OT questions about chemo treatments

Leslie,
Check your local chapter of American Cancer Society (your Mom's
local). They have a Road to Recovery program that uses volunteer
drivers for appointments. My DH is one of the drivers here. The idea
is transportation for a single person to Dr., treatments etc. It
eliminates the waiting for group lifts.
Ditto to all the "soft" stuff mentioned. As a survivor, I am still
looking for soft stuff and it has been 8 years.
Just in case anyone else has a friend or relative scheduling surgery,
a man's button front shirt to use when you come home is great. Make
sure it has a pocket on the front to hold the drains they leave in the
surgery site.
Anna Belle in Palm Bay






On Fri, 18 Jan 2008 21:31:30 -0800 (PST), "Kate T."
wrote:

Hey Leslie

I have another suggestion to block out the desert sun. How about an
umbrella that folds up. I used one in Houston in the spring and
summer of 2002. It was a life saver. I would have to sit in the sun
for an hour at a time waiting for transportation to my motel. A fad
was started that year.

Have you looked into trying to find some kind of transportation to the
hospital that is dedicated to taking patients to their appointments
and that can accomodate wheelchairs. That way your Mom won't have to
be getting in and out of the chair and vehicles so much. She and the
chair can be loaded all at once.

Have you checked into home health care services. have you checked
with the Area Agency on Aging and the cancer society for services that
you mother could use. They surely would know about transporation
services, home care services such as feeding, bathing and dressing.
Maybe even home nursing services, if you mother needs it. Maybe even
housekeeping services. Someone to help with the laundry, washing
dishes, light house cleaning, etc.

I know you are in a whirlwind of confusion right now. S-l-o-w D-o-w-
n and breathe. Concentrate on making Mother a quilt that will cover
her during the treatments and make one just like it for yourself so
you can wrap up in it and give mama a hug, long distance.

I know someone out there knows where a free pattern is for a
wheelchair tote bag. Come on ladies and gents, this girl needs your
help. We need to keep her quilting and sewing. This is her therapy
during these trying weeks and months.

Again, hope this helps.

Kate T. South Mississippi

I was a medical transcriptionist for oncology for over 20 years, 13 of which
were in a hospital oncology unit. Our chemo patients were always cold.
There was only one thermostat so the rest of us roasted so they could stay
warm. My husband is a dialysis patient, and they too get very cold while on
dialysis. Most bring their quilts, blankets, or throws with them to keep
warm.

A 9-year-old girl had to come back for another round of chemo, sat on my
lap, and just cried her heart out. She knew she was going to lose her hair
and the kids would make fun of her and her wig, and she knew she was going
to throw up for a couple days after each chemo treatment (don't remember
what drug she was getting). I can't draw worth a darn, so I asked one of my
co-workers if she would draw a picture of a stomach, draw different kinds of
food in the stomach, then put a stop sign at the top of the stomach so the
food could't come up. That sweet child came to me every day she had chemo
and we prayed she wouldn't lose her hair this time, and every day she had
chemo she held that picture in her hands. She didn't lose her hair and was
able to control her stomach to the point she didn't throw up. Anything you
can do to keep her attitude strong and positive will help.

I second that suggestion. The two women that I have given satin pillow
cases to later told me that the pillow cases were very helpful.

Louise in WA

In article ,
"Leslie & The Furbabies in MO." wrote:

She lives outside Phoenix and it'll be getting hot there soon.


Leslie, I had a family member who went through treatments (radiation,
chemo) for breast cancer some years ago. She found that wigs were simply
too hot in the Tucson summers, and Phoenix is even hotter. I ended up
buying her cotton bandannas in every color I could find, and she loved
those. They absorbed moisture and prevented sunburn. HTH.

--
Sandy in Henderson, near Las Vegas
sw.foster1 (at) gmail (dot) com (remove/change the obvious)
http://www.sandymike.net

If you are going to make satin pillowcases, you might want to try Super
Satin. I found it at www.chenilleplace.com and it's only $ 4.95 per yard.
My mom used to love her satin pillowcases but the kind she used (decades
ago) needed to be handwashed and ironed. I've used the Super Satin for
backing little minkee throws for babies and it is just very, very nice.
Polly
"Louise and Ray Denny" wrote in message
...
I second that suggestion. The two women that I have given satin pillow
cases to later told me that the pillow cases were very helpful.

Louise in WA

Great idea, Polly! Thanks! Now, do you have a cheap source (yardage and
shipping) for Minkee?

Leslie, Missy & The Furbabies in MO.

"Polly Esther" wrote in message
...
If you are going to make satin pillowcases, you might want to try Super
Satin. I found it at www.chenilleplace.com and it's only $ 4.95 per yard.
My mom used to love her satin pillowcases but the kind she used (decades
ago) needed to be handwashed and ironed. I've used the Super Satin for
backing little minkee throws for babies and it is just very, very nice.
Polly
"Louise and Ray Denny" wrote in message
...
I second that suggestion. The two women that I have given satin pillow
cases to later told me that the pillow cases were very helpful.

Louise in WA

No, Leslie, I don't. That's why I was growling about generic substitutes.
The stuff I found at fabric.com is nice but so is potato soup. Just not
what I was looking for. Real Minkee has a gentle feel no matter which way
you glide your hand over it; the double-faced minky I bought is kind of
rough against grain. Not, of course, like a cat's tongue but still not the
comfort of Minkee. IMHO. Polly

"Leslie & The Furbabies in MO." asked Great idea, Polly! Thanks! Now, do
you have a cheap source (yardage and
shipping) for Minkee?


