An exhausting week.

Photo copyright Aji, 2021; all rights reserved.

That's the first of four current works in progress that he started yesterday. He's reprising an old earring design of his from 15, 16 years ago or more, one he hasn't done, with a couple of very specific exceptions, since that time. It'll be four pairs to start, each with a different combination of stones and colors. Hopefully, I'll have one pair up tonight, but it might be the weekend.

Because it's been an exhausting week.

My follow-up with my doctor was yesterday, and it was . . . a lot. We're giving up on the topical steroid for the cutaneous lupus; adding in a supplement to deal with med side effects; and flat-out doubling my Plaquenil dose to try to get this under some sort of minimal control. Those are not the parts that worry me.

The parts that worry me are the more expensive things. She wants to refer me to a rheumatologist in Los Alamos this winter, which is fine. The reasons for that, not so much. There are two issues at play here, both involving whether I can continue to take the Plaquenil. First, if doubling the dose doesn't work, then we need to try something else anyway; I have to separate my doses now already, because it's too heavy a load for proper kidney function to handle. Second, if I start having kidney dysfunction regardless, OR if the heightened dose starts causing eye problems, I'll have to go off it anyway. And that means far more expensive meds and management, because the next line is chemotherapy drugs.

But back to the eye problems for a moment. My last eye exam wasn't all that long ago, and I got a clean bill of health, but that was before the Plaquenil. Now I have to track down my eye doctor, who merged his practice with someone else and moved his office, and schedule a very expensive appointment. He's in Santa Fe, so it's a day's travel anyway. And while I'm there, I need to have the whole shot exam-wise and re-order my lenses, because thanks to the pandemic I'm overdue. I also need new glasses, because my old ones are [mildly] broken, and since this pandemic is still deadly and clearly not going anywhere for a good long while, I need to do it all in one shot and not put my immunocompromised body at any further risk. And to top it all off, I lost a lens last night, so clearly it's time. It's also gonna be AT LEAST a grand for al of it by the time it's done, and we're going to be lucky to make it through next week, never mind the rest of the month or anything else.

As I said before, my Patreon payout was completely wiped out four days into the month. But three families needed help, one with a life-and-death emergency ongoing, and at that moment, we had it; they didn't. We can't let people do without in these kinds of circumstances when we have it at the moment. Yeah, yeah, I know; colonial mindsets say you don't help anyone else when you need to cover future bills yourself. You know what? If this pandemic should have taught people ANYTHING, it's that you or someone else may not even be here tomorrow, and you sure as fuck can't take it with you. In our way? If we learn that someone in the community is in desperate straits, and we happen to have it right at that moment?  WE SHARE IT. That's how our peoples have survived the ravages of this colonial system. It's an obligation, and a far more important one than any colonial bill.

But now I've got to bring in enough to cover the rest of this month, the quarterly taxes coming due, AND at least my eye stuff, because this is a drug that can take your vision if you happen to be one who is genetically susceptible, and we won't know the answer to that until I can get the testing done. All of that means that I have to bring in some sales now, and FAST. We won't make it through this month otherwise; we're already down to the bone. I am so tired, and I don't know where to turn at this point.

And then there's that well we have to drill to save the land and the trees. I have no way of making it happen.

As I said above, Wings has five new pieces that I posted Monday: three Warrior Woman pins, two absolutely incredible new cuffs.There will be the earrings coming this weekend.  If I could sell them, or any combination of any of his other newish pieces, it would get us out of this month. If I could sell one of the big ones, like one of the belts, maybe I could get us on the drill list. But I've got way too much to do and too few hours and other resources to do it. It's urgent now; I have to push everything down to make sales, and there's always something or someone else demanding money. I am so tired, all the time.

But Wings has A LOT of new work, and I'd be grateful to everyone who shares all of it, and of course, if you're in the market, keep us in mind for purchases. After paying our taxes the last week plus some other bills, I really do need to build up some reserves to get us just a tiny bit ahead of the eight-ball of bills.

Anyway, links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (priorities are all the mosquito-prevention items, especially the portables and the patio-surface ones, because Wings can take them around the land with his as he works);
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

And if you've been contemplating a purchase? This would be a very, very good time to do it; I've got to cover all this staggering new outlay somehow. There's lots of fabulous new work, so please share all of the links. 

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2021; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.