I Always Say...

I get by with a little help from my friends...well, I really, really need some help.  I have a good friend who has dedicated almost all of her sewing to making patriotic pillowcases and quilts for our servicemen and women.  She has made it her project to make sure that every member of the service that she comes in contact with gets a pillowcase to remember home.  Whenever she goes to an airport, she has her carry on bag full of pillowcases...she goes to the USO room at whatever airport she's in and hands out pillowcases or if she saw a service person at a gate waiting to get on a plane, she would give them a pillowcase.  Now that's not all, she organized her friends for the past several years to make pillowcases, she taught ladies at some area churches how to make pillowcases, she held workshops...she was tireless in reaching her goal. The first year she took what she had to Walter Reed Hospital, the she heard about Ft. Gordon in Georgia. She's gone there for the past 2 years.  Last year she had 300+ pillowcases and if I remember correctly almost 50 quilts that she and her husband delivered to the wounded soldiers in the hospital and the rehab center there. She's an amazing, dedicated, giving woman and I am so honored that she allows me to help.

OK, well you're probably thinking, Where in the world is she going with this?  I had breakfast with her last Friday, we had a wonderful visit, got all caught up, ate our breakfast and she said "I have something to tell you."  My heart skipped several beats, because I just knew it wasn't going to be good.  She told me she had just found out that she had cancer.  She's had some trouble with her hip and it's gotten very painful.  Her doctor ordered and MRI, didn't like what he saw and ordered a PET scan...her hip lit up as did her lung and an area in her abdomen.    She was so positive, her faith is so strong.  She said "Carol, there's a reason for this,  maybe my work is done here and there's other work for me to do."  Then she went on to tell me that the pillowcase project would go on, she'd already made arrangements to go back to Ft. Gordon and they'd be counting on them.  She went on to say that she may need some help making the delivery, if she can't go she asked if Andy and I would make the delivery...she promised she'd have it all arranged...all we had to do was drive up there.  OMG!  What a woman...she has to take care of this.  So I assured her that we would do it.  She called today and had the report from the doctor, it is confirmed in her hip, pelvis and Stage 4 in her lung...he said 12-18 months. 

Here's where I need help...I'd really, really like to be able to have tons of pillowcases for her this year.  The trip will be probably after the summer...so I'm asking you all, if you have a bit of extra time and could make a red, white and blue pillowcase or two for her project, I'll get them all delivered to her.  I know it would mean so much to her and to the soldiers.

Thank you, my friends.  If you would like to help out, just leave me a comment with an e-mail address connected to it.  I'll send you my address.  Thank you!  Thank you!