After All My Complaining, Some Constructive Ideas
Yesterday I told you about the “outrage on the 15th floor”. You’ll be glad to know that I have calmed down a bit and am ready for the next step, which is to rethink the whole program from the ground up.
I propose the the program be renamed Here’s Looking At You Kid! (or something to that effect).
I will now list a few ideas for my program. (Maybe I’ll even make a proposal to the American Cancer Society.)
1. Mastering the Head Scarf: How to wind a long scarf around your head to make a beautiful and very artistic head wrap. A women I met in the coffee room showed me how to do it and it looks gorgeous. I get lots of complements and have since taught several fellow patients the technique.
2. Creating Alternatives to the Hospital Gown: (see my blog entry: Down With the Gown)
3. Skin Care Made Easy: Dry hospital air and chemo tend to dry out your skin. Personally, I am a fan of Ponds Cold Cream. It works just a well as the expensive stuff and does not smell funny.
4.Lip Care: A stick of lightly tinted moisturizing lip gloss would feel nice and add a touch of color.
5. Basic Nail Care: I was told not to bring nail scissors to the hospital because cutting cuticles can cause infection. Filing and buffing makes more sense and is very satisfying.
Everyone would leave the workshop with a cloth bag suitable for hanging from their IV Pole. (Very useful for carrying stuff as you travel around the halls.) The bag would contain the following “goodies”:
*a cotton head scarf
*some Ponds cold cream
* a tube of tinted moisturizing lip gloss
* a nail file, a nail buffer and cuticle cream
In the Here’s Looking at You Kid Program the opinions of the patients would ALWAYS be respected and NO ONE would EVER be told (or even asked) to remove their face mask!
Now it is your turn….please contribute your ideas and suggestions.
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Oct 14, 2011 @ 03:10:42
Your brilliance puts the sun to shame!
Oct 14, 2011 @ 03:40:29
I think you’ve done a splendid job of recognizing and describing the needs. BRAVO!
So, there’s not much I can think of adding, except maybe to deal with or adorn FEET (dry skin lotions, slippers or socks, etc.) .
Are there decorative face masks or colored ones (color coded like emoticons)?
And monogram, your bag for STALKER.
just tails on your plan…and especially the attitudes embedded in it.
Oct 14, 2011 @ 10:21:06
I made a couple of light weight cotton hats from a commercial pattern for matching mother-daughter sunhats for a friend of my daughter. This woman wanted something very light weight to wear in the Texas heat when she lost her hair. It was shaped like a sack with a flared brim, so very easy to make.
They might add that to your 15th floor craft projects. The pattern created a reversible style.
Oct 14, 2011 @ 11:17:14
You have made Lemonade!
Oct 14, 2011 @ 11:44:35
Mary this is fabulous. I never knew you were an activist, I am awed.
You have said you wanted lots of readers. Does that mean you want the blog “shared” or whatever it is with everyone — like I should share it with my whole (actually quite small) Facebook friends list, email contacts, etc? I haven’t done anything like that as this is all so personal to you but if Activist Mary gives the word, I’ll get on it.
Oct 14, 2011 @ 11:48:46
Why the hell not…we authors love to have an audience.
Oct 14, 2011 @ 11:50:36
this could really be a book, you know. Get Michael to start looking for an agent.
Oct 14, 2011 @ 19:22:19
Hi, Mary. So glad that you’re feeling better about a really unpleasant episode and that you’re continuing to think of how to make things better for women who have to go through the big C experience! Love you!
Oct 14, 2011 @ 19:43:55
Thanks old friend.
Oct 14, 2011 @ 19:43:24
Those are good suggestions. I hope they listen to them.
Oct 14, 2011 @ 19:47:43
Thank you…but having seen them I don’t think they will (They are just not the lip gloss types.)
Oct 14, 2011 @ 23:15:41
Your trying to promote some sanity in an inherently insane world. More power to you, Mary!
By the way, I’d like to include your design for an alternative to the hospital gown in my blog for our new t-shirt company. I’ll link it back to your blog. It should increase your fan base. Keep on pitching them curves, Mary!
Oct 15, 2011 @ 00:40:21
When you are finished with this experience; you’ll be just the person to teach some of these classes on the 15th floor. Maybe this could be the beginning of a new career, teaching adults instead of kids.
You are doing great, try not to be so hard on yourself.
Book Group is on Wednesday at 7:00 (new time) can we skype you through your email? Did you get a chance to read any of the book? Can I come and read to you? XOXO Peggy
Oct 15, 2011 @ 01:06:04
Hi Peggy, I have not read the book (the Outlander book is about as serious as I seem to be able to handle) but it would still be fun to join the book group via skype, Stop by for the book and the tin of shells when you have a minute to spare. No need to read to me. What with the blog and the crafts and the doctors and the naps I am pretty busy. My skype address is: mary.stetten.carson
Oct 16, 2011 @ 02:46:19
Mary,
I’ve renewed the book in case you change your mind, it’s not a heavy story but just a memoir of a young boy’s growing up with his Cherokee grandparents. It’s filled with practical & spiritual stories. It might make you smile while you are wearing your dream catcher earrings.
The shells and the box are for you to keep.
Please keep smiling and you will hear from us on Wednesday evening around 7:30 (everyone should be here by then). Love, P.
Oct 16, 2011 @ 11:18:43
Thanks Peggy
Oct 15, 2011 @ 02:04:50
Hi Mary. I just “followed” your blog after Fred told us about it. We also just learned of your illness. I am hoping for a quick and complete recovery for you. I hate it when things like this happen to good people. Words are failing me, Mary. I wish I had your knack for evoking a smile from less than humorous situations. I will be thinking of you and following your blog and wishing you the best.
Oct 15, 2011 @ 23:32:41
Hi Mary,
I found your blog through someone on twitter. I was shocked to read the story about someone telling you to remove your mask!!! My sister and I are both nurses and it just amazes us sometimes at how people can be so ignorant. I am so glad you stood up for yourself because maybe others would not have and, as a result, compromised their health!!
I love your spirit and we especially loved your “Down with the Gown” post as that is dear to our hearts. I work in an ER and my sister works in an adult ICU and we have seen how horrible standard hospital gowns are. We feel embarrassed to put them on patients sometimes….actually most times. They take away the dignity of every person that walks into a hospital. That is why we started our business of selling designer hospital gowns:-) The title of your last post caught my eye because my sister & I have always said….”When you look good, you feel better” I like all your ideas!!!
Check out some of our warriors here: http://www.annieandisabel.com/cancer-patient-testimonials/
We hope you can escape the hospital soon and will keep you in our thought!!!