Life

Knitted Knockers….say what???

As many of you know, a year ago, I was in the fight of my life. I had cancer of the tongue and I had numerous surgeries, radiation, chemotherapy…it was a pretty rough journey for a while there. One of my dearest friends in the world, Genny, lived on the other side of the U.S. when I got diagnosed and it tore her up that she couldn’t be near me to help my family and I during that time. Well, God had other plans for Genny and I. During my treatment one night, she texted me that she was doing dinner for my family and asked what we wanted. I told her to just go online and order us pizza. She insisted that her babies wouldn’t eat pizza when Aunt Genny was doing dinner and she ordered me to have them come outside and give her a hug. I was shocked and gasped (still unable to talk yet!) and I got up and shlumped my way to the front door where sweet Genny, very pregnant, was standing with her arms open wide to love on me. I can’t tell you what this meant to me! My family followed along, certain I was sick or something since I’d just bolted from the room. (As well as someone in the midst of chemo can bolt!) Then Genny told me a job had opened up and she and Paul would be moving back ‘home’ to San Antonio – so she could help me. This was a balm to my soul like you couldn’t imagine! (I’m in tears writing it now.)

Genny moved to town. Prepped for the birth of her eighth baby (yes, you all read that right! Six boys and two girls!) and just before she was ready to give birth, SHE was diagnosed with breast cancer. My sweet friend who moved back to San Antonio with an urge to help me suddenly needed help. God brought her home to family for all of us to love on her during this difficult time. I’m so thankful for that.

Genny underwent chemo and a double mastectomy with myriad surgeries afterward to try and prep her for plastic surgery to rebuild her chest. Unfortunately, at every turn, she got ill and her body rejected stretchers, spacers, extra tissue – all of it. She was extremely sick. So my beautiful friend has struggled with not having breasts. We’ve talked at length about this and I know how hard it is for her. Clothes don’t fit right. Your body feels out of proportion. Some clothes she can’t even wear because they are designed with darts and folds to highlight breasts. After going through cancer, losing her hair, and being so sick, now she sees a different person when she looks in the mirror. After everything, this is definitely adding insult to injury!

Today I got a text message that said “I GOT MY KNITTED KNOCKERS TODAY!” I was laughing out loud. What on earth are knitted knockers? Well, first off, this is what Genny saw when she opened the box.
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Inside the box, she found two of these:

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And along with it, this beautiful letter:

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Here’s what it says,

Dear Genny, 

   Enclosed are your new breast forms. They were made especially for you with love and arm wishes.  You may adjust the size by adding or removing stuffing. Please note that there is a stretch of yarn that goes between the nipples and the back of the form that you must work around. This strand of yarn helps keep the shape of the form.

This form is made with 100% cotton yarn.
Wash in cold or lukewarm water.
Air dry or in the dryer on a cool air setting only.
You may wish to remove the stuffing prior to washing.
To remove, replace or adjust size, you can access stuffing through the flap that is tucked into the side opening. 

We welcome your comments at feedback@awesomebreasforms.org. 

I hope you enjoy your new curves! 

Carol…

I know that none of this letter is really extravagant or emotional, but I burst into tears when I read it. These people don’t take any money – they do this for women every day and I know that for my sweet Genny, it means the world to her to be able to feel ‘normal’ again when it comes to clothes.

I am so thankful for these people who have blessed my precious friend with this treasured gift, that I needed to share it here. The website is www.knittedknockers.org and I am so overwhelmed with appreciation for what they  have given to Genny that I wanted to share this here and ask my friends to share it too. If you can, please take a moment and THANK THESE LADIES for blessing women in such a simple, sweet, and profound way.

To the ladies at Knitted Knockers, thank you for helping my sweet friend Genny and all of the other women out there struggling post cancer! Your mission is so incredible and beautiful and it’s touching lives in ways you’ll never know. I pray that your organization is blessed beyond measure. THANK YOU!.