We are grateful for all the expressions of “If there’s anything we can do …” so many of you have offered the last couple months. We know we’re going to need helping hands — but what we don’t know (yet) is exactly what what help we’ll need, when we’ll need it and how best to mobilize Team Liz without it becoming a logistical headache for us or anyone else.
We’re going to start off simple by posting tasks on my CaringBridge Planner, where you can sign up for things like meal delivery, errands, help around the house, or taking the kids off our hands so we can chill, get some exercise or go out on a date.
We might move toward a system of setting up certain tasks of certain days of the week and sticking to a set schedule. Or we might post tasks as needs arise, like steam cleaning the stinky carpet in our daughter’s room. (Sweet old Pepper recently got over a bladder infection and apparently did much of her indoor peeing in Sylvia’s room. Pee-yew!)
There are only a couple tasks up for grabs right now. We’ll add more soon. If there’s something you’d really like to do for us that’s not in the CaringBridge Planner, let’s try this:
Email Sean the what and when details (i.e., “Can I come by from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, August 5 to help you take out the trash, get the kids to bed, or whatever else you need?” or “We’re going grocery shopping DAY/TIME. Can we get you anything?”). Sean’s email is spgillespie@gmail.com.
Some other ways you can help, whether you’re near or far:
Email rather than texting (at least for a while.) Some days, our phones light up with so many texts, we have a hard time keeping up. I’m compulsive about responding to as many as possible, as quickly as possible (bad habit!). I have an easier time fielding emails and not responding right away. You can also message me on Facebook or leave a note in my CaringBridge guestbook. If it takes me a while to reply, you'll understand (and thank you for that).
Help us stay nourished. Two ways to do this from afar: 1) Gift certificates to PCC, an awesome grocery store where we can get cooked meals that just opened two blocks from our house (online order form here). 2) Munchery, an online meal delivery service some friends rave about it. Go to www.munchery.com, set up an account, click on the gifts tab, choose an amount to give, enter my email (elizabethmgillespie@gmail.com) in the recipient’s field, then we get the Munchery cred and can order yummy meals.
Instead of flowers, consider giving to Fred Hutch. Flowers are lovely, but curing cancer is way better. If it makes you feel good to give, you can make a donation to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in honor of the ass-whupping I’m about to give cancer. You can dedicate your gift to breast cancer research or simply support the greatest need.
OK … go time is 9 a.m. tomorrow morning, Thursday, July 30 at Overlake Hospital in Bellevue. The surgery should last about two hours, and I’ll most likely stay just one night.
Knowing that surgeons generally don’t encourage a parade of visitors for mastectomy patients, please just send me “you got this!” vibes and know how much I’ll appreciate all your warm and healing thoughts. Sean will do his best to post a quick update on CaringBridge once we’re settled in my recovery room.
“You will do well,” my surgeon wrote me yesterday. “The road to recovery starts Thursday.”
Yes, I will. And yes, it does.
Ready … set ...
