BEAUTIFUL QUILTS

   

Yesterday these two quilts were delivered to our front door.  They are from the Mending Hearts Quilting Group in Washington State.  What makes them really special is the fact that they were made in memory of our friend, Marge Mitchell.  Marge passed away about a year ago, and one of her dying wishes was that her quilting group continue to make quilts for our transplant apartments.  The group has fulfilled that promise over and over again.

We tend to give our apartments nicknames based on their decor.  The next apartment we open will house these quilts and it will be called “The Quilt Cottage.”  The group made another quilt which is in “Jeff’s Cabin.”

I have never made a quilt, and I never will.  The whole process is just “beyond me!”  But I can certainly appreciate all of the work that went into these.  The blue one, in particular, was apparently a very complicated pattern and it was made by a local quilter, MaryCee, who then gave it to the Mending Hearts to finish and give to us.  The pink quilt was made by Betty Walsh, a member of the group.  And I cannot forget to thank Joan Huehnerhoff, who not only helps with the quilting, but is also the person who is really in charge of carrying out Marge’s wishes.

Thank you, again.  My gratitude is endless.  And Marge is happy!

40th Transplant Family!

Last week, we welcomed the 40th transplant family to our apartments.  Who would ever have guess that we would be at this point already.  It has been, and continues to be, such a privilege to be able to provide these apartments to our transplant patients and care givers.  We love them all.

IN REMEMBRANCE

 

 

Do you remember this little guy?  This is Trey, our little patient that passed away before he got a liver transplant.  On Sunday, April 28th, Mary and her sister-in-law, Karen attended a “Celebration of Life” at Egleston Hospital which was held in loving memory of all the children who passed away in the Pediatric ICU in 2018.  Mary and Karen joined Trey’s family (mom, dad, grandma, and three sisters) to celebrate Trey’s life.  It was a very touching time when the lives of 40 children were celebrated.

“Silently a flower blooms,

In silence it falls away;

Yet here now, at this moment, at this place,

The whole of the flower,

The whole of the world is blooming.

This is the talk of the flower,

The truth of the blossom

The glory of eternal life is fully shining here.”

        (from the Celebration program) 

Trey captured my heart from the moment I met him.  The smile on his face was always there and I’m convinced that, even as he is now in heaven, that smile is eternally glowing.  Trey, you are loved, sweet boy, and you will NEVER be forgotten.

UNPLEASANT

     Near the end of April, we had to evict a family from one of the apartments.  They had misrepresented themselves to everyone involved.  Unfortunately, they were really enjoying living there and they did not want to move out.  So we had to exert a little pressure to get them to start packing.  It was a L-O-N-G day, ending around 11:00 p.m. with the last of their possessions being taken away.

We are considering this a learning experience.   One thing we learned about is the legal process of evicting someone.  YES….if they refuse to leave, there is a process that takes 30 days and involves local government.

On top of everything else, they trashed the apartment.  We were told by someone who knows (Liz, out Foundation Consultant and former Executive Director of the Seattle Transplant House) that this would inevitably happen, so we were not taken totally by surprise.  After many trips to the dumpster and four days of cleaning, we were back in business. 

And the good news is that we have another family in the apartment.   When the caregiver, the patient’s sister, arrived at the apartment to get the keys, she had the wonderful news that a liver had just become available and her sister was scheduled for the transplant at 4:00 a.m. the following morning.  That’s the kind of news we love to hear.  And good news ALWAYS trumps bad news!