Friday From the Heart: Henrietta Hippo and a Few Other Essentials

There are things that help me when I am in my house or in my room on my own on bad or quiet days. There are probably more that I am forgetting but I will share a few things that have brought me comfort. First here I am with my cozy fleece blanket that one of my sweet friend Michelle gave to me. I have it to use in the living room and another that some of my Arthur moms made me during my last time through chemo that I snuggle up with in my bedroom.











Next, let me introduce you to Henrietta Hippo from my dear friend Cindy who I still have a hard time believing she was right here in my house this summer! When I close my eyes I can still see her standing on my porch on that rainy day. Henrietta is wonderful because if you have had a surgery or have to rest for a long period of time, pillows are so important. This hippo (slightly under-stuffed) can be put behind my head, behind arms, or sometimes just hugged across my chest. I am very thankful for her.

 I got a special pillow from a friend six years ago that is shaped like a traveling neck pillow but it was made for mastectomy patients for under the arm of the affected side. It was very good and I sometime use it for my neck or under my arm too. I also met with a woman in my PT office who had a lot of ideas for making it easier to write and to stitch and a tool to button my buttons. Still looking for something to help with earrings. But this tool can do a lot of things as you can see. There are also foam gripper tubes that I can put on silverware to eat (so I don't drop my spoon or fork.) Just cut it the length you need.

Finally, a couple of very special things, my praying bear which I have had since I was infertile and prayed for children EVERY. SINGLE. DAY back when Beanie Babies were popular. And then, my VERY favorite encouragement came the very first day I heard bad news in June of 2013. Dawn in her sweet little heart wanted to help me and she glued these popsicle sticks together and painted my battle cry “BE BRAVE!”

I haven’t had the best month. I think the chemo is building up. I did not expect to still be on chemo in August when I started it last December but we do what we have to do. We do seem to be going down the right path. I will report though, my fat arm is smaller this week! I went to the stitch shop uptown in Marion to find anything I could that may help me to stitch. I found a few things and yesterday I was able to finish a hand embroidered quilt block. I am going to tackle another one today.

God is so good at holding me and He does it through all of you. So many times we were told by our doctors and surgeons that if we do "this" there would be a 98% chance that this cancer won't come back. There is a different plan for me it seems. As the Mayo report said in the first paragraph "This is an interesting and challenging case".

I thank everyone who has brought meals to us and our “secret school supply fairies”, those who have picked up my kids or dropped them off too. (you all know who you are). And for those who are far away, who throw a card in the mail every so often I say thank you! I am serious when I say each one of them arrive right when I need them most. Then there are some who I have never met in person, thank you for your prayers and for following our family through this. I love you all!

“The promise was when everything fell we’d be held.”

Natalie Grant