Doctor Strange

Two prom dresses, thread and buttons from the thrift store, and a cape was created.  It was just a lot of long seams because I used the hems from the dresses.  It does not have all the detail from the Doctor Strange Cloak of Levitation like the movie but this made Koda Bear so happy!

You cannot really tell he has his vest on under this but it is his whole costume.  He wore it all day on Halloween and all weekend at the Renaissance fair the weekend before.  I think I did wll.  Now, it is time to start thinking about his birthday presents.  Life does not stop.

Along those lines, I am back from the mountain.  Which I never got to.  I spent the week in doctor exam rooms, the ER, and imaging rooms.  My Mom started two weeks ago with what was thought to be just a horribly bad UTI.  There was a horribly bad UTI that was actually due to cancer.  She has pleomorphic carcinoma of probably the liver.  There is more then the liver involved which means it is Stage 4.  Also, that probably.  It could also be the kidney or pancreas.  But it is rare.  If you chose to google it, that type of cancer is normally related to the lung.  And it is rare for the lung.

Last week was trying to help her heal from the UTI.  She is very weak and everyone is so focused on the cancer word that they forget how bad it truly was.  There were a lot of doctors' appointments and almost another hospitalization.  If Dr. Matt had had his way, when we went to ER for the MRI he would have kept her.  Her blood sodium levels were off and she could have done with another transfusion.  But she did not wish to be there. 

Healing is about more then just what the doctors can fix.  It is being comfortable.  Being able to eat and rest.

The things that are most frustrating are the people dynamics.  I am there for my Mom.  What she needs, I will make happen.  I will facilitate what her doctors wish her to do to make her well.  It is not about me.  But because my Mom is such a center in her family and her community, it is interesting to see how scared people are making it about them.  Because if something happens to her, they will not know who to lean on.  There is a lot of power and control dynamics going on.  I find those people who are in the power and control game, are not even recognizing that my Dad has a role.  I do not wish to be watching this.  It is a bit fascinating.

I did have a friend tell me I need to take care of myself because I am such a caretaker.  Yes, he is right.  Last week, I made sure there was good food for everyone.  It was interesting how so many of those close to my Mom needed her attention but really did not let her rest or take care of her.  She was still supposed to take care of them.  Those people are still playing those games.  I get beautiful pictures of my Mom's Christmas cactus.  I can tell them, I win.  My Mom is feeling better even though there is a very long path forward.

Halloween for Bear

Koda Bear wanted to be Doctor Strange for Halloween.  The Tall Short Person looked at buying him a costume but they were pricey.  Most, could not even be made or delivered before Hallows.

What did I do?  I spent a lot of time researching Doctor Strange.  I am going to have to get the movie from the library again just because I researched it so much.  I really enjoyed it.

This is the under layer I created.  Doctor Strange wears a very martial arts looking outfit under his cape.  But it is blue.  Really an indigo blue.  It is a very Japanese color if you ever look at the indigo dyed there.  And yes, I have.  My hands are blue today because I did put them in my indigo pot.

I had a blue corduroy dress that had a small hole in it and two pairs of jeans with holes in them.  I made this vest.  The jeans were stretch jeans and these bindings were not fun to work with.  The denim did not wish to stay straight.  It wanted to twist even though I had cut everything as close to straight on the grain as I could.  But it turned out well.  It is shorter then what the movie character wore but Koda Bear was very happy with it.  

I also made a sash out of jean for him to wear.  Again,  denim with spandex wants to twist if is coming from a pair of preworn jeans but  I made it work.  I am a bit stubborn.  He wore this all afternoon yesterday.

The jeans I keep mending for him needed more length.  I added that length and now they look very much like the pants that Doctor Strange wore.  The character had bindings on both his forearms and calves.  This helps with the legs to look closer to what the character wore.  And I do not have to figure out how to get Koda Bear to stand still!

Not bad for an old dress and two pairs of jeans.  

There is a cape but I will not share that until after Halloween.  I am going traveling.  The timing could not be better because my Mom is under the weather.  We just have to figure out how ill she really is and what path forward she will wish to take.  All prayers and healing energy for her are gratefully accepted.