Thursday, September 11, 2014

Fiberfabrications is BACK

Well, I must be feeling better, because I have decided to get this blog going again.
You know, I've been sick for so long.
I started blaming the meds I was on since the doctors kept telling me they didn't know what was wrong with me.
Fatique, balance issues, sleeplessness, depression and anxiety, burning mouth and tongue, memory issues, edema, vision issues, etc, etc, etc.
WELL, I finally found a doctor who listened to me and I was diagnosed with a critical Vitamin B12 deficiency.  I cried when I heard that, both because I was relieved to finally know what was causing my symptoms, and in anger that all of the other doctors, specialists, emergency room staff, had never done a simple blood test to determine this.
So, I have been getting injections for 6 weeks.  I still don't feel a difference, and that might take months, but now I know I can give myself a break when I am feeling tired.  I really have a reason.

Today is a great day.  I am having my studio wired for power and will finally be able to build shelves and a counter top to work at.  Then I can start organizing and putting things away.  It has basically been just a storage unit with a small space for me to sew.

I have told this story before in my blog, but this is the updated version, and I copied what I have posted to Facebook.
I received this book in the mail today, and those of you who knew Alan will see that his picture is featured on the cover. Alan taught me that you can't change the world, but you can make a difference, one person at a time. This is the story about a janitor in the building Alan worked in. He was a grumpy old sod, and Alan took that as a challenge. He vowed to make him his friend. Many of you are familiar with Alan's famous Christmas cookie plates. He presented one to Earl, the janitor, one year, and Earl was blown away. No one had ever been so nice to him. There ensued a friendship that lasted many years. Earl was fired from his job at the Terminal Sales Building for being too cranky. Alan and his office manager, Marsha
Traverso Shaw, found him a new job at the Smith Tower. Earl died in December of 1996 and Alan was named as his Executor in his Will. According to the Will, the majority of his estate, which at that time was $335,000, was to go to the West Seattle Food Bank. Earl led a very difficult life, spending many years at the Luther Burbank School for bad boys on Mercer Island in his youth. After that, he always lived with his mother and had menial jobs. We can only guess that he wanted to help those more unfortunate than himself.
Alan received some money, also, but it was the work he and I did in implementing this gift and working with the volunteers from the food bank that was the most rewarding.
Earl's story is just one of many in the history of this food bank, but it certainly turned the tide for them. They were in shock to receive such a huge gift. The book tells the rest of the story.
And, later this afternoon, my new DH and I will be attending the Washington State Fair, better known as the Puyallup.  We will be seeing Herman's Hermits, The Buckinghams, and the Grassroots.  It's going to be a FAB night!!!

2 comments:

Gene Black said...

Welcome back!

Cathy said...

So glad to have you back, and fingers crossed that you'll be feeling in tip top shape soon. I recognized Alan's picture on the cover immediately - what a great story! As they say, it doesn't hurt to be nice to someone for you never know what battles they may be fighting. I've missed you! Xxx