Lemonade

My favorite recent quote is by Guy Fieri, chef and television star:

If God gives you lemons, make lemonade, and hopefully you’ve got some friends with vodka.

The Universe has been giving me tools to make lemonade with top shelf vodka. Hey, with my current life, I need some spiritual vodka since I cannot have any alcohol. Okay -- it is recommended that I do not consume any alcohol.

My post yesterday on Chemo Candy by Sarah Sprinkles was a hit. It got noticed by a site that wants me to publish an article regarding my bracelets. The site provides support to families dealing with cancer. The lady asked if I sold them. Not yet. I am still setting up my Etsy shop and I have to make extra product to sell online. This will fund my bracelets so I can give more!!! I am not there to make high profits, but it would be great to have my bracelets self-funding. Soon I will have bracelets and related-themed product online. Isn't this wonderful?

Tawny's husband* dropped her off at my place this evening. We shopped for more beads and ate some taco action. She left me early so she could get some stuff done. My mind was busy building ideas for my 'smile' empire. Ha. Today's e-mail was an affirmation to the direction I want to take my life which has a vein in public service. When you're as blessed as I am, you need to find a way to give back. Let's make some lemonade!

Love,
Sarah


*Jeff has also volunteered to be there for me on Monday since my aunt cannot make it. Apparently, he's an expert on blubbering females. ;p I've also asked him to do henna tattoos on my bald head as soon as I get clearance from my surgeon next Friday. If I am going to have a shorn head, may it still be adorned!

Lemonade

Chemo Candy

Creatively today was a 10. Productively as in getting my grocery shopping done was a zero. My regular nurse came instead of the wound specialist to "re-certify" the status of my still healing tummy wound.

My whole wound/scar is about 30cm long running vertically above and below my belly button. When I developed an infection on the lower part and had to get the staples out revealing an open wound resulting in the order for a wound vac and home nurse care, the open wound was 9 centimeters. After two months, it is now 1.5 centimeters. All is good so far. Chemo tends to slow down the healing process. Even after it finally closes up, I will still have to wait maybe two weeks until I can fully exercise. Cancer itself is not patient, but the curing of cancer teaches you patience. Besides waiting for the nurse and wondering how much hair has been falling out of my scalp, I decided to complete one of my projects for my next chemo appointment.

There is a certain energy floating when you enter a cancer center. It is not exactly sad, but it is serious. I can't be serious 24/7. I just can't. Some levity has to appear; my demented sense of humor has to break through. To combat the serious pall when I go for my chemotherapy infusion, I decided to design and create inexpensive yet fun bracelets to give out to both sexes. They are made of colorful alphabet beads and black elastic string. Sometimes the simplest things bring out the easiest smiles. I've called them Chemo Candy for the candy colors of the beads. The ladies bracelets say they say things like: Chemo Babe, Chemo Diva and Chemo Sexy. For the guys, they are slightly different: Chemo Hunk, Chemo Dude, Chemo Babe and Chemo Sexy. I have other ideas but my alphabet packs only had so much of each letter.

Making the bracelets is just a part of this particular project. If you've received a crystal bracelet from me, you understand what I mean. Part of that is the packaging. I used a special paint to color card stock and let dry before I cut them into tags. I used my calligraphy pen to write Chemo Candy on the outside, Smile! on the inside and by Sarah Sprinkles on the outside. The tags are color coded for female and male bracelets with bright fabric ribbon.

The components to my Crazy Crazy Idea:


Chemo Candy by Sarah Sprinkles:


In case you were wondering, I am still designing prettier bracelets like my crystal ones for the ladies in the waiting area of my doctor's office. Those will say Something Pretty... on the outside and because cancer is not. on the inside.

Gosh, I hope the other patients think my candy bracelets are as much fun as I believe they are. If these kiddie style bracelets brings them a smile for even for a few seconds, then my job of taking their mind off their IV drip is a success!

Polishing my sweet tooth,
Chemo Sexy xxoo

Chemo Candy