The Butterfly Project

I've gotten a lot of e-mails asking "whats the deal with the Butterflies?", it's easier just to send people here then to keep writing the answer.Probably best I start at the beginning ...
About 8 years ago the first RNY patient got permission to get splint Bears for patients. These Bears would take the place of pillows to be hugged while you coughed, sneezed or laughed (your tummy area is a bit sore right after surgery) A cute little bear (I have one) wearing a T-shirt saying Bariatric Surgery can you Bear it?
Unfortunately at the time these Bears were brought into the picture, Cooperstown was only doing a few surgeries a month. A raffle was held at the Support Group meeting each month to pay for the Bears ($15 each) Now Cooperstown is a Center of Excellence for Bariatric surgery and does 4X the amount they did 8 years ago.People having the Band didn't get Bears and a lot of people having RNY didn't get them either. I asked for permission to research less expensive "splint pillows", I suggested a Butterfly because ever since I started the program that was the analogy I used. We were like Butterflies shedding our cocoons. In fact if you've read this blog, you know that I wear a very special butterfly. Imagine my surprise when I was told that way back when Cindy was the director, she also used the Butterfly metaphor.
After much research and hours of phone calls I found there are no Butterfly splint pillows, pre-made, already available. However I did find a pattern. I know what most of you are thinking...but my surgery is a life time commitment and I plan to stay connected anyway. I had to alter the pattern a bit to make it cost affective, but the prototype was well received and for the most part people felt it was a better shape then the bear and more symbolic. I liked it because if all goes well and the raffle continues and people volunteer to help...EVERYONE can have a Butterfly, not just SOME RNY patients...And so the Butterfly Project was born...not something I do alone by a long shot...Lisa carried us through the Holidays with 30 some odd Butterflies and we have a few volunteers and thus far fabric is donated by the volunteers. Eventually when we build up the "bank" the project will be self contained and able to support itself. That's my dream....The backs of the Butterflies can be signed, so it becomes a keepsake as well. Some people are even using them to decorate their beds. All in all I am pleased and proud to be a part of such a worth while cause and it is my mission to do it for as long as I possibly can....
Thus explains the Butterfly Project. The last of my Holiday Family Visitors are waiting for lunch, so I'll scamper along...Please check on me now and then and leave a comment if you have time.......