L to R: Sara R, Tricia Wyse (the late Pootie Queen) and winglion (Ann)
I’ve been asked by a few folks in recent weeks
about what’s happening with Sara R & winglion (Ann) the two ladies who have been weaving love into quilting cloth and sending it out into the world for coming up on twelve years now.
As most of you will remember that back in early March our Sara found out that she had oral cancer and would be facing a serious surgery in just weeks.
When I found out it was just heartbreaking, because for me, Sara R & winglion are my sisters from another mother.
What happened earlier this year
Plans were quickly made to do something to make the future not as bleak for Sara and Ann, and I wrote a story about their situation. Ann is also facing some surgery on her arms, and she had to delay it earlier this year to allow her to provide post-surgical care for Sara, but it’s likely now going to happen in Sept/Oct so long as the Portland, Oregon hospitals don’t get overwhelmed with COVID patients (Oregon is seeing some scary rising numbers recently).
Sara had her surgery (very successful) and has been recuperating ever since. She is facing some new surgery now as part of her recovery. I’ll let her tell you about that later in the story. But since her surgery in April, she’s had to eat only liquid or smoothie food. A couple weeks ago, she found out that the frozen salmon fillets I got her from Costco (wild caught Alaskan, flash frozen) after cooking she could break them into tiny pieces small enough to swallow successfully! So it’s been tough, not to mention dealing with the crazy Delta Surge in COVID in Oregon recently which might force Ann to push back her surgery again.
All of this, including Ann’s increasing trouble from carpal tunnel, for which her surgeon has advised an open surgical field and not arthroscopy (making it tougher to heal from and more painful), has affected their ability to produce and sell their masks, cat toys, pootie pads and quilts.
Up until these healthcare related issues, Sara and Ann have been able to make a small living, although most in the PWPeeps world are well aware that it’s been too small for years, and they’ve had to accept help now and again. But the past year or so, it’s all just become too tough of a struggle, and painfully clear to them that it’s time to turn to Social Security for some long-term assistance.
Sara has already started the process for Social Security Disability, and Ann will be filing an application for Disability soon, depending upon her results and post-surgical outlook on her ability to continue to work or not.
Next steps
From Sara:
The first is part two of my cancer surgery, the putting-me-back-together part. As I understand it, it is necessary to wait for the jawbone to heal where it was cut before doing this. What needs to happen is the “flap” (the grafted tissue in my mouth) will be de-bulked. Right now, it is very fat and distends my cheek. Then something that will be 3D printed will be inserted to build back the profile of my jawbone. And screw holes will be put in to receive implanted teeth. Then, very durable “temporary” teeth will be inserted. I say temporary because they won’t be the super-special, fancy teeth that a prosthodontist would make — those would be crazy expensive, something like $20,000 to replace the teeth I lost in my cancer surgery. But they will do me and will last a very long time. These won’t be covered by medical insurance, however, and my surgeon will do them for $6000. I will have to pay that money up front before they will schedule this surgery. Obviously, I’d like to get it done ASAP.
There is a caveat. If, for whatever reason the surgeon finds these teeth can’t be placed at the time of this surgery, he’ll let me heal and I’ll be sent to a prosthodontist later for the $20,000 solution. I won’t be charged the $6000 at the time — that can be put toward the fancy teeth later. I am not worried about this however — I have full confidence in my surgeon and I believe the $6000 teeth are going to work and serve me very well.
As you know, Ann is expecting to have surgery on her right wrist and elbow in September or October for carpal tunnel repair. It won’t be arthroscopic surgery, the surgeon is going to open her up so he can clearly see the situation. There is some worry about permanent nerve damage. Healing from this will take two to three months, perhaps as long as six. Once she’s healed, she’ll need to have the same procedure on her left wrist and elbow. She won’t be able to drive for awhile.
So even though it SHOULD be covered as reconstructive surgery, it’s dental work, so Sara needs to raise $6,000 for her portion of the dental work her head & neck surgeon wants to perform to make it possible for her to eat normal food again.
From Sara on the reason she needs the dental reconstruction done as soon as possible:
The immediate problem for me is my mouth. My god, it was hurting yesterday — the mass of this flap feels like it’s pulling on the area where it’s stitched in. I am so anxious to have this taken care of. It’s not just the teeth — the surgeon will be thinning the flap and building back the profile of the bone structure that was “scooped” and I think this is going to matter a lot for my comfort.
I already have $2465 in my teeth fund, with $3535 remaining to make the $6000 I need.
For Ann, if her surgery does get scheduled quite soon and if she has a successful surgery and a great outcome, it’s still going to take months for her to recover.
A week or so ago, I got a surprise DKosmail message
from a Kossack who asked that they remain anonymous:
Angela,
I know Sara is going to need knee replacement surgery and that Ann needs surgery on her hand/arm. As you started the fundraiser for Catnip Manor back in the spring for Sara and Ann, I thought I would reach out to you about continuing/posting another fundraiser for them.
Brian Scott noted in the PWBPeeps diary today that he estimates they will need $1,100+ to meet expenses. Although he is a math genius, I think he's falling short on that estimate, as I'm certain Sara and Ann are minimizing the amount they truly need. I suspect to get them both comfortably through the next few months, they will need about $5,000, but they would not ask for the assistance.
I would like to offer an anonymous $1,000 match for them to kick off a fundraiser. Is this something you would be willing to do, or do I ask too much?
Please let me know your thoughts. Thank you.
After thinking about two seconds, of course I decided that it wasn’t nearly too much to ask that I write a story and let the Community know what has been happening and what’s in the near future for these two women who I dearly love.
You can send any amount to Sara’s Paypal
Please be sure to choose “family and friends” to avoid fees!
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/SaraRCatnipManor
So if any of you are so inclined, please either post a comment and the amount you’ve donated OR if you would rather others not know you’ve done so?
Send ME a short DKmail message CLICK HERE TO SEND
OR if you use Twitter I have open Direct Messaging so anyone can send me a message @AngieinWAState which is a private message no one but me will ever see. Include your DK “name” and the amount you sent.
I’ll post each donation and the amount of the match it covers.
I’m also adding a $150 Match of my own.
Also, because it must be said…
FUCK CANCER
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