Introducing Pat Pats Hats!!

Introducing Pat Pats Hats!!!!!

Okay, so in yesterdays post I mentioned knitting when I found out my nephew was sick. Well, here it goes. . .

On Aug. 30th my nephew was brought to Yale New Haven Children's Hospital Emergency Room. For a few days he had been complaining of a "boo boo " on his head and he was vomiting. The Doctor told my sister that it was likely a stomach bug when the symptoms presented, unfortunately, he wasn't getting better. The doctor told my sister to take him to the ER.

The Doctors int he ER were amazing, and immediately took Patrick into an MRI (he will never be an astronaut, he now hates space ships). The MRI revealed a mass on the back of Patrick's brain.

The next day, Patrick went into surgery to remove 3 brain tumors. We were informed that these tumors were malignant, and Patrick had Medulloblastoma.

We know that Patrick, after everything, will be okay. He will be enduring 6 months of Chemo to ensure that there are no lingering cancer cells, but in the end this little man is going to grow up and hopefully never remember this experience.

As a knitter, the first thing that I did when I found out about Patrick's impending surgery, I knit a hat. Then i found out about chemo, I knit another one. What else was I supposed to do, I'm a knitter and my nephew is bald. It's the PERFECT excuse to stash dive and cast on.

I decided that rather than only knitting for Patrick,I could knit for others (also, the stress of the situation made me forget just how big Patrick has gotten in his almost 3 years, and one of the hats was CLEARLY meant for a preemie). This got me thinking. . . . What if I asked people to donate hats to the hospital?

Thus Pat Pat's Hats was born

On January 6th 2012 (a few weeks after Patrick's 3rd birthday) we will be donating hats to Yale New Haven Children's Hospital. I am looking for hats of all shapes and sizes. . the softer the better. These hats will be donated to the hospital so that the children receiving treatment can take a hat home if they need one.

How much does it take to knit one hat? barely a skein?maybe a day or two?I know that you can do it, and these kids are sure to appreciate it.

I need to personally thank nutmegknitter and the yarn harlot who have helped spread the word about this project.

I hope to be able to donate hats every year, so keep those needles and hooks moving!!!

if you would like more details about the project you can check out our facebook page, or you can email me at
patpats.hats at gmail.com

Also, the Ravelry Group has been created
http://www.ravelry.com/groups/pat-pats-hats

helloooo out there!!!!!

Okay, yeah I know it has been awhile. I also have no knitting pics to show you either. But I have knitting news. . . . .

Okay, So i finished my first hat for hats for Alex and also my first chemo hat. These are for my step-fathers christmas gift. I am also about 1/2 done with the first afghan for my dad to be donated to victory junction gang. I also re-cast on the Clapots for my aunt chris. I am determined to finish it.
















Things at home in CT have been quite hectic. My aunt Clingsandy (the oldest of mom's sib) has been formally and permanently placed in a group home. While it is in her, and everyones, best interest, it is just hard.
This is a picture of her at Christmas this year.




















This Picture was my grandmother's passport photo in the 60's. Crazy huh, it was the passport for her and all 8 children.


As for me, things are okay. Trying to stay above water money-wise. It's tough, but I will get there. No real opportunity to be a yarn snob with the budget I am on, but thankfully I have found some really great yarn connections for my charity knitting, which is making me feel really great. I started reading Zen and the Art of knitting . It is fabulous and I am so happy I picked it back up.

I was good and went for my physical. From that I got my cholesterol back. I certainly wasn't surprised when it was a bit high. I had my last hurrah weekend of eating before starting to work on that. Those of you who know me know that I am a junk food addict. I love it. So, this should be interesting. Tomorrow I go to the ENT specialist. Hopefully he will do a hearing test and my fears that I have lost any more hearing will go away, I think I am being paranoid about that. But the dizziness that I have been having is certainly not going away, and getting more consistent, so we will see exactly what that is all about.

Well, enough about me, We have ANOTHER baby in our midst. Nobody that blogs, sorry I can't help you there, but a friend of both becca and myself. Jenny is great, and I couldn't be happier. My cousin is due in April, and hopefully I will have more news on other babies soon. Don't want to tempt the gods right now, so you will just have to wait for that. Lots of baby knitting ahead for Betsy.

OOOOOo and on knitting news!!!!! Thank you RAVELRY you rock. We have started a meet up here in Greenville, I can't wait. It is going to be great. Hoping to head to HIlton Head for Easter, I could really use a weekend away. That will be great.

Kay, that is it. The race is going strong in the background. Nothing really exciting yet