Today I Wear Gray and Say Goodbye

This post has absolutely nothing to do with jewelry and as a rule, I tend not to talk about too many personal things. But I thought maybe writing about our sweet kitty would help to heal from this great loss I feel. And maybe it would help someone else who might have a similar situation.

On September 30, 2014 I had to say goodbye to my beloved Sweetie Pie. He was still so young at only 10 years old. My husband and I adopted both him and his brother (Cookie Toe) from a local shelter. We were told they had found their way there, with their mom, when their previous owners turned them in. If I recall correctly it was because they had too many pets? Neither were neutered and sadly, it looked like their mom was pregnant again.

We had gone to the local shelter every weekend for a number of weeks looking for the cat who would best fit in our home. One the day we made the decision to adopt these two brothers, it was Cookie Toe who had stuck his paw through the cage wires to grab my hair..and ultimately get my attention.

The beauty of these two were they looked almost exactly alike except Sweetie Pie is gray and his brother, Cookie Toe is all black. They both have this little white patch on their chests. They sat in their cage together with their mom in the cage next to them. While Cookie Toe was meowing at me and not getting my attention, he then decided to grab my hair. When I looked up to pet him, I saw this brother Sweetie Pie, sitting in the litter box (that was a silly place to decide to lay). I said to Cookie Toe, "are you my baby"? And as if on cue, he meowed right back while looking me directly in the eyes.

It was quite the decision to make because we were initially only looking to adopt one cat. But, looking at the both of them, we knew, if we only adopted one and the other was not adopted....well, you know the possibility. So, that day we completed our paperwork to adopt both!

There are so many stories I can share of the goofy Sweetie Pie, like how he would bounce along the floor like a rocking horse -which was his way to telling you to play with him, or how you could use the yellow feather on the rod and get him jumping for it at heights that were unbelievable. He also had this fascination with a pair of my fun slipper socks that had small stuffed frog faces on them. One day one of the socks turned up missing. Come to find out Sweetie Pie decided he liked the frog so he took the sock as his toy! From that day forward I just cut off the frog faces and gave both to him as a toy. He loved those frogs! He would carry them all around the house in his mouth! Silly Sweetie Pie! :-)

Sadly in 2012, Sweetie Pie was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma (intestinal cancer). We were devastated. Prior to the diagnosis his weight had gone down to just a little more than 5 pounds. It pained us greatly to see him suffering. Our fantastic veterinarian performed surgery to remove the mass that had grown at the intersection of his esophagus and intestine -which had prevented food from getting to his stomach. After surgery she educated us on his prognosis.

We were told this type of cancer in cats was not a good one. Ultimately, he would be on borrowed time. There was the option to do radiation therapy but he would have to endure the discomfort of the therapy and there were no statistics that showed this therapy worked, for this type of cancer. So, we opted to not do the therapy and let him enjoy the last months or years of his life.

Sweetie Pie's recovery from the surgery was absolutely phenomenal. He went back up to a healthy weight, his spunky, quirky, goofy personality was back. He was running around playing and enjoying life to the fullest! Over time, he did gain a little too much weight. We think he was making up for lost time. :-)

But, something changed around early Spring, mid-Summer this year. Throughout this time and into Autumn, I noticed his weight shifted...it just didn't look right. It looked like he had a football, laying sideways, in his mid-section.

I took him in just two days ago because of his weight, he had refused food since late last week and overall he just looked unhappy. He had an x-ray done and it was discovered he had a lot of fluid in his stomach (hence the odd shaped weight he was carrying), as well as, some fluid in his lungs. He also had a low temperature and was slightly anemic. I was heartbroken.

An ultrasound was scheduled for the next day to see what was causing the fluid buildup. However, I spent that evening researching the information I was given and I also spent the next day with him and had the opportunity to really watch him. It was very apparent what we really needed to do.

At the ultrasound appointment, we declined that service but asked that he be re-checked by a vet because I had noticed his breathing was really shallow and labored, he seemed unresponsive to what was going on around him, he was even more wobbly on his feet and more.

