4/13/2006

The Mailman has cometh!

Note: I apologize for the brevity of this post; I have a wicked head cold and between the sneezing, the runny nose and the watering eyes I am feeling more like a cyclops and less like a proficient blogger (I keep seeing the word blooger; you know blogger and booger combined - oh yes, this is why I need to go to bed!). Warming Grace Update Sign ups continue: We now have 111 participants! Yes 111! You knitters out there are blowing me away! I am so excited! We are going to provide comfort to a few little kiddies. I was speaking to my brother the other night and he was telling me that the hospital Grace attends, Alberta's Childrens Hospital, has been on Code Burgundy for the past month. When I asked him what that meant he said that all the beds were full and children diagnosed with cancer were being turned away. Turned away! You find out that your child is ill, ill with cancer, and you are then told that you will not receive treatment at this hospital which specializes in Pediatric Oncology. I was, and remain, stunned. I have always believed that children, being the adults of the future, have basic rights but obviously the right to immediate crisis care is not one of them. There is a new hospital which is supposed to open up later in 2006 with 20 more beds but what are these parents to do in the meantime? Selfishly, I am praying that Grace does not have a relapse that would require hospitalization anytime in the near future - they wouldn't have room for her! I have begun receiving squares (and other goodies!). J has sent three with a mystery envelope for Grace and is making more! Kathie from N Attleboro, MA sent 1 square (and her blank postcard - THANK YOU!) and a book and 3 stuffed pink animals (an elephant, a pony and a cute little Easter Bunny) for Grace! Kathie, you shouldn't have. Dawn, who has not sent in her squares yet also gave me a pink pig for Grace. Thank you so much guys!!! I can honestly say that I don't know quite what to say (and not just because of my head cold!). Please don't feel that you need to send anything other than the squares and postcards. I am so happy and grateful to receive the squares and postcards. More knitters are coming forward with more items for the draw: Joy has offered to make a necklace in the receiver's choice of colour and style (I don't yet have a link to her site). Rabbitch is sending me some handmade stitch markers to draw. Thank you Rabbitch and Joy!!! And, in more good news: Irene from Paris, France has written a blurb about the Warming Grace project on Blogging Baby. Please go check it out! Thanks so much Irene! Thank you seems so inadequate however I don't know of another phrase that could adequately express my appreciation and gratitude at everyone's outright generousity, kindness and enthusiasm in this project...to me this is the epitome of what is right about knitters and the best parts of our society ( if only we ran the world!). Yarn Aboard! I got a parcel in the mail today - for me! The sender; Christy from Florida! This is the same Black and Decker Drill Box that has been all over the world it seems and is doing a fantastic job as a purveyor of fine yarns for Yarn Aboard. Inside the box: 8 skeins of sock yarn! This stash proud woman is so happy to give these beauties a home! There are 4 skeins of Fortissima (solid red and black/red striped), 1 skein of Cascade Fixation and 3 skeins of Koigu (I love the rich tones)! There was also a sticker from the Ron Jon Surf Shop - Nick has his eye on this baby! Thank you so much Christy! Thanks to Amanda for such a great concept! If you have never been to her blog go visit; it is one classy, awesome blog! A quick story: on the way back from picking up the parcel Nick was enquiring about the concept of Yarn Aboard. When I explained to him that the box had travelled all over the States and Europe his response was; "Let me smell the box mom - I want to smell Florida, I want to smell what Germany smells like!" I could only smile. Kids. So, I hope I haven't forgotten anything...I must go rest my mucous clogged head.

18 comments:

sheep#100 said...

I feel your sniffles - honestly - let's both of us allow the kids to fend for themselves and go hibernate.

Anonymous said...

Glad you like the yarn! I will go to the beach and send Nick some sand if he wants. And I'm sure I have some more Ron Jon stickers around here somewhere. I got those in Cocoa Beach when I was there for a Media trip. :)

pacalaga said...

