Tuesday, December 21, 2010

loss

We are a bit anxious and sad around here at the moment. A while back I blogged about the shawl I knitted for my sister. It turned out like this ...


Rather lovely isn't it? My sister has started her stem cell treatment and is at the stage where she is feeling the full, awful, impact of chemotherapy and should by now be starting to feel the benefits of the treatment, if it has worked. She told me the other day that the shawl has been very important to her and she couldn't imagine how she could have got through this without it.

But now she has to - because yesterday it dissappeared from her hospital room and can't be found anywhere.

There is something in a handmade gift that carries with it all the love and worry you have for a person and the loss of the shawl has had an enormous impact on all of us, escalating our grief and our anxiety. Our father anxiously called last night and asked if I find another and get it in the post NOW. All I want to do is get in a car and go and hold her tight, except I can't (the pirate has whooping cough and we both have to stay away).

If only I could make another in time, but it took weeks to make this one. Instead I'm sending the only other shawl I have, trusting it will go some way to helping, and hoping it makes it very very quickly through all this christmas mail.

8 comments:

Michelle said...

That's awful! I can't believe anyone would do something like that to your sister. Maybe one of the nurses or orderlies were cleaning up and picked it up with the sheets by accident? I'll have my fingers crossed it will return to your sister soon.

I'm glad you had another to send to her. And I hope you all, and the pirate, feel better soon.

xo

Rose Red said...

Oh, I really really hope it turns up again. And I hope your sister is feeling the benefits of her treatment too.

Emma said...

I very much hope the stem cell treatment works for your sister. Also hope that her lovely shawl turns up, and that someone hasn't taken it.

Sarah said...

Oh gosh that's so sad, I hope it turns up and that your other shawl can make it through the post quickly - sending good healing thoughts your sister's way

Leonie said...

Oh honey that's just so horrid. Some people should just not be allowed out in public if they don't know how to keep their sticky fingers to themselves. I'm hoping it turns up and has just been put aside by mistake and am very glad you had another shawl to send her. The love encompassed in that shawl was so special and indeed will be a very sad loss. Best wishes for a swift recovery for the pirate, a successful treatment for your sister and a safe return for the lovely scarf that has gone wayward.

Bec said...

As a nurse I can not count the number of times I've had to call the laundry for missing dentures/glasses/teddies/undies and most times they do find them. Given the shawl is wool I'm not sure what it would look like after an industrial wash but it would be worth a try.
I hope it turns up soon and that your sister is on the mend soon too.

Bells said...

God that's just awful. To lose a shawl at any time is bad but this is just the worst. I'm really sorry about that.

Olivia said...

that just sucks. My sister had a scarf that I made her stolen at a party. But it is even worse at the hospital! I hope the treatment is going well and maybe the shawl has turned up? Hope things are looking better by now.