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Setting up a Crochet corner in hospital waiting room


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Hi everyone:

 

I've been asked by one of the nurses at the hospital where I go for cancer treatment to setup a crochet corner in the waiting room where people can crochet.

 

In a typical waiting room scenario, a person waits maybe up to an hour to see the doctor.

 

At our hospital, your minimum wait before you get your chemo is about 4 hours. If you're there by 9 a.m., you don't get in for your chemo until about 1 p.m. Then, once you're getting chemo, the drip can last anywere from 30 minutes to about 3 hours!! Basically, you're there all day (sometimes with nothing to do but read and worry). :eek

 

I'm at the hospital every 3 weeks and I'd like to setup an area that has:

*yarn

*patterns (chemo hats are desperately needed)

*crochet hooks

 

I was even thinking of making and offering self-contained chemo hat "kits" by putting together the donated stuff.

 

Has anyone setup anything like this before? Do you have an suggestions?

 

If I had the energy, this would be a great opportunity to teach people to crochet as well. Perhaps if I had something setup, I might want to do this as well.

 

Thanks.

 

Oh, by the way, it would be remiss of me not to use this opportunity :devil for a plug for spare crochet hooks and finished chemo hats. We have plenty of yarn. You can PM me for more info. Thanks everyone :hug

 

Cheryl.

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Cheryl, I don't have any suggestions for you, but I will be happy to send you some hooks and I will keep an eye out for some easy "tear off" patterns in my local yarn stores.

PS. I think it is wonderful that you are doing this and a great way to introduce more people to the "art"

Hugs, Debby

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Hi everyone:

 

 

 

At our hospital, your minimum wait before you get your chemo is about 4 hours. If you're there by 9 a.m., you don't get in for your chemo until about 1 p.m. Then, once you're getting chemo, the drip can last anywere from 30 minutes to about 3 hours!! Basically, you're there all day (sometimes with nothing to do but read and worry). :eek

 

 

 

Cheryl.

 

Holy cow! why such a long wait. I had chemo drips weekly in 1990. I walked in the doctor's office and they put the drip in within 15 minutes. Each drip took about 3 - 4 hours, but I couldn't crochet with a needle in my hand. The infusion had to be in my hand because my arm veins were damaged by a CT Scan.

 

When I first started chemo, I used to wonder why the room wasn't filled with people reading the Bible instead of fussing over who had the latest copy of People.

 

Anyhow, I have some crochet hooks to donate to the cause. PM me with an address and you can have them.

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Why don't you e-mail some of the sites with chemo caps, like Head Huggers, and ask if they'd mind you printing off a batch of their free patterns? I really like some of these hats and have made a bunch in memory of a friend:

 

http://www.headhuggers.org/patterns/patterns.htm

 

I can't imagine they'd object, but surely they'd like to be asked.

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I know someone who got free yarn from Wal-Mart for a charity. Surely they would include supplies that might be needed. But I understand you have to complete an application for approval. Would be worth checking into. Other stores might do the same. God bless you in your endeavor.

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You should try to find out if you could get local yarn stores to donate, or even large chains...usually they like to help with charities and things like this as much as possible! Some of the companies that produce the hooks like susan bates and boye etc. may even be willing to help? I bet that the same would go for yarn companies when you need more!

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Holy cow! why such a long wait. I had chemo drips weekly in 1990. I walked in the doctor's office and they put the drip in within 15 minutes. Each drip took about 3 - 4 hours, but I couldn't crochet with a needle in my hand. The infusion had to be in my hand because my arm veins were damaged by a CT Scan.

 

When I first started chemo, I used to wonder why the room wasn't filled with people reading the Bible instead of fussing over who had the latest copy of People.

 

When I first started to get chemo 4 years ago, I was out by noon. Unfortunately, the waiting room is now packed to capacity with patients and there's talk of adding additional chairs.

 

The long wait is due to:

*30 minutes to 1 hour to see a nurse on arrival to get vitals

*1-2 hours to wait until the bloodwork returns

*1 hour to wait to see the doctor after the bloodwork arrives

*1-2 hours for them to prepare the chemo (they won't do it until they get the okay from the doctor because of the cost - I guess with socialized health care, the government wants to be absolutely sure before they "shell out" for the meds).

As you can see, there's tons of time to crochet!!

 

Yes, I do see people reading their bibles in the waiting room. Not many, but there are a few.

 

You are all so generous in wanting to help. I think I'll take you up on your offers of supplies....:hug

 

I don't believe I'll have a problem getting yarn and patterns. I already have tons of yarn and have a few patterns in mind. I guess I'll have to get permission - hadn't thought of that. :eek

 

I'm really curious as to how you'd set up the area if it were up to you...Imagine you've got the yarn, hooks and patterns, how would you organize it? :think

 

Thanks.

 

Cheryl.

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I like the idea of having a kit there, maybe in some zipbags in a basket. You could have the directions copied off to make something like a Chemo hat that they could donate, or use with skein of yarn. If no one is watching over it, I don't know how you would be able to keep hooks and yarn cutters there that kids wouldn't get in to. You'd have to problem solve that. You are so thoughtful to do this. That is a very long wait for people who are not at their best health anyway. :hug

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I think if you had some sort of cubbies that could work well. If you did for example, ww with pattens for ww yarns, and then chunky with chunky patterns, etc. or if you really only have ww you could separate by type of pattern: scarf, hat, dishrag, etc. You could put hooks in a hang up thing with clear plastic, kind of like those art things for kids? Something like that would make it easy to separate sizes and find what you're looking for! I think I would label well too!

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