Beading for Chemo

I saw this on the Cancer website.  A woman wore 16 beaded bracelets on her right arm.  After each chemo session, she moved one of the bracelets to her left arm, symbolizing one less round to go.  Since I have beads, I decided to make my own set, & have begun the process tonight.  Hopefully, on Tuesday, I'll get to move two, since I didn't move one from the first round.  I'm saying hopefully since they may want to start over - ugh.  We'll see.


However, this reminded me of my good friend, Deb Orzel, & her generous gift at the hospital.  She went out & bought a huge bouquet of mylar balloons (since some folks are allergic to latex).  Additionally, her little Jessica wanted me to have a teddy bar:

TOO CUTE!  And, Jessica, I still sleep with her.  Her name is Baby Jessica.

When it was time to go home, I realized that bringing all those balloons with me was going to take some doing.  We have what one could term a sport type car.  Matt couldn't figure out where to put them, without getting us in trouble with the police.  And that's when it hit me - give them to the residences of the floor.

After getting the OK from the nurses, I took my big ol' bouquet & went from room to room.  I spoke to people who were so happy to have something to brighten their rooms.  I spoke to a man who grudgingly LET me leave one in his room if it would make me happy.  Room after room, I spoke to other patients.  A man, noticing what I was doing, came up to me & asked if I'd give some to his dad's roommate who hadn't had a visitor since he'd been in.  Another scared young woman was all alone in PA.  I sat & held her hand & listened to her story.  I gave her my information so she can get in touch with me.  Another woman had just had a mastectomy & had a bunch of questions.  When I was out of balloons, I felt as if the air had been let out of my soul.  I wanted to stay & visit with all those people forever.  And you know, after I get better, I think that may be something I do.  Just go around & visit with folks.

ANYWAY, what started this little nostalgic trip down memory lane was that that experience gave me yet another idea.  I'm going to make a few extra bracelets to have on hand at chemo.  There have been women I've seen show up to chemo alone & leave alone.  I want to have a bracelet to give to them, just because.  Maybe that one little thing that cost me little but time will make a difference in her day.  Or, maybe she'll think I'm crazy.  You never know.  But you know what?  I'm getting off this computer right now & starting on my collection of sparkly beaded stretch bracelets.  Wish me luck!