MotherOfPearlTrumpet
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 19, 2021
- Messages
- 606
Oh my goodness, has it really been since last October since I posted a necklace...Yikes. I've missed you all.
Last November, my son-in-law, who has a congenital heart defect and is now in his early 30's, experienced a serious health episode while on vacation in Scotland. At home he drinks lots of caffeine and was also a "dipper" (tobacco in the bottom lip). Well those activities were apparently artificially pumping up his blood pressure, which is what allowed his bad valve congenital to continue so long untreated. When he was away from the caffeine and tobacco during his vacation, his BP plummeted and he wasn't sure he could make it home. They did, fortunately, but it was a REALLY scary plane ride for my daughter...checking to make sure he was still breathing the entire way across the Atlantic. Once they got home, they went right to the ER and it was determined he needed open heart surgery to replace his valve. The cardiologist told him to keep up the salt and caffeine until the surgery, also gave him a BP med to raise his BP. Fortunately, he was able to give up the tobacco during this time. After a month of light-headedness, anxiety and fear, he had his open heart surgery. The surgeon was able to find a human valve to install, which it totally cool, right! He is recovering well physically. His heart was greatly enlarged from years of over-work so now that the new valve is functioning better, the hope is that his heart will begin to "atrophy" and return to a more normal size. His greatest challenges have been emotional. He's been dealing with panic and PTSD fear. A therapist has prescribed anti-anxiety meds so he can sleep properly and heal. Things are finally going better. What a wild ride for my entire family. Thank the Lord he is on the right path toward recovery and is enjoying his beautiful 2-year old daughter and wife again, with less fear. Between this and the Christmas holidays, I just haven't been able to post anything.
I have, however, really enjoyed my pearls so very, very much during these past few months. Wearing a different necklace and earrings every day. My goal is to make sure I use them ALL, so I work at it (otherwise just my favorites get worn). Today I'm wearing a diamond/pearl BIB necklace. These must have been popular in the 1970-80's, because I found a few of them during my searches. This one is definitely my favorite. I re-worked the strand (which originally held a strand of those cheap flat FW disks). Why would any jeweler put those cheap FW pearls with this gold/diamond/pearl center. Anyway, I found a lovely 5mm high-end Akoya strand and re-worked the necklace with better Akoya pearls and some 14K gold roundel beads to increase the length to 17". So much prettier now. I'm wearing this with my Akoya swirl 14KG/tiny diamond earrings. Everyone have a GREAT week.
![IMG_5189[1].JPG](https://www.pearl-guide.com/attachments/img_5189-1-jpg.472909/ "IMG_5189[1].JPG")
Last November, my son-in-law, who has a congenital heart defect and is now in his early 30's, experienced a serious health episode while on vacation in Scotland. At home he drinks lots of caffeine and was also a "dipper" (tobacco in the bottom lip). Well those activities were apparently artificially pumping up his blood pressure, which is what allowed his bad valve congenital to continue so long untreated. When he was away from the caffeine and tobacco during his vacation, his BP plummeted and he wasn't sure he could make it home. They did, fortunately, but it was a REALLY scary plane ride for my daughter...checking to make sure he was still breathing the entire way across the Atlantic. Once they got home, they went right to the ER and it was determined he needed open heart surgery to replace his valve. The cardiologist told him to keep up the salt and caffeine until the surgery, also gave him a BP med to raise his BP. Fortunately, he was able to give up the tobacco during this time. After a month of light-headedness, anxiety and fear, he had his open heart surgery. The surgeon was able to find a human valve to install, which it totally cool, right! He is recovering well physically. His heart was greatly enlarged from years of over-work so now that the new valve is functioning better, the hope is that his heart will begin to "atrophy" and return to a more normal size. His greatest challenges have been emotional. He's been dealing with panic and PTSD fear. A therapist has prescribed anti-anxiety meds so he can sleep properly and heal. Things are finally going better. What a wild ride for my entire family. Thank the Lord he is on the right path toward recovery and is enjoying his beautiful 2-year old daughter and wife again, with less fear. Between this and the Christmas holidays, I just haven't been able to post anything.
I have, however, really enjoyed my pearls so very, very much during these past few months. Wearing a different necklace and earrings every day. My goal is to make sure I use them ALL, so I work at it (otherwise just my favorites get worn). Today I'm wearing a diamond/pearl BIB necklace. These must have been popular in the 1970-80's, because I found a few of them during my searches. This one is definitely my favorite. I re-worked the strand (which originally held a strand of those cheap flat FW disks). Why would any jeweler put those cheap FW pearls with this gold/diamond/pearl center. Anyway, I found a lovely 5mm high-end Akoya strand and re-worked the necklace with better Akoya pearls and some 14K gold roundel beads to increase the length to 17". So much prettier now. I'm wearing this with my Akoya swirl 14KG/tiny diamond earrings. Everyone have a GREAT week.
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