it feels like nothing: chemo angel

Banner Nate helped me paint; we mailed one a day for 12 days

I promise I'll write more pregnancy updates shortly but I want to talk to you about my friend Ella. She's 13 and in the final stages of hospice care. Since last fall, I've been her "chemo angel" which basically means nothing other than I attempt to cheer her up once a week with cards and letters and notes and little trinkets and stickers and whatever else I think might entertain a 13 year old girl stuck in bed all day long. I don't know a lot about the details of her cancer. Honestly, I don't know much about her life at all. I DO know she likes kitties and scrapbooking and the color pink. I know she has a best friend named Abby and parents who adore her.

I received an update on her recently and her chemo has been stopped and the note from her mom indicated she was in quite a bit of pain.

I found Ella online (I know, you're SHOCKED.) through this program - if you are so inclined to sign up it allows you to be matched with a patient undergoing chemotherapy. There are also "Senior Angels" for writing to those who are in nursing or convalescent homes. You must be 25 years old and commit to a once a week letter or gift. Assignments last 18 months (unless it is an end of life situation). You don't get a response from your patient so it's def NOT a pen pal type deal but you do get updates through the Chemo Angels administration.

So, really, the point of me telling you this is, well, it's easy and little and you might want to sign up yourself. OR you might want to send a card to Ella - which you can do by mailing or delivering to me this week (if you need my maling address email me.) and I'll make her a big package. I know it's not much but I figure any little thing to distract her at this point is a positive.