raina's quilt, basted for tying
Our beloved Kossack, Alma, has breast cancer and has just started radiation treatment. She was keeping quiet about her condition but the news got out anyway -- and the same day, I put up a quilt diary for her. We collected 50 messages for her in the first diary. If we get at least 18 more, we can make a larger blanket for her. Will you please leave a quilt message for Alma tonight?
raina's quilt top, detail
A community quilt contains messages from community members to someone facing illness or other hardship. I transcribe the messages in archival ink onto muslin, heat set them for permanence, and then my sister and I sew them into colorful quilts. These quilts are powerful tokens of love and respect that are very supportive to their recipients. Alma can take her quilt to treatment, rest under it at home, and read your words of love anytime she needs a lift.
nannyboz' quilt, showing the backing
It takes time and material to make these. If you would like to contribute toward Alma's quilt, here is a PayPal link -- or message me for an address if you prefer a check. $10/message is suggested, although some people give a bit extra so that the messages of those who cannot afford to contribute are covered, as well.
nannyboz' quilt
These people have left messages for Alma so far (check here if you don't recall if you have left one already):
1. Nurse Kelley
2. Navajo
3. bleeding ♥
4. Randallt
5. sidinny
6. Sally Cat
7. high uintas
8. JaxDem
9. zdefender
10. middleagedhousewife
11. Joieau
12. Shararazade
13. One Pissed Off Liberal
14. NormAl1792
15. raina
16. gchaucer2
17. Noor B
18. Nashville fan
19. Liberal Granny
20. Dov12348
21. Alicia
22. AuroraDawn
23. suejazz
24. Marabout40
25. Youffraita
26. desertguy
27. eeff
28. Cali Scribe
29. Berkshireblue
30. LiberalBadger
31. peregrine kate and ProvokingMeaning
32. ZenTrainer
33. Kurious
34. Mama jo
35. Mamabigdog
36. ridemybike
37. Tahoe
38. Grassofleaves
39. newpioneer
40. Timbuk3
41. cfk from the Thumb of Michigan
42. Jolux
43. rserven
44. nomandates
45. Gorette
46. Spedwybabs
47. DarkHawk98
48. Puzzled
49. remembrance and Glen The Plumber
50. Janine7
Regina in a Sears Kit House's quilt on her bed
Need some inspiration? Here are some of Alma's messages:
Dearest Alma: Woven deep within this quilt, somewhere between the threads and the batting, lay a dozen or more secret spots. One is comfort and another is strength. There is love of course and faith as well. Each one will be found when you need it most. Love, JaxDem
May the warmth of the dKos community entwine with the threads of this quilt, and may you always feel our love, concern and care for you whenever you need it. Love, strength and best wishes to you for a speedy and permanent recovery, middleagedhousewife
For my dearest Alma
Who cares for others
With such selflessness
And who is courageous
In all aspects of her good life
And loves as fully as she lives... Joieau
As you fight this cancer, let the love and caring of our community keep you warm & strong. We are here for you, as we know you are for us. NormAl1792
{{{Alma}}} Patches of love from a community that loves you! ♥ Alicia
ulookarmless' quilt -- please drop by Nurse Kelley's diary to send him good wishes, he's in hospital with a life-threatening respiratory infection
These are the community quilts we have finished to date:
othniel (cellulitis and ensuing complications, RIP)
exmearden (cancer of heart and lung, RIP)
MsSpentyouth (brain tumor)
Moe99 (lung cancer, RIP)
Michelle Caudle (ovarian cancer, RIP)
BFSkinner (lupus)
Kitsap River (long wait for kidney donor that ended 2/18/11)
Frederick Clarkson (blood clots)
Dreaming of Better Days (lymphoma)
one bite at a time (lost house and belongings to fire)
Timroff (cellulitis)
Sol Fed Joe (multiple cancers and health problems)