We live in Tucson, AZ. A few months ago, I took my baby to the ER with respiratory problems. They told me that the night before, there had been no pediatric hospital space available in ALL OF ARIZONA, and that the kids who needed to be hospitalized were being sent to CALIFORNIA.
Here's hoping those hospitals all put themselves out of business because no little kids get sick anymore.

Kathy said...

Since you're going to have more pink squares that you need for Grace's blanket, do you want squares in colors other than pink? I've got tons of different colored cotton and wool and would love to put it to good use.

Vicki Knitorious said...

I'll tell you what... this is the place to come for warm-fuzzies, especially in pink! Except for the part about turning away sick babies -- there must be a place for them someplace close by? Now that I think of it, when my aunt & uncle both had polio in the '40s, one was in Madison, the other in Minneapolis and my grandparents travelled the many miles, back and forth...

Shanna said...

hope you feel better!

and yes, i'd like to know if you'd like different colored squares too, for the boys!

Anonymous said...

It's nice to know there are so many good hearted souls out there. I hope your feeling better soon get some rest!

Anonymous said...

I am so glad to see us knitters unite for a wonderful cause!

The health care system, at least in the U.S., is so frustrating. A couple of years ago, my daughter (she was three then) had a 105 fever and complained that her chest hurt (we found out later it was pnemonia). So I called the doctor, they told me which urgent care clinic to take her to based on my insurance, and we when arrived, they turned us away because they didn't take the insurance after all. We had to drive another 45 minutes with an extremely sick child to another clinic.

I'm keeping Grace and her friends and family in my prayers.

Rhonda the Stitchingnut said...

Nothing's worse than having a sick kid. Even when I got sick ... I would be up worrying about a sick kid. So glad they're all grown up with their own kids. It's a different kind of worry now. I wouldn't have known what to do if a hospital had turned me away with a sick kid in my arms. How awful!

Squares & postcards in the mail today!!

Rhonda the Stitchingnut said...

Hey you better get to bed, get some rest & get better before the deadline. You have all that work ahead of you and it won't be good to have you still sick and sniffling all over the squares. Shut that computer off and GO TO BED girlfriend!

Anonymous said...

Does Simone like Purple? Purple is a very nice color. It goes well with pink in most cases.

I'm sure you will be able to make due with whatever colors come your way. I think this is an amazing thing to be doing. Wouldn't it be wonderful if at some point in time there were enough squares for "lovie sized" blankets for all the children on the pediatric oncoloy floor?

And the reason I'm posting....would you mind posting your email address anew every once and a while. I've got several ladies I'm sending over from CDN Mom's who weren't able to find it amidst the posts.

Thanks. I'll be yarn shopping tomorrow!

--Deb said...

Well, my square is ready to go, but apparently, it's pretty much impossible to find a decent postcard in this neck of the woods. (We're not exactly a tourist spot!) So . . . should I send the square and follow it up with a postcard if I can find one, or what? (grin)

Monika said...

Hi, I've sent four e-mails to Cynthia's e-mail on this site but have not heard back from her. I've finished the squares and would love to send them to you C.
Monika

Unknown said...

Monika - I have tried over and over again to email you but it keeps bouncing back. Please email me again with your email address - cynicked@sympatico.ca.

Unknown said...

Serena,

Go for the purple! And any other colours! I will post today with my email address. Can you email me today with your email address so I can give you my snail mail address? Thank you!

starrypurplehaze said...

I would love to send a couple of purple and/or blue squares, if that's alright. Purple is my favorite color, and I believe I have some KnitPicks Crayon that would work perfectly for this.
My email address is cecily DOT b DOT stewart AT gmail DOT com.

Nana Sadie said...

Cynthia, I have 2 little DGS's (and another on the way)...I've got green and yellow and blue (lots of it) I'll try to make up 3-4 more in those colors to enclose in the envelope with Grace's - but if I'm too slow, will you continue to make the blankets (or get help to make more?) so we can send them on later? Feel better soon, dear!
(((hugs)))

Unknown said...

Kathy,

I need your email address in order to send you my address. Please email me at cynicked@sympatico.ca. Thanks!