Since I got my quilt on October 20, a lot has happened. First, I just sat down and looked at it. Unbelievable. Sara liked it a lot and I felt flattered as I felt that I inspired the brilliance within. It is amazing, I must admit. I remember telling her that I loved plants, that I worked with corn (my life) and that I favored primary colors. Whatever I said, it inspired a great quilt. The back is a mosaic of nothing but corn seeds. The front, blocks of leaf-shaped patterns with a definite planty feel. Cherries, flowers, leaves, and seeds break up the words of many Kossack friends.
The words - I then went over the comments that were inspiring, funny, and uplifting. I am still in shock that so many people all over the world are involved in this community.
Now things sort of fell apart.
Cancer update time: Last Thursday I had chemo again that between Friday and Saturday I discovered that I was both totally unable to have a bowel movement or to urinate. Constipation is a known side effect of chemo but it didn't bother me until I started taking a particular pain med that has the same effect. Bottom line, I went to the hospital. TMI. This was one of the most miserable experiences of my life. After four enemas to purge a brick from my colon, a few choice drugs for other problems, and such, I was able to go home. Drained, literally and figuratively, I was completely weak and helpless for five days. TMI-2. Never mind, too graphic. Let's just say I was living in a fetid stench-filled hellhole and could barely control any of my bodily functions.
Through all this time, I was literally never away from Sara's quilt. I threw up on it. I shat upon it. I sweated on it. I dragged myself back and forth from TV/couch to bedroom with it. I put it over my head and cursed. The quilt was there with me through thick and thin, letting me abuse it and be comforted by it. I remember thinking one time, was this what was intended in the community quilt project.
Gradually, thanks to my friend Annette, my son who kept going to the store for whatever I needed, my two cats, and my quilt, I made it through and finally felt like a normal person at about 50% strength yesterday. And, that was from a low of 5% last Sunday! Aside: I don't know if this is normal, but I came away from this all with heightened emotions. Anything I normally wouldn't like, I now detest. I hate listening to people talk fast. Pills - I hate pills. And, interestingly, I cannot tolerate drug commercials either. Space: I feel compressed by the number of people in a room. I hate Herman Cain, I mean I really HATE him. I think he is the most vile creature to every walk the face of this planet. I want to choke Joe Scarborough and smash his sanctimonious face with those diminutive features on a pile of fossilized turds. … OK. I'm done.
Now, I am at the "Take Sara R's Quilt to the Yarn Store Today" part.
In my last few days of absolute abysmal hell, I started worrying about my quilt. Do I want to associate my lovely quilt with vomiting, diarrhea, hospitals, and Herman Cain? No freaking way! So, I washed my quilt and decided to take it with me for some good vibes. I'm not a 50-something woman with a blanky but I am going to put my quilt in the car for a while and let it try to forget what we have been through together. OK, I might leave it in the car but I want the quilt to not remind me of how sick I was the first weeks I had it.
Peace and comfort to all other quilt recipients and … oh, god, thank you, Sara R. You will never know how much you have done for the community.
Note: Diary on the Community's Community Quilt (The Daily Kos Community Quilt - a Virtual Tour)