Brubs (AIDS, immune reconstitution syndrome)
rserven (gall bladder infection with dangerous complications)
grndrush (brain tumor, RIP)
ImpeachKingBushII (needs liver transplant)
andsarahtoo (lupus)
Frank Cocozzelli (muscular dystrophy)
luvsathoroughbred (breast cancer)
Predictor (stroke and HIV)
Austex54 (caretaker to othniel)
Theodore Olbermann, RIP
cskendrick (antibiotic resistant infection)
Keith Olbermann (caregiver to father)
Juan (cancer)
Ana (a young horse belonging to Juan, hit by truck)
MA Liberal’s mother (Alzheimer’s)
Charles CurtisStanley (caretaker to Kitsap River)
Lorikeet (cervical cancer)
Dr. Lori (metastatic cancer)
ulookarmless (cancer, heart condition, stroke)
riverlover (caregiver to husband suffering from liver failure, now widowed)
Melody Townsel (caregiver to dying father, now deceased)
dadanation (AIDS)
Dr. William F. Harrison (leukemia, RIP)
Larry Bailey (sudden loss of partner to heart attack)
ramara (adopted son with fetal alcohol syndrome)
Noor B (herniated disk from car accident)
Louisiana 1976 (fibromyalgia, severe arthritis, depression)
stumpy (MS, stroke, RIP)
bleeding heart's niece (cancer, RIP)
escapee (failure of corneal surgery)
SarahLee (lymphoma, Lyme Disease)
Bustergirl (ovarian cancer)
mimi's niece (cancer)
ZenTrainer (breast cancer)
Miss Blue (severe injury to shoulder, anxiety over coverage for surgery)
Granny Doc (bladder cancer, RIP)
mango (heart attack)
nudger (ovarian cancer, RIP)
DaNang65 (heart condition)
Lt. Choi (exhaustion)
Nurse Kelley (spinal stenosis)
Ben Masel (lung cancer, RIP)
Otterary Scribe (caregiver, grieving grandfather, grieving widower)
Aji (autoimmune diseases incl. fibromyalgia, inflammatory arthritis, & Chronic Epstein-Barr Virus Syndrome)
JaxDem (suddenly widowed)
DavidW (AIDS and other undiagnosed illness)
Jester the Marine (facing amputation of leg)
peregrine kate (endometrial cancer)
mimi (grief due to family illnesses)
alliedoc (endometrial cancer, RIP)
labwitchy (diffuse scleroderma)
Daily Kos (celebrating community)
belinda ridgewood (sudden loss of her mother)
princesspat (blood clots, deep vein thrombosis)
Scott Olsen (severe head injury)
SensibleShoes (caring for sister with brain cancer)
Joanna (cancer)
cany (grieving caretaker of mother with dementia)
Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse (breast cancer)
Scottie Thomaston (intense chronic pain from spine, kidney stones)
paradise50 (throat cancer)
woodtick (caregiver to mother with Alzheimer's)
BeninSC (mulitple fractures from bicycle accident)
Adrian (colon cancer)
Smoh (breast cancer, stroke, depression)
slksfca (sudden onset of arthritis requiring hip replacement)
arizonablue (grief and exhaustion)
Lorikeet (grieving widow - this quilt was a gift from the Rescue Rangers)
remembrance (breast cancer) and Glen the Plumber (her caregiver)
MassHarry (colon cancer)
Regina in a Sears Kit House (severe immune problems from Lyme Disease)
nannyboz (grief for father, crippling back pain requiring surgery)
See also these two thank you posts from multiple quilt recipients:
KosAbility: A Virtual Quilt for Sara and Ann, from Community Quilt recipients
We Have Something to Say to YOU, Sara R and winglion!
ulookarmless' quilt, showing backing
These quilts are planned. If you know someone who needs a quilt, drop me a line.
Carol in San Antonio (cancer)
DarkHawk98 (cancer)
UnaSpensor (Lyme disease)
MA Liberal (caretaker to her mother who has dementia)
paradox (cyclical vomiting syndrome, PTSD, depression)
Ellinorianne (rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia)
MsGrin (life long heart problems requiring multiple surgeries)
LorelieHI (PTSD, reversals of fortune, depression)
Goldie inspects the quilt we made for MA Liberal's mother
PAYPAL LINK FOR ALMA'S QUILT - THANK YOU!
Boots says, "Thank you for supporting community quilts!"
Namaste.