2) You save money. Think about it. Selling in a shop, you pay rent, utilities and employees. Selling online, you pay minimal fees.

3) You reach a wider audience. People from all over the world will see your items, whereas, selling in a shop, only local people who take the time to come to your shop will see your items.

4) Cheaper advertising. There are tons of ways to market your online shop and direct traffic to your shop...most of them for free, many of them for little money.

5) No need to pay extra fees for accepting credit card or debit card payments. PayPal, Google Checkout and Amazon Payments take care of all that for you. Sure, you pay a fee for this service, but it is so convenient!

6) Greater support. Most online shop venues offer support for sellers and many sellers group together to support each other. In a physical shop, it is you and you alone. Maybe a little support online from the Small Business Association, but not as strong as in an online shop.

7) Multiple shops. You can have different locations in different venues. You can sell on Etsy, Artfire, 1000Markets, ShopHandmade, Dawanda, as well as many other online options. Having multiple physical shops is out of reach for many business owners.

8) Ease in transactions. Electronic transactions with online shops make things easier. You don't have to nurse your cash register all day. In fact, wait for all your orders to come in and fill them all and ship them all the next day at the same time.

9) Personalization of packages. It would be ludicrous to decorate fancy packages while your customer is standing right there impatiently waiting for you to hand the bag over while you draw a picture in gratitude. With selling online, you can wrap the item, wrap it with ribbon and draw pictures on the back of the bubble envelope. Many buyers like to see sellers take that extra step.

10) Limited need to collect sales tax. You only have to collect sales tax from customers in your own state. An advantage for the seller in making your taxes less complicated and an advantage for the buyer in saving a percentage on their purchase.

Hey...It's That Candle Guy!

Question: What do you get when you cross a Vietnam Veteran and paraffin wax?
Why, Donald, The Candle Guy, of course!

Lavender 4 1/2" tall Pillar Candle
Candles by Donald on Etsy

Donald selflessly served his country in the 170th Assault Helicopter Company "where I served as crew chief on a "huey"." After becoming disabled from an illness, Donald began making candles as a distraction. Who knew that candles would be his new lease on life?

Celtic Moonspice 4 1/2" tall Pillar Candle
Candles By Donald on Artfire

Donald tells his story of how he came to sell candles on his blog Candles By Donald or Candle Guy's Place. Very interesting read, you want to check this out. Read his first post on how he earned his name. Very cute story! Donald makes pillar and hand-dipped taper candles by hand using paraffin or palm wax in his outdoor studio in Florida. He continues to sell them locally, also. Plus, if you served in Vietnam in the 170th, he has got a special deal for you.

Hand Dipped 10" Yellow Taper Pair

Donald has several shops online. His Etsy shop is Candles By Donald where he is known as candleguy821. He also has an Artfire shop where he is also known as candleguy821.

That Candle Guy, Donald

Maybe we can convince Donald to offer tea-light candles so we can sample his wares! The bottom line, thought: Buy Handmade, Support the Artisans, Keep US Dollars in US Hands, and Support Veterans of War (I'm a big one on the last point!)

Now, go drop by Donald's shop and say hello!

Hey, Take a Break!

Do you know that when it comes to running your own business, you have so many responsibilities? Oh, you knew that? Yea...pretty much found out for yourself, huh? Rude awakening.

So, how do you combat the stress of trying to run a business by yourself? Well, if you cannot divvy out some of the responsibilities, you must find a way to cope. I know, you are saying "Cope? Hey, I wrote the book on coping". Or you are saying "Yea, right. Cope. Isn't that the guy that runs the Catholic church?"

Okay, so if you are not one of the very rare 1:100,000,000 that was born with the ever-so-rare coping gene, you are going to need some help. What would you do if I tell you that coping is easier than you thing. Providing you are pretty much disciplined in making your business work (in other words, you stay on top of things for the most part, and if you don't, your business will never go anywhere), coping is nothing more than creative prioritizing and giving yourself a break.

I know you have had those mornings where you are literally forcing yourself to carry on your daily tasks. If you have, you are displaying signs that you really need to take a break. If you allow yourself to get so burned out with work that you just don't feel like doing it, you are not going to get anything done. The best part of working for yourself is that you don't have a supervisor or a boss standing behind you rearing the whip and threatening you that if you don't get to work, they will find another warm butt to fill your seat. Take an afternoon off, do something for YOURSELF, and recharge your batteries. Maybe take a weekend off. Kids off from school? Why don't you treat yourself to a little vacation. If you are pretty much up to date with things as far as your business is concerned, not that much is going to happen while you are away. I only recommend this if you are actually up to date. If you are not, clear your schedule for the next two or three days and get up to date. Then treat yourself to a little break.

