News on my dad...

Well, I hate to write this letter, as I just had surgery yesterday, and was getting ready to call on Mayo for screening on my dad come Monday.

His doctor and another specialist ran a 5-hour blood protein work-up on him this past Monday, and he just called me with the results. He was unsure as to what type of protein they were speaking of, but the level was supposed to run around 250.....dad's level is at 4600.

They are trying to rush a bone marrow test, and send him to an oncologist. They seem to think that he has a form (or precursor to) of multi-myeloma....which is fatal.

I'm trying my best to have high hopes, but this was a hard blow to the both of us, and my heart is just breaking. Mayo will be put off for now, and I wanted to thank all of you who have sent letters, prayers (which he still will desperately need) and questions.

Much love,

~M~

I'm off!!!

I'm TRYING to get outta here so that I can head down to Anaheim!! Wil be down there from tonight until Sunday night.....meeting up with old friends, watching Dayna at the National Cheer Competition at the Anaheim Convention Center and going to Disneyland on Friday!!

It should be a nice break away from all the stress of reality recently. I booked myself a REALLY nice room there (5 star) for a REALLY nice price ($89 a night!), so I am REALLY excited to go back "home" for a few days!!

You all be good while I am gone!!!

It is finished.....

I decided to go late in the day, to the sale of my inventory that I donated from my past business.

It was a blessing. Thank God, most of the couture gowns were sold. For some strange reason, that made things easier for me. Alyssa found a couture dress for an upcoming prom. A $3,000 dress that they sold for $50. I bought myself a VERY vintage Oscar de La Renta piece that had never been worn. It's possibly a museum piece. I paid $25 for it. Glad no one really appreciated it's value. A little piece to keep as a reminder.

Anyways, I met up with a local newscaster there, from the station where I was a Producer. I was able to introduce myself, and help her with some gowns, which brought back the love I always had for what I did in my business. She took a picture with me, which I thought was really sweet. It warmed my heart to watch her three small children "oh" and "ah" every time she came out in a gown. I had her just TRY a $5,000 Oscar de La Renta couture piece....and she looked STUNNING! Her eldest boy gasped, and pointed at her plunging neckline, while her youngest son ran up and gave her a huge hug around her legs, and her daughter told her how beautiful she looked. THAT'S why I loved my job so.

I had to cringe at some of the "pointers" a volunteer was giving her about one gown in particular....that did NOT flatter her at all. Told her how terrific she looked in it, just needed a few alterations, and the gown would look PERFECT with a jean jacket.

That's where I understood how some people "get" couture......and some DON'T.

Anyways.....here are all of the local links that are currently running on TV as of this weekend. I am sure there will be more to come. Enjoy them like I am doing.

Me giving up this business was excruciatingly difficult. Having it offered up to the public like it was, was like splaying my most private, treasured parts for everyone to treat with disrespect. I must give HUGE kudos to the Candlelight Guild. They treated the entire endeavor with love and respect. My understanding was that when they arrived more than 45 minutes before opening, there was already a line wrapped around the building. They only let in a few people at a time, and they were only allowed to take two gowns to the dressing rooms at a time. It would have been the only way that I would have wanted it handled. I had visions of delicate couture gowns being pulled from peoples arms, tossed around uncaringly......a total mess. It was QUITE the opposite. However, I found myself rehanging gowns that had not been hung correctly...taking scarves that were misplaced on gowns, and returning them to the rightful gowns.....putting the gowns on the correct size racks.....typical me. And, I loved every moment of it.

I have a very close friend, who has another friend......who took HER friend down to find a wedding gown. She found one, and was thrilled. I received two wonderful letters of thanks from them, which utterly made me cry. I became aware of the gift that I had given, and my selfish pain was slowly transforming into humbleness. Then, the fact of how much the hospice was benefiting from the sale....reminded me of why I donated the gowns to them in the first place, and how thrilled I was that they are benefiting from it all.....finally.

Well, now that I have rambled on, here are the local links as I promised.

Remember to give back to others. Even if it's terribly painful. There is great gain...

