Greetings from IMELDA!!!!!!

Imelda who is a member of both the guilds that I belong to was diagnosed with cancer last year. She has had surgery, she has had radiation and now she is going through chemo. She is one of the nicest, sweetest people you will ever meet. She also volunteers for everything and would give you the shirt off her back.

Well enough sitting around and doing nothing for her. This feisty lady was taking the bus to her radiation treatments. Anyway - I decided that she could NOT take the bus to and from her chemo treatments so I am making that happen for her. Marian drove her last time and sat with her while she had the treatment.

I took her last Friday. What an eye opening experience that was. First - I HATE hospitals. But the oncology ward was very nicely decorated and really the experience wasn't nearly as bad as I thought.

Now Imelda is getting the big guns as her treatments lasts about SIX hours. Yes - we got to the department early in the morning, she was hooked up to her IV and we saw patients come and go. But we were finally free to go around three PM. And like me - she HATES the needles, but she was a trooper. The two of us WHIMPS were looking the other way when the nurse inserted the IV. How pathetic is that!!!!!!

Imelda -  

  (yes I asked her if I could post the picture).

Here she is with the ONLY thing she can taste - a maple dip donut from Tim's of course!!!!!!!

She is such a trooper - her sense of humour is even sharper than it was before. And for most of the day that smile never left her face. We had such a good chat - oh my goodness - we had our heads together over paper and pencil while we finalized the design for the next raffle quilt for the guild, we chatted about her life, my life and well - what gets talked about at chemo - stays at chemo!!!!!  

It was a FUN FUN day. And I know she was so grateful to have the ride and the company. I scouted out the Tim's for our lunch and brought it back to the ward. Well - what can I say - it was a day well worth every minute.

Makes me think that we all need to look around us and see who could use some company - whether it is an elderly relative/friend/neighbour or someone going through a recovery or just someone who needs our FRIENDSHIP . Yes - I had a TON of work to do at home, classes to prep, blocks to sew, lesson plans to put together, but you know what - I did NOT think of any of that when I was with her.

I am putting together a goodie basket for her this week (the first three days after the treatment are the worst). I have a pattern to make her some hats and putting together some reading material (quilt related of course). If you have something you would like to add to the package - let me know. I can drop it off to her this week. E-mail me a note or a comment and I will be sure to get it to her. She LOVES notes - they are her virtual hugs.

And doesn't she look cute with her peach fuzz hair!!!!!!    Her husband's barber did the job after she got advice from other patients at the hospital. Wow - being in that ward all day and seeing people come and go and talking to the nurses - it sure puts your life in perspective. What I think is important - really is NOTHING compared to what these people are going through EVERY SINGLE DAY.

It will all make my Ride to Conquer Cancer more meaningful this year. Hey if you want to donate to that cause - here is the link.

Donate to Ride to Conquer Cancer



Don't do it for me - DO IT FOR IMELDA and all the other Imelda's out there.


It was a long day and while it wasn't physically exhausting, I found it very emotionally exhausting. I had a HARD time sleeping that night. Too many things were flitting through my brain.

OK - back to work work now.