My 11 Year Old Super Hero

 

 "Star War, and Batman, James Bond & Minions"   Justice League, Thor, Telling Jokes,  piano & Singing", "Spending time with Owen, Mom and Dad & Byla  "These are a few of his favorite things!"  

(Remember  My Favorite Things from the Sound of Music??)

(Byla is his pet name for his grandma!)

Nicholas is my 11 year old cousin who is my " Super Hero" because he has been so brave and courageous, after all he has been through.  He has been in the hospital since February after he was diagnosed with aplastic anemia. This is a rare blood disorder that affects red & white blood cells, and blood platelets. Another term for it is bone marrow failure.  As a result of his diagnoses he has had 2 cranial bleeds, and he was in a coma for 3 weeks after the first one.  Doctors didn't give much hope,  but God worked a miracle and his life was spared. After the 2nd which was inoperable, again doctors again gave little or no hope,  but God. . .   performed yet another miracle. As a result his motor skills were affected, so he was sent to a rehab hospital in Charlotte, NC- 1.5 hours away from home.   Since he has been in rehab, he has made a lot of progress, yet his left side isn't moving much.  He has had a lot of set backs, and had to go to the medical wing several times.  Yet, Nicholas has become so brave and remained positive through it all. (Notice the picture with his thumbs up!)  Another cousin went to visit him once, after he'd been very ill and asked him how he was doing.  He said, "I'm doing good, but I'm getting better. I wasn't feeling too well on Friday though."  His grandma Byla told me once he was receiving a very painful injection, and he started singing Oh Glorious Day, and his Mom joined him in the singing.   If you notice in the logo at the top, it has 413 in the middle which is for Philippians 4:13, " I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." This is his moto! Unfortunately, because the logo was going in the schools, they couldn't put the Philippians on there. Nicholas wasn't too happy about it. He worked very hard in Rehab. despite the terrible pain he had to endure.   What an amazing kid!  I am so proud of him, and that's why he's the super hero.  I know his parents & grandma are also. My late husband , Charles would have been also- they were buddies!

     While in Levine Children's Hospital, he got to meet Ryan Seacrest, and he and his dad performed the " Nicholas & Daddy Comedy Show" on the new  Ryan Seacrest radio station there at the hospital. (The  " Ryan Seacrest " foundation focuses on kids education & entertainment.)  Nicholas memorized the jokes in order, but Daddy needed cue cards! Fortunately, the brain injuries didn't affect his memory or cognitive ability!
     Unfortunately, after a couple months in rehab, doctors determined that the treatments for aplastic anemia weren't working, and he needed a bone marrow transplant. This was delayed a few times because of different complications & set backs in his condition.  In September, Nicholas had 7 days of chemo-therapy prior to the transplant in which his Dad was the donor.  He lost all his blond curls which was not expected, and was very hard on Nicholas.  See the picture of his Dad who shaved his head and joined " Team Nicholas".  He was also joined by his Uncle Andy, & cousin Scott who also shaved their heads.  ( Although my cousin Andy, didn't have much up there to start with! LOL!)   His Mom who had very long curly hair got hers cut real short! He got very sick from the chemo, after the transplant, and that delayed his goal of going home by his birthday on Nov. 1.   He was very upset and mad that he couldn't  be at home for  his birthday, so they asked everyone to send cards, whether you knew him or not.  I think he got 600+ cards, and then the best part is that he was able to go back to rehab the day before his birthday- on Halloween! You can see him in his "Thor" costume. They said he had a great birthday on Nov. 1st, and some family members who live over an hour away came to see him.

Because of all that Nicholas has been through, he will have to have a handicapped van when he goes home, and also needs a service dog.   Therefore, a fund " Friends of Nicholas" has been set up for them to purchase these items, and any long term medical expenses that he will have when he goes home.   I have decided to give 10% of all my sales from the "Holiday Blitz " to "Friends of Nicholas".  To read more about Nicholas and his progress, see other fund raisers, you can go to https://www.facebook.com/prayersfornicholasthornton   ( I will be at Martinsburg Mall for Holiday Blitz most weekends between now & Christmas, and you can find me in the middle of the mall near Kay's Jewelry &  " under the tree" - LOL!)

  Below are pictures of Nicholas playing piano,  sleigh riding with Grandma Byla, with his Dad, Mom & grandma, and best friend Owen!   (Notice the " Star Wars" pillow case I made him.)

   

Cataracts, Skull Bags, & A 90 Year Old Assailant?