~M~

Great Day, Channel 26, KMPH - Fresno

ABC, Channel 30, KFSN - Fresno


There was one more station that reported the story....however, they reported my business as a family business, and that I had died....hence the donation. I didn't feel the need to give their erroneous story any further hits.

Well.....it's finally happening.....

They are selling off my gowns.

It's all over the news stations today. Michelle's Sweetpeas inventory is being sold off for the benefit of Hinds Hospice. Click on the link above, and see some of the beautiful gowns that will be available for no more than $150.

Valentino, Escada, Badgley Mischka, Prada....runway gowns that still have their tags on.....valued up to $6,000 per gown.....for $150. Makes me want to cry thinking bout how much it cost for me to put them in my store, once upon a time.....

So, the question is, to attend, or not to attend?

I am torn.

My work for daddy...

I spent the day with my daddy today, and took a couple of pictures for those of you who are following his journey. Last night when I told him that a medical team would need to fly with him, due to his frailness, he became VERY apprehensive and pulled back from the whole process. I told him to thin about it and pray about it overnight. When I went to visit with him today, he was telling friends who were calling, that it "looks like (his) family will be shipping him off to Minnesota". Anyone who heard, was pleased by the news. I think it's starting to settle in comfortably enough that he's accepting it.

I just got an email from Hinds Hospice. I Vigil Volunteer for them, and they were the recipients of the over 600 couture gowns that I had in my inventory when I closed my doors in 2007. They had tried selling a few of the gowns in the past, and had not been very successful. Well, I guess they have a large guild here in town who will be holding several charity auctions fr the hospice, using my gowns. They were on the morning news (I wish I would have known), and the reporter bought a gown on the SPOT! They will be doing another plug tomorrow on TV, and talking about me and the gowns, and how they came into the hospices' hands. I can't WAIT for them to SELL, SELL, SELL!!! I am so excited that they may have found a TRUE group that can raise some healthy funds for the hospice! I am sure that which ever TV station it is on, they will have an Internet link. If I can find it, I will post it here s that everyone can see and enjoy!

I am off to have a battle/meeting with Dayna's cheer leading coaches. *sigh* Never a dull moment around here!

ANSWERED PRAYER!!

Well.....in less than 36 hours of posting a site for my dad on Facebook, we have all we need to get into the Mayo Clinic in Roschester, Minnesota. Now, it's "prep" time for my dad, who was actually dumbfounded that this came together so quickly. He's a little worried about transporting, but it sounds like he will have several family members, and most likely a medical transport team assisting him through the flight(s).

Please pray that we sweep him off his feet and just get him to the Clinic with as little static from his insurance companies as possible. Sounds like besides his hesitancy/fear, the insurance stands to be a major obsticle we get to overcome. I am sure that all will come together!

Again....I simply cannot thank you all enough!!

URGENT PLEA FOR MY DAD

I have been busily creating a Facebook page for my father,who is dying of an unknown cause....rapidly. I just want to cut and paste the description of the group here. I am reaching out to my blog community that might not be set up with me on FB, and to any others who might stumble upon this blog, in search of hope.

Thank you, for any and all help and prayers that you reading this, may give him.


Ok...I'm in the process of getting some info and pictures together in regards to my father, and his terribly failing health. He is 6'1", and as of today (3/16/09) weighs in at a whopping 110 pounds. He has been run through the test gammut LOCALLY, and needs some MAJOR intervention OUTSIDE of our local community. I need some connections who are willing/wanting to get him to the right place/people, and in short order. He is losing about a pound a week, and there's no way he will be lasting very long at that rate.I am making a DESPERATE plea to try and spread the word through friends and family, who have connections in MANY different arenas: medical, media....ANYTHING that can help get his case some MAJOR attention. He eats well, and regulalry, and is losing weight (and almost all of his muscle now) rapidly.I will NOT be asking for any money. All I am asking is that you read through the updates, sign up, and pass this along to your friends and family. I KNOW that God will provide assistance....but, I am having to hit the pavement HARD to find help.Let me thank you, in advance, from the very bottom of my heart. He's only 59, and has 5 grand-daughters that are depending on having him around for awhile longer....I love and appreciate you ALL for helping me out.Feel free to ask questions, and like I said earlier, I will post pictures of "before" and "present".

~M~