What I Do With My Time

A friend of mine used to be highly involved in Relay for Life and would collect things that could be auctioned to raise money for cancer research.  That's when I made my first Chemo Survival Kit.  I am not treated with chemo infusions, but I have a rudimentary understanding of what that entails.  With a little research, I found some things that would be a comfort to someone going through chemo, so I put them into that kit.  

Fast forward a few years, and I started making kits and taking them to my oncologist appointments. So, you ask, how many kits did I make?  Two a month.  Unfortunately that is not even a drop in the bucket for the number of new chemo patients every month in my clinic.  I asked the doctor how many new chemo the clinic gets in a usual month.  The clinic serves five counties with satellite offices in three counties.  In a month there are 100-120 new chemo cases diagnosed depending on when screenings happen.  That's 1200-1500 new cases in a year.  In the few years I have been doing this, I average two kits a month, and sometimes I do extra when a friend finds out about someone they know who has cancer.  

What's in a kit, you ask? 

Included in any kit are:

• An afghan—either crocheted or made from polar fleece.  
• A hat
• Peppermints to aid in quelling the nausea
• A book to read while receiving treatments
• Plastic flatware—to keep from increasing the metallic taste chemo provides
• A satin pillowcase—feels better on heads that are losing hair
• A notebook and a pen for journaling, doodling, making lists, keeping up with all your cards and gifts
• A nifty tote bag to keep it all together and to take with you to your treatments

I include this list with a note that explains my own cancer journey and that every stitch on any item is a prayer for their healing and recovery.  This is not a cheap endeavor but I try to make it as economical as I can.  I buy the best quality yarn for the best price I can get.  I get heavy fabric remnants for the tote bags (usually those are 50% off, so there is a good cost savings).  I buy the books at the thrift store.  The plastic flatware comes pre-wrapped from when we get take-out.  I buy the satin on sale as much as I can, sometimes I can find that in the remnants as well.  Sometimes I will see tote bags or overnight bags at the thrift store that are cost-effective.  I get joy from doing this and because I am a patient, I am anonymous.  It gives me smiles to think I might have given someone else a smile in a tough time.  

So I spend my spare time crocheting, praying, and sewing the kits.