In the early hours of the morning today another person physically left us here on earth and went to be with the Lord he had spent most of his life teaching others about. I can say with some certainty, he is probably the priest I believe I have known the longest. I have seen three priests in and out of our little parish in my hometown, but I can recall seeing Father T consistently for most of my life, when the family would attend mass in Billings. He will be sorely missed by his parish community both near and far. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family at this time of such continued sorrow. Father T's brother passed away a couple weeks ago. I hope you two are enjoying being together again, wherever you are.
I have been trying to figure out how to write this post for some time now. Everytime I reread what I wrote to a Patient/Teacher Friend I start to cry. Every time she has contacted me about this project I have started crying. I don't know WHY I'm SO emotional right now. I've almost never been an outwardly emotional person. I've always been able to tuck those things away, put on another face and move on; at least in public view.
I started a project in the end of May, beginning of June, 2011 and decided to call it Cards for Cancer. It's not the best name; I get this, but I have not come up with any other names. Perhaps I'll have a little contest and see who can come up with a better name. But I want to share this project with more people than those who already know about it. I had actually started thinking about it, or something like it, quite some time back, but I had to idea how to approach it or who to approach about the end of the project. And then Patient/Teacher Friend announced she believed her cancer was back and so I approached her about the project. Yes, I know. Fighting cancer should be your focus while you are doing that. But P/TF's end of the project was the easiest. Instead of talking anymore about this project right now here is the letter I wrote when P/TF asked me to write something for her to take with her and some of her responses.
About the cards....
Earlier this spring, a dear friend announced she had found a new lump under her arm and there was a chance her cancer had returned. There is an almost helpless feeling that can surge through the soul of people who surround individuals as they start their fight for the first, second, third, or whatever-number-they-are-on time. You can't go through the radiation or chemo treatments for them. You are not a trained surgeon (even though you cut the sliver out of your finger last week or stitched up the cow during calving, this is one you probably shouldn't tackle!). You can't make new white blood cells stronger than the last set that would magically just make the cancer disappear for them. So what can you do?
When my dear friend announced earlier this spring that her cancer was back she said in one of her Care Pages posts: “Thanks for the messages and well wishes. Each one makes me feel better. I am such a lucky person to have so many people care.” Words like these (and: “Thanks for all the messages, kind words and prayers. Please continue as they help make this process so much more tolerable.”) are constantly coming from her. We (her friends and family) have seen how powerful encouraging words and prayers can be (not only for this patient but many others in our lives). But prayer, though helpful, can seem like it’s just not enough; in particular when you hear a person’s cancer/illness has shown its ugly head again. The first time patient friend was diagnosed, those of us who knew her, organized meals and work projects we could do for her and her family. Unfortunately, over time,some of those items faded from thought as the fight continued.
I am one of those lucky people who has multiple jobs in my life. Being a Stampin’UP demonstrator is one of the more joyous jobs. When Patient Friend announced the new battle on the homefront I personally felt crushed. How can someone with so much love to give (and she gives it freely and openly to EVERYONE!) and who ALWAYS has a smile, hug, open ears and kind word for everyone start this long, grueling process all over AGAIN?!?!? But God has a plan for everyone and a reason for everything that he does, even if we don’t understand it; right? So what could I do? Prayers and kind words are helpful but they only reach the people you talk to. I wanted to reach more people. Stampin’UP! encourages their demonstrators to take an active part in their community; to spread the joy they find in stamping with others. They have programs that, as a company, they have partnered with but I wanted to go beyond that. After talking to some friends who are clients and former students of Patient Friend we thought it would be great to spread the joy of sending and receiving a homemade card to patients at this facility.
SO it was set, we knew what we wanted to do; we set a date; I cooked WAY too much food; and we gathered. We set a goal of 100 cards in 1 night. I called my upline and shared with her our Master Plan. She called me back two days later and pledged additional cards; a week later a box STUFFED full was found in my mail box all made by the upline and my mother. SUCH supportive people! Our 100 felt like it paled in comparison, but the delight on Patient Friends face when she picked them up from the house and looked through some of them told us we had all done the right thing.
So, patients and loved ones sitting beside them cheering them on, take these cards and smile when you look at them. Use them to send a thank you, a thinking of you, a birthday that you all of a sudden remembered or whatever you feel you need to say to that special person. They were made with love because we don’t know what else we can do or how else to support you right now besides try to spread a smile. Everyone who has worked on this box of cards has been touched by your fight in some way; they’ve fought the fight; known loved ones who’ve fought the fight; been there holding hands during treatment; or just been the cheering section back home while you’re not home.