The fact of the matter is that it is very hard to concentrate on things while your head is swimming with fatigue. Take a little time to clear the head and watch your productivity grow!

Happy Resurrection Day!

And to think he went through what he did on Good Friday....even while you did not even know him....

Wow....that's intense!

Easter Weekend....

I will probably fall back on my posting for the next few days as Easter is pretty busy around here. Today I have to finish up my Easter shopping. Then I have to make some hot cross buns


and semmel kuchen, which is a bread-like coffee cake with cinnamon, brown sugar and lots of butter. It's an old German family recipe that we traditionally eat Easter Morning with hard boiled eggs and maybe some bacon or sausage. Then I am going to church tonight at 6:30 pm to watch The Passion of The Christ, in which I will be bringing some of the semmel kucken to share...
Tomorrow will bring preparation for a big Easter Dinner. My 14 and 12 year old will be at their father's this year (it's his turn for Easter this year), but we will be having my husband's 25 year old, her husband and their daughter as well as my husband's 21 year old for dinner. The thing that is tough is that everyone has to have their own little special side-dish (myself included with my brussel sprouts that everyone else hates!), so it's not as easy as making ham, potatoes and a vegetable.

On Sunday morning before service, several of us are doing a drama to Nicole C. Mullen's song "One Touch". Here is the video:
Don't worry, it is embedded from GodTube.com. We are just taking the concept of it and I will be acting as "Shame". Someone will be videotaping it and if I can find a way to embed it in my blog, I will share that in the near future. Talk about tears coming to your eyes!

Well, I better get busy...lots to do...lots to do...

Have a beautiful weekend!

It's Done!

Thank you so much to Emily of PolkaDotPixels for creating such a wonderful, eye-catching theme for my blog! Visit her on my side bar to see more of her work. Who knows what she can do for you!

Construction Is Almost Over...

And I am amazed what Emily did with this blog! Can you believe this? Emily is PolkaDotPixels and as you can see by her work does fabulous blog templates, Etsy shop graphics and custom graphics. See her BLOG or visit her SHOP. Just let her go and she will come up with something wonderful. I tried to retain control and my blog just wasn't working out. When I let go of the blog and finally gave Emily the creative license, Shebang! Look what she comes up with! Her blog has lots of examples of past work she has done...it is definately worth a look!

Construction....

Please forgive the construction on my blog. I have hired PolkaDotPixel to help me get my blog in pixel-perfection! Please visit her link in my side bar...she does great work and is quite reasonable!!!

Top Droppers for March

A Very Special Thank You from my Top Entrecard Droppers for March. Here's to YOU!
******NOTE: Top Dropper Gets a FREE AD SPOT For The Month!******

Charming Florals - Artisan Challenge

One thing I really like about 1000Markets is the markets themselves. Once you get your shop set up on 1000Markets, you can choose from 11 pages of markets to join. One of the markets I joined is the Jewelry Artisans' Marketplace where they were offering an Artisan Challenge right from the get go. Now, what is it that I could actually like from a challenge? I mean, you don't win anything, so why bother. I'll tell you why. When you are pushing yourself artistically to do something that you don't normally do, you are pushing yourself out of that box that you have wedged yourself in. You would be surprised what you are capable of. Now, The challenge? Something Charmed.
Well, out comes the fimo clay to make little frames and out comes the antique floral buttons to fill the frames! The bracelet was hand-wired, as was all the baubles, cultured pearls and swarovski crystals. The best part? The buttons were not harmed. The shanks are still intact, the buttons were not glued, and no other holes or anything were created on the buttons! Whew! I do not offer antique button charm jewelry in my shop (never thought of it, really), however, this artisan challenge not only put a charm bracelet in my shop, it also will be followed by many more...something I never thought I would carry. Now you know why I love challenges!
If you want to view other artisans who took this challenge, they can be viewed on the 1000Market blog page. You can also view a slide show on the Wordpress blog. Now, set yourself an artistic challenge and amaze yourself with what you can do!