While the vet talked to us, Sweetie Pie was given a warming bed and some tender loving care. Armed with additional information about how sick he was, his heart was weak, his low temp was dangerously low...we made the heartbreaking decision to help Sweetie Pie to Rainbow Bridge so he didn't suffer anymore. :-(

I've cried for two days and know that time heals all wounds. At this time I am still so immensely sad, however, I will say CANCER SUCKS!!

Goodbye my sweet, sweet, Sweetie Pie. We LOVE YOU dearly. We hope you are running around and playing with your kitty friends, brothers and sisters.

And thank you, in advance, to all the readers who have chosen to allow me this moment of sadness on the blog and to offer words of comfort. Hug your little fur-babies a little tighter today -and everyday.

Black Melanoma Skin Cancer Awareness Bracelet (B117)

We may be approaching the first day of Autumn (officially September 23, 2014), but just because fall is here does not mean we should stop thinking about sun protection.

The American Cancer Society estimates about 76,100 will be diagnosed with melanoma in the United States for 2014; with approximately 9,710 of those diagnosed, expected to die of melanoma. In both instances, the statistics are significantly higher for women than men.

What can we do to protect ourselves? Protect. Protect. Protect.

Black Melanoma Skin Cancer Awareness Bracelet (B117)
One of a Kind

Use sunscreen everyday -even on cloudy days. You should especially use sunscreen on babies and children. And don't forget your face. There are many face sunscreens to choose from these days, including formulas for those with sensitive skin. Take your protection one step further and don a pair of UV sunglasses (your eyes will thank you!). Lastly, try not to spend large amounts of time out in the sun when it is at its' hottest, usually between 1:00-3:00 pm; and please don't use tanning beds! :-)

To help raise awareness of the dangers of skin cancer, I've created a one-of-a-kind Melanoma Skin Cancer Awareness Bracelet (B117). This 7-3/4" handmade beaded bracelet combines coin-shaped black tourmalinated quartz gemstones, white Swarovski Pearls (HOPE), .925 Bali beads, sterling silver awareness ribbon charm and our signature jewelry tag.

Black is the nationally recognized color raising awareness of melanoma skin cancer.

The tourmalinated quartz is a stunning gemstone in a clear to milky quartz with needles or rutiles of black tourmaline throughout. As a healing crystal, tourmalinated quartz restores balance to the body, mind and spirit; heals scars and lesions both in the body and on the skin. It reduces anxiety, stress, and depression.

You can see the beauty of these gemstones in the Tourmalinated Quartz Gemstone Pearl Beaded Watch (W10).

Shark Week Inspired Jewelry Designs That Are Nothing To Be Afraid of!

Although the official Shark Week 2014 has ended, for shark enthusiasts the frenzy (pun intended!) continues long after. I'll be the first to admit I'm completely fascinated with sharks. Scared as heck by them, but totally fascinated. Which is a good (and very logical reason) why I won't swim any where I can't see the bottom! LOL

It shouldn't be too far-fetched then to see where the inspiration came from for a few of my beaded jewelry creations. Inspired by the crystal blue ocean water, the deep sea and what lies beneath. The focal of the Blue Artisan Lampwork Crystal Necklace (N124-B) is a mesmerizing handmade glass button pendant of swirling blue colors. It reminds of the ocean, swirling waves and...sharks! Complementing the artisan pendant are two different blue Swarovski Crystals, sterling silver, Bali beads and silver-lined seed beads that sparkle like the surface of the water and waves on a sunny day.

Pair with this beach inspired necklace the Deep Blue Circle Crystal Beaded Earrings (E261), see below for purchase information. A stylish and contemporary pair of handmade beaded earrings featuring a blue ombre' effect. The sterling silver circles are meant to mimic the bubbles in the water while the blue Swarovski Crystals lead from a crystal clear blue surface to the deep blue ocean floor.

If you love this set, you might want to check out the Green Artisan Lampwork Crystal Necklace (N124-G) too. It's a beautiful sea green in Swarovski Crystals and a handmade one of a kind original.

