Long Time, No Problems

Annie has been extremely blessed with good health and no surgeries or hospitalizations ever since her spinal fusion and infection over all of 2014.  But her streak has come to an end. Several weeks ago we noticed that Annie had developed a mass in her lower cheek along her jawline.  We suspected it was in her parotid gland, since she has had several salivary gland issues and surgeries in the past.

I took Annie to her ENT a couple weeks ago and he suspected that the mass might just be a swollen gland in response to a different lump she has had in her upper ear lobe for several months, so he put her on antibiotics to see how the mass would respond. 

Annie also had an ultrasound of the mass, which showed that it actually wasn't in the parotid gland, which is a huge relief.  If it had been in the parotid gland, major surgery would have been required with dangerous risks to her facial nerve.

The mass did get smaller by about 50% after the antibiotics, but after following up with the ENT this week, we learned that it is a cyst that will require surgical removal.  The ENT will also remove the cyst in her ear, as he believes they are related.  Annie is also due for another dental cleaning under general anesthesia soon, so we are keeping our fingers crossed that the ENT and the dentist will be able to coordinate their schedules so that both procedures can be done at the same time to avoid a second round of general anesthesia.


We knew her streak had to come to an end eventually, but we're just happy that her next surgery is for something so minor and simple, although there are always risks with anesthesia.  We aren't sure when her surgery will be yet, but we hope it's soon enough to get her better before we plan to go camping in our new pop up trailer!

Sheet Music Now Available!

I started writing my own music for the piano in 2011, and after playing the harp for about a year, I started composing for the harp as well.  And now I've finally decided to start making that sheet music available to others.

I've recently launched my new website Music by Jodi Ann, where I have all my songs available.  I have several piano solos available as well as harp solos and a harp/flute duet.  Most of my harp solos can also easily be played on the piano as well. So check out my new website.

I'd also appreciate you subscribing to my YouTube Channel and following me on Facebook.  And if you'd like to be notified of new music that becomes available, you can sign up on my website.

Here are a couple of the most recent songs I've written:

One of Justin's favorite hymns (and now Molly's too) is Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, so I wrote a piano solo of it about six years ago and just recently wrote a simplified version of it since Molly has been begging to play that song.  A few months ago, I also wrote an arrangement of Come Thou Fount as a harp/flute duet, and now I've tweaked my original piano arrangement a bit to create a unique harp solo.  I wrote this harp arrangement in 4/4 time instead of this hymn's traditional 3/4 time signature which I think gives it a more peaceful and contemplative feel.



I also wrote a new harp solo arrangement of Abide With Me based on the piano solo I wrote about six years ago.  However, this harp arrangement is unique because the third verse transitions into 6/8 time, giving the melody a fresh sound.




I have more new harp videos on my YouTube Channel including Amazing Grace, A Thousand Years, and my harp/flute duet of Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, so make sure to subscribe to my channel so you don't miss anything.  You can also hear all my piano solos on my YouTube Channel.  And all the sheet music is available on my website.