Please Help!

Hello, dear blogging friends!

I don't often plea for help, but am doing so today. A little background...

I worked with a lady for many, many years. We called her our little bionic woman. She's only about 5'1" tall, and probably 110 lbs. at her heaviest! When she was in her late teens, she was driving her volkswagon, and was hit head-on by a drunk driver. As you know, the older VW's had the engines in the back, so there was literally nothing between her and this idiot's vehicle. I'll spare all of the gory details, but she has hip replacements, knee replacements, pins in many other places, and her hands are so twisted and knarled with arthritis that she can barely dress herself.

In spite of all of this, Penny never complains. She feels like, for whatever reason, it was God's plan that she and this drunk would 'meet' that unfortunate day long ago. She is the most upbeat, positive, hopeful, and prayerful woman that I have ever met. Through this all, she continues to work in the Special Education field. She is at the high school now, but for years, worked with the inner city troubled teens, teaching core subjects, and special ed classes at the alternative school where I met and worked with her.

Friday afternoon, Penny took a very bad fall at school. She has pretty much mangled the femur in her 'bad' leg. The docs are going to insert yet another rod, this one will go from her hip prosthesis to as close as they can get to her knee replacement, and still give her a bit of 'bending motion'.

At best, she is looking at a very lengthy and extremely painful recovery process. The minimum will be three months, and they are very much thinking that with all of her other issues, it will take much, much longer. Penny is very independent, and this will be difficult for her, especially with her hospitalization being in the city, 1.5 hours from all of us!

What I am hoping for is cards for her - lots and lots and LOTS of cards! She has a great sense of humor, so funny cards, pretty cards, interactive cards - whatever you feel that you can send will be wonderful. These don't need to come all at once, as she will be laid up for quite some time.

If you feel you can help, please mail her cards to me. As she may be moved from place to place, if you do that, I can get them to her a few at a time. Please feel free to ask your friends to send cards as well.

If you would like to write a note inside, just make it to Penny. Address the envelope to me:

Patti Gilliam
P.O. Box 787
Farmington, Mo. 63640

In the bottom left corner, just put Attn: PB.

Thank you so much! I know that this will be such a bright spot in her day!

Hugs and blessings,
Patti J.

Food for thought: Consider the postage stamp: its usefulness consists in the ability to stick to something until it gets where it is going!