 

This has been an entertaining  week already and it's only Tuesday!  I started out on Sunday afternoon after church I went to the mall for the 2nd day of Holiday Blitz  vendor event.  It was very slow, but I had 2 friends to come by to visit for a while.  One of them had her 3 year old grandson with her and we got him to play ball with another vendor's little girl.  SO CUTE!  
    Now that the first weekend of Holiday Blitz is over, I have to start working on my Lion's Lair order that needs to be there before Thanksgiving.  My biggest project is the " Skull Messenger bags " that I made once before and she sold all 3 of them within less than 2 weeks! ( The first bag she sold to a screenwriter who works in the film business in Hollywood!)  So, Monday morning, I started cutting them out- I have 4 so far, and might make more if I have the time! You can see 2 of the bags I made before, the ones I am making now are similar, but not exactly the same fabrics & styles.
    Yesterday I had to take my Mom to the eye doctor to see about having cataract surgery.    She had been a few weeks ago and seen another doctor, and said she really didn't like him and she wanted her regular doctor to to the surgery.  It was a long process of WAITING ! One room for the glaucoma test, another for the eye chart test, then to another " waiting room" before you get to another  room to see the doctor, and then when you get into the room you  " wait" for the doctor to come into the room.  When the doctor came in, my Mom, said, " you look familiar", bless her heart, her memory isn't what it used to be.  "Mom this is Dr. Promersberger who you wanted to come and see."   Of course it will still be another month before she can actually  have the surgery.
     Today, I had to go see my Dad in Hagerstown, who lives in an assisted living facility. We were visiting in a small living area, and there was an old woman standing in the doorway staring at me.  I just kept talking to my Dad, and kind of ignored her.  But, then she looked at me and very loudly said, " What are you doing?"
Me:  Talking to my dad.
Lady:  He's not your Dad!
Me :  yes , he is
Lady:  No, he's not.  I am your Mom!
Me:  No, I've never seen you before.
Lady:  You're a liar,
Lady to my Dad:  How old were you when you "adopted" her?
Me:  He's my biological Dad.
Lady asked my Dad same question again, and my Dad who's hearing isn't very good said,  "  I'm 87 years old and this is my daughter and she's _2 "   (   Sorry, not telling you my age, if you don't already know!  LOL!  )
 At this point, I got up to go find someone to get her out of there, and  when I started to walk past her in the doorway, and she pushed me back!!  My Dad got really mad, and said, "That's my daughter , you leave her alone!  That's the first time in years I've seen my Dad get angry because he was " defending" me! Usually he's mad AT me!  Anyway, the owner and her aides came to our rescue right away and got her out of there, and we got a good laugh!  The owner said she had been waiting on her family and she has dementia, and was confused.  She had just had her 90th birthday recently.  So I almost got assaulted by a 90 year woman !   My Dad was still upset with her after she left, and I just said "Daddy, don't worry about it, it's ok.  She is ( & I circled my hand around my ear, meaning she's "not all there" LOL) .  ( I have seen my Dad do that many times before, so I knew he would understand that terminology and he would calm down.)  So, needless to say we had a good laugh out of it.  I was still laughing while driving across town to JoAnn's where I had a long list of things to buy for requests for custom orders!
      Becky's Pillow Shop will be at the Martinsburg Mall most weekends between now & Christmas on Saturday and Sunday afternoons!   10 % of all my Proceeds will go to " Friends of Nicholas" to help purchase a handicapped van and a service dog when he goes home from the hospital .  Nicholas is my cousin who has aplastic anemia, and has had many setbacks and been through much more than any 11 year old boy should have to endure, but he is still with us and we have seen God perform many miracles in the past 9 months.  To find out more about Nicholas' very long  journey you can read about Nicholas Thornton on the special facebook page created just for him.  https://www.facebook.com/prayersfornicholasthornton   And Yes, he got to meet Ryan Seacrest in person, but I will tell you more Nicholas in my next blog!

   

A Painful Malady, The Sewing Recluse, & A Car Show

I haven't blogged in a while and for good reason.  I have been locked up in my house for 11 days, like a hermit, a recluse, going out  only to get groceries.   You see I have been very busy sewing, but not as much as I wanted to because my body was saying NO! Stop!  I have had the dreaded painful virus that is almost debilitating, and feels like "piercing needles of the skin"!! No Fun! I haven't been out because I knew it could be contagious,plus I did't feel like it anyway.    Most of this pain was either on my side or on my back and shooting down into my left leg all the way to my knee.  Back pain is not new to me as I have had my share, but this was something different!  It was very painful, and the only thing to relieve it  was an ice pack! Fortunately, I was able to find an e-book online on how to cure it in 3 days. I was a little bit hesitant, but so glad I purchased it as it is  working.  Lots of bath soaking, (20 minutes each time & 3 times  a day), and I feel like I'm am turning into a prune. Ha  ha ! Soaking in apple cider vinegar, baking soda, & an herb called neems. Who knew? Something as common as apple cider vinegar ( Braggs raw organic) or baking soda (organic without aluminum) would help cure it??  I am just finishing the 3rd day,  not 100 % but, am feeling much better! Anyway, when I was feeling up to it, I was sewing aprons, adult and toddler to  match aprons, children's aprons, bags, & more bags. I've been getting ready for the Holiday Blitz at the Martinsburg Mall that starts this Saturday.  There will also be a car show going on at the mall as well, so  it's going to be crowded for the vendors.  This weekend I will focus on " men's" items, and  will have 1 " Classic cars" pillow,  and a tote bag to match & carry it in! See photos.  I also will have NFL team pillows, such as Redskins, Ravens, Cowboys, & Steelers.  I am planning to be there all day Saturday & Sunday afternoon, as long as I'm  feeling  up to it, so come check it out.  This is only the 1st weekend of the Holiday Blitz.  It will be most every weekend , Fri- Sunday, through Christmas. I plan to be there as much as possible. 

To see my newest aprons and bags, go to https://www.facebook.com/beckyspillowshop/