---

Deep Blue Circle Crystal Beaded Earrings (E261)

A stylish and contemporary pair of handmade beaded earrings featuring a blue sapphire ombre' effect. Like bubbles in water, sterling silver circle rings showcase a light sapphire, to sapphire to deep sapphire diamond shaped trio of sparkling Swarovski Crystals. Finished with sterling silver french hook ear wires. Length is 1" from the bottom of the ear wire.

What is the Awareness Ribbon Color for my Cause?

On a Facebook group that I belong to, someone asked the question, "Does anyone know the color ribbon for lung transplant?" I was actually surprised to see many responses that were either guesses or just not the correct color. The conversation then expanded into other related diseases and the awareness color for them.

Having designed awareness jewelry for the past ten years, I have become quite familiar with awareness colors and their disease designations. What better inspiration for personalized jewelry than just about any color imaginable!

I thought this was the perfect topic to blog about because it is such an important one. I'll review some of the awareness ribbon colors for the diseases/causes mentioned and then also provide some links to related articles. First, I'll address the question and then I will address two myths that came up during this discussion.

So what awareness ribbon color represents transplant? The nationally recognized color for transplant is GREEN. Appropriately, green is also the awareness color for organ donation -which really makes sense because these two things do go hand-in-hand. To further expand on transplant awareness, did you know the butterfly is the national symbol for lung transplant.

The Butterfly: A Symbol of Lung Transplant

Myth #1:
Awareness ribbon colors represent diseases only.

Actually, that may have been the belief of a small number of individuals back when awareness ribbons first came into popularity. However, today, awareness ribbon colors represent causes, as well. The point behind awareness ribbons and the wearing of them is to RAISE AWARENESS of a particular cause or disease. In fact, many different causes and diseases can belong to the same color.

Although this is not always the case, but, typically colors are designated by the cause or reason for the need or desire to raise awareness. Take for example, the yellow ribbon. This color ribbon became synonymous with troop and military support. How did it become the designation for this cause? The wife of a war hostage tied them around trees to raise awareness and bring attention to his release. Her actions resonated with many people across the world and the color yellow quickly became nationally recognized for raising awareness of troop and military support.

Ever wondered about the History of the Awareness Ribbon?

Myth #2:
An awareness color is set because it is the brand color of the related charity or organization.

It is likely any charity may take a nationally recognized awareness color and adopt it as their brand color. One such organization is Lungs for Life. They serve both the cystic fibrosis and the transplant communities and as such, have adopted the purple and green awareness colors for their brand.

However, it is less likely to be the case that a color became nationally accepted because a charity used it in their brand and marketing efforts. Truth be told, there are so many causes, diseases/illnesses that affect so many people -it's highly unlikely these days that a color has not already been designated.

From my past experience, I've come across the following two examples:
1) The color purple is nationally accepted and recognized as the awareness color for Cystic Fibrosis. Yet, a small percentage of people think blue represents the awareness color for CF. They believe this because the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's brand color is blue. All this means is if they happen to purchase CF awareness products that are blue, they are simply supporting only the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation mission.

2) The colors red and blue are nationally recognized and accepted as the awareness colors for Pulmonary Fibrosis. In fact, with this particular disease, there is a touching story behind why those colors are nationally recognized. But, some believe the color is teal and that is because the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation has adopted teal as their brand color. Again, any awareness products in teal for PF are supporting only that charity and their mission.

Why is Red and Blue the Awareness Colors for Pulmonary Fibrosis?

Following a charities brand color as raising awareness for any cause, with probably the exception of Pink, can really limit: the power of a donors' dollars; the effectiveness of a volunteers' precious time; as well, it could limit the resources a cause recipient might benefit from.

There is no shortage of information (or opinions) on awareness colors. Some causes/diseases have adopted many colors for the different disease sub-groups. You can see this with cancer and the many cancer subsets. For this reason, I have published a Guide to Cancer Awareness Colors. I hope you find it helpful!

If I didn't mention your cause or disease in this post, feel free to read our jewelry articles on Awareness Colors and Meanings and Awareness Ribbons by Cause Color for a more comprehensive article on nationally recognized awareness ribbon color(s).

Feel free to revisit these articles, from time to time, as I am always updating the information contained in them. I'd love to hear what cause you support! Leave a comment below.