Patient Friend asked why and this is why. We can’t be there with your during treatment, but we hope we can spread a smile. Sometimes even one thing to smile about can change the outlook on the whole day. We hope you smile at at least one of these cards. We had fun making them.
Christine & ND Stamping Friends
Patient/Teacher Friend responded upon returning from delivering them:
"Christine, Do you sell these cards? I would like to buy some from you. If you do, how do you sell them? By the dozen???? One at a time???? They are beautiful. I am sure they will be much appreciated at CTCA. This was just so nice of you to do."
"Oh Christine, I just can't tell you what something like this means to me and to all that will use these cards. You have a beautiful way with words. No sorry, I did not make it though without tears. Just know that you have a good grip on what life is all about. It is not about what we can do for ourselves or what we can get. It is all about what we can do for others. You will be blessed with all you deserve someday. Thank you for all of this. All things will come back to you.
You are a special gal and I am lucky to have gotten to know you. '
I will be taking these with me when I leave Thursday and they will be delivered with love.used with love and passed on with love.
Just think how many people you all will have touched through this project!!!!
Love ya,"
"Chrisitne, I don't kon't know if you will ever be able to understnad just exactly what you have done for me and many others at CTCA. THose cards were not only beautiful but just such a perfect, needed gift. The women that I gave them to were choked up that someone one take that kind of time to do for others.. you rock. Those are the things that life is about and you are a jump ahead of so many others. I want you to know that on my real bad days, I feel just a little bit better knowing that I have so many students and others in my life that care about me. I hope you don't ever have to feel what it is like to need so many others for strength to get through the day or the hour. I draw just energy and strength from all of you that tell me they are thinking of me or praying for me. When you are in this kind of a spot you need extra strength and reason to keep fighting. You will always have a special spot in my heart for what you have done and said over these past few years. Thank you so much and don't change a thing about yourself. You have such a good heart and use it the right way.
Love you always,"
Then a couple weeks ago Patient/Teacher Friend put this on her Care Pages wall:
"Back in August when I posted I mentioned that I had some stories to share. Well here is one. I have a past student by the name of Christine Sommerfeld that contacted me and said that after reading my posts she had some card she wanted me to take out to CTCA. I was a bit confused but she explained that after reading my comments where I would mention how much all of your messages meant to me, she thought she could help others. She got some of her friends together and they made cards for the patients at CTCA. She thought that if there were cards available for the patients that it would be much easier for them to be able to write that message to someone. I wasn't real sure what to expect. I thought it was a wonderful idea. I stopped by to pick them up and was shocked. The cards were just beautiful. They truly look like they are professionally made. These gals could make a pretty good living selling these cards. BEAUTIFUL!! She told me that her mom and some of her friends, also became a part of the project. Well, cards she had, there were hundreds. I packed them up and took them out to CTCA. They were thrilled. The ladies that took them to give to the volunteer coordinator, couldn't believe the work that went into them and said that the patients would love them. I was a little embarrassed to be the one getting all of the hugs. All I had to do was deliver them.
Can you see why I love teaching the students that I do? These are the type of young people that I get to spend my days with. I get to become a part of these wonderful young peoples lives. They make me so proud. To be able to see them give back to the world, makes my heart smile like you just can't believe. To care about others. To want to make life just a little better for someone else and doing it all, not because they have to or are going to get something back from it. They do it because it is a good thing to do. If this world could have more people like that in it we would be a much better place. THANK YOU CHRISTINE AND FRIENDS. I LOVE YOU ALL."
These kind words have meant so much to myself and everyone who has heard them that participated in this the first time. This project WILL continue! A HUGE thank you needs to go out to JKW, SKK, N&ZF, DCD and KKS for helping to make all of these wonderful cards which are being enjoyed by cancer patients at the Cancer Treatment Center of America in Illinois. I truly could not have done this without you girls and will cook for you anytime you want to get together and make more cards! I hope each of you has had a chance to read this post and see the words that have been shared with me.
It's looking like the second or third (probably third, but we'll see what the weather decides to do) weekend in January is when the next time we will get together with the sole purpose of making cards to send down to CTCA. I hope many more of you will be able to join us for a fun afternoon of girls, gossip and cards with a cause (HEY! Maybe that should be the new title: Cards with a Cause!). Check my Facebook page to see some of the AWESOME designs some of these girls produced. I may have started this, but I do not deserve ALL of the credit. I love you girls and could not have pulled this off without you. The thanks expressed in P/TF's words above really do go to each and every one of you!
Oh...Father T, had cancer and passed away from complications as a result. Cherish the time we have with those who are still fighting, have fought, and especially those who don't have cancer. You never know when someone else close to you may be the one fighting for their life.