"Polly Esther" wrote If you are going to make satin pillowcases, you
might want to try Super
Satin. I found it at www.chenilleplace.com and it's only $ 4.95 per
yard. My mom used to love her satin pillowcases but the kind she used
(decades ago) needed to be handwashed and ironed. I've used the Super
Satin for backing little minkee throws for babies and it is just very,
very nice. Polly
"Louise and Ray Denny" wrote in message
...
I second that suggestion. The two women that I have given satin pillow
cases to later told me that the pillow cases were very helpful.

JoAnn's and the Hancock chain stores both have polyester satin that
should stand up to machine washing and drying.

Julia in MN
-----------
This message has been scanned for viruses by Norton Anti-Virus
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Polly Esther wrote:
If you are going to make satin pillowcases, you might want to try Super
Satin. I found it at www.chenilleplace.com and it's only $ 4.95 per yard.
My mom used to love her satin pillowcases but the kind she used (decades
ago) needed to be handwashed and ironed. I've used the Super Satin for
backing little minkee throws for babies and it is just very, very nice.
Polly
"Louise and Ray Denny" wrote in message
...
I second that suggestion. The two women that I have given satin pillow
cases to later told me that the pillow cases were very helpful.

Louise in WA

Okay, Polly, I'll search out the real thing Minkee. I think my Nancy's
Notion catalog had the genuine stuff in it.

Now, since I've switched gears on mom's snuggle quilt from a batik backing
to Minkee for the backing... my new game plan is to quilt the top onto Warm
& White (without a backing) and then put a Minkee backing on it, tack it in
several places where the tacking won't show much and then bind it in the
batik. Will this work okay?

I've never used Minkee- should I pre-shrink it? Does it stretch? Is it
bulky and 'furry' like the soft furry stuff on a stuffed animal or is it
more like 'fabric'? Any warnings besides cut it outdoors- which I can't do
as it's 18 degrees with a wind chill of 2 degrees. I'd rather vacuum the
mess than cope with the wind and cold getting it cut to size.

Any other tips? :-/

Thanks!

Leslie, Missy & The Furbabies in MO.

"Polly Esther" wrote in message
...
No, Leslie, I don't. That's why I was growling about generic substitutes.
The stuff I found at fabric.com is nice but so is potato soup. Just not
what I was looking for. Real Minkee has a gentle feel no matter which way
you glide your hand over it; the double-faced minky I bought is kind of
rough against grain. Not, of course, like a cat's tongue but still not
the comfort of Minkee. IMHO. Polly

"Leslie & The Furbabies in MO." asked Great idea, Polly! Thanks! Now,
do you have a cheap source (yardage and
shipping) for Minkee?


"Polly Esther" wrote If you are going to make satin pillowcases, you
might want to try Super
Satin. I found it at www.chenilleplace.com and it's only $ 4.95 per
yard. My mom used to love her satin pillowcases but the kind she used
(decades ago) needed to be handwashed and ironed. I've used the Super
Satin for backing little minkee throws for babies and it is just very,
very nice. Polly
"Louise and Ray Denny" wrote in message
...
I second that suggestion. The two women that I have given satin pillow
cases to later told me that the pillow cases were very helpful.

Minkee does stretch, doesn't shrink (it's polyester) and quilts up
beautifully! It's not really bulky and it is very soft and
wonderful.......when it is cut, it is a bit messy but it isn't the edges
unraveling, it's the fur part where it was cut that sheds. It's really not
that bad. Again, it quilts up really nice. I have made a few and quilted
them on my long arm - with batting.


--
~~~~~~~
Laurie G. in CA
http://www.finishingtouchesquilts.com
http://community.webshots.com/user/lagrant7
~~~~~~~

"Leslie & The Furbabies in MO." wrote in message
...
Okay, Polly, I'll search out the real thing Minkee. I think my Nancy's
Notion catalog had the genuine stuff in it.

Now, since I've switched gears on mom's snuggle quilt from a batik backing
to Minkee for the backing... my new game plan is to quilt the top onto
Warm & White (without a backing) and then put a Minkee backing on it, tack
it in several places where the tacking won't show much and then bind it in
the batik. Will this work okay?

I've never used Minkee- should I pre-shrink it? Does it stretch? Is it
bulky and 'furry' like the soft furry stuff on a stuffed animal or is it
more like 'fabric'? Any warnings besides cut it outdoors- which I can't
do as it's 18 degrees with a wind chill of 2 degrees. I'd rather vacuum
the mess than cope with the wind and cold getting it cut to size.

Any other tips? :-/

Thanks!

Leslie, Missy & The Furbabies in MO.

"Polly Esther" wrote in message
...
No, Leslie, I don't. That's why I was growling about generic
substitutes. The stuff I found at fabric.com is nice but so is potato
soup. Just not what I was looking for. Real Minkee has a gentle feel no
matter which way you glide your hand over it; the double-faced minky I
bought is kind of rough against grain. Not, of course, like a cat's
tongue but still not the comfort of Minkee. IMHO. Polly

"Leslie & The Furbabies in MO." asked Great idea, Polly! Thanks! Now,
do you have a cheap source (yardage and
shipping) for Minkee?


"Polly Esther" wrote If you are going to make satin pillowcases, you
might want to try Super
Satin. I found it at www.chenilleplace.com and it's only $ 4.95 per
yard. My mom used to love her satin pillowcases but the kind she used
(decades ago) needed to be handwashed and ironed. I've used the Super
Satin for backing little minkee throws for babies and it is just very,
very nice. Polly
"Louise and Ray Denny" wrote in message
...
I second that suggestion. The two women that I have given satin pillow
cases to later told me that the pillow cases were very helpful.