The Bracelet Contest: A Story of Hope

I had 22 entries for my Win a Beautiful Beaded Bracelet Contest.  When I went to choose the winner with the help of random.org, #22 popped up.  “What are the odds of that happening?”, I thought.  The winner was “Caren”, whom I emailed and remarked to her as well how strange it was.

Here is what Caren wrote back to me:

“I’m not a religious sort but my unlikely selection in your drawing must have been a sign from on high.

My daughter’s good friend was diagnosed this fall with an extremely rare form of Non-Hodgekins Lymphoma. She is being homeschooled for her entire high school senior year while she undergoes a series of chemotherapy treatments, each one nastier than the last. She can’t have visitors because her immune system is effectively shut down until the treatments are over. These last few weeks have been especially tough for her spirtually, and somehow while googling something about jewelry I landed on your page and knew I had come to the right place.

The girl is Jewish. There is a prayer for the sick that is recited during the Saturday morning service, asking God to grant a full recovery to the person who is ailing. The phrase for “full recovery” is “refuah shlema” but in normal parlance, “refuah” is the operative term which means both “health” or “healing”.

I would love it if (the artist) could make up a beaded bracelet that says:

refuah

It would be a constant reminder to her that she is in our prayers and that all we ask is for her return to good health. A health talisman, if you will, in a style that won’t be scritchy on her wrist after long term wear.

My daughter can give it to her friend when she’s between treatment series while they let her body “rest” for a couple weeks.”

Indeed perhaps this was a sign from on High as I cannot imagine a young woman more worthy of this gift.  I ask you all to join me in sending good thoughts and prayers to this girl.

Michelle Eberwein, who makes these beautiful, wonderful bracelets, wrote to me and told me that making this bracelet for this young lady will be an honor.

And it is also my honor to have run such a contest which will bring this girl a bit of cheer and hopefully a smile…and a whole lot of people wishing her well.

Thank you.

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About mamasick

Emily Cullen is a pen-name. I suffer from chronic illnesses and diseases which include Bipolar Disorder, Asthma, Diabetes and Fibromyalgia. I had battled Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis but there is no longer evidence of me having these diseases and my Rheumatologist has declared them to be "burnt out" of my system. I am separated from my husband, “Grant”. Our son, “Tyler” was born in September of 2006 and suffers from tics and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and is delayed in fine and gross motor skills. In my blog I seek to let sick moms know that they are not the only ones going through this, and to educate people about what can happens when one becomes catastrophically ill. I also strive to break down stereotypes of what a “Welfare Mom” is like. Anything that I have gone through due to being sick, is written on the pages of Mama Sick.
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