Reflection

     From the very beginning of this blog I was very excited to begin sharing with my wonderful followers my ideas, accomplishments, struggles, and all the great experiences to come. With your help and support, it has motivated me to make each blog more and more entertaining and interesting for you to read. Every week when I would post a blog, my mentor and I realized a great amount of progress in my writing. Which is going to help me tremendously in the long run.
     Hopefully, if I can this summer I will try to take time to still post blogs and keep in touch with my followers. Moreover, this journey has made a great impact on my mentor and I's lives, because of how passionate we have been about making sure we bringing cheer to heart patients. Now thank you all for reading my blog, have a GREAT summer!!!!!

Narrative

Hi everyone! So I am going to jump right into my blog post tonight, and tell you all a short story on my experience with this project so far. As you know I had to take off a few weeks from my blog because of medical reasons. But as soon as I returned home my mentor and I began building my project again, and with the help of my grandma we put together 50 Cheer Hearts. Now I am ready to make my visit to the Shasta Regional Hospital next week and donate Cheer Hearts To Hold to as many heart patients as I can. My hopes are that everyone who gets a Cheer Heart will feel a little more happiness and comfort in their day by holding a warm Cheer Heart.
This project has given me the perfect opportunity to make a great difference in someone's life, someone struggling with a heart condition. From the beginning I was so excited to learn how to sew, though learning how was a little difficult at first. It took me a few hours to really be able to remember all the steps in sewing. One of my difficulties, was remembering how to pick up the thread with the sewing machine. Or remembering that I needed to turn my fabric inside out first before sewing. Thanks to April Dixon, for informing me of a few tips that actually helped me out a lot to get past these struggles I was having. Soon after my mentor and I went home and tried these new methods April showed us, and the hearts started to turn out great!
I can't wait to visit the hospital next week and donate the hearts, but I also am very excited to update my blog and share with you my experience I will have with all the heart patients!

Persuasive

 When someone is down and out, stuck in the hospital with a heart conditions that affect their daily living, the idea behind these Cheer Hearts To Hold is important. I'm pretty sure anyone of the heart patients at Shasta Regional Hospital would appreciate a "special delivery." The benefits of my Cheer Hearts are simple. One; I have turned my Cheer Hearts into hot rise compresses that can be warmed up in the microwave for 45 seconds. The Heart can be placed on arms and legs there for warmth can provide help with circulation. Two; The Hearts alone are comforting in themselves "just to hold," and knowing that someone cares and to remind the patients their heart is special.  This project was created to bring all of these ideas to life and to deliver Cheer Hearts To Hold to the hearts patients in the hospital.

Cheer Hearts To Hold in the making

My Progress

 

FIRST FEW BATCHES OF CHEER HEARTS!!

Setting up our sewing table!

Drawing the outline of a heart shape on our fabric!

Cutting out the hearts!

My mentors sewing machine! (My Moms)

Grandma teaching me how to sew!

First time sewing by myself!

 

Reflection

  Hi everyone! As you all know the last couple of weeks have been quite complicated for my family and I, but now I am back and on track! Though because of these overwhelming challenges, it has shifted the direction of my project completely. More-over, since the beginning of week 1, I started to really get a an idea of how I will map out my goals to helping others. Though my goal has changed from spreading awareness for breast cancer patients to bringing comfort and cheer to heart patients. Recently I have become very passionate about my new idea for spreading awareness for patients with heart problems. Because a short while ago my dad was admitted to Shasta Regional Hospital for heart failure. Suddenly and unexpectedly our family was faced with this dangerous condition. I've learned that it is important to know the signs of certain heart malfunctions as it could strike any one of all ages at any time. In all reality the individual of the persons life can be on the line in an instant.

   Under the present circumstances we now have a deeper connection to this project. Reflecting back it seems like it was a strange coincidence that I had Cheer Hearts To Hold sewn up all over my house, and I had just completed a chapter in biology on the Cardiovascular System, one week prier to my dads heart failure.

   The interaction with my mentor (my mom) has been easy going and successful. We have set up a sewing station in my Grandma Martha's dinning room. We have collected our fabric, made a pattern, and have all of our supplies that we need. At this point I am on schedule with 30+ Cheer Hearts and tomorrow I will be uploading pictures of  progress of this journey. My mentor and i are happy with these new adjustments and overall achievements. 

Mentor Interview

Amanda Likos-Emmons: 
When it comes to my mom, creativity and love come natural to her. This is one reason she is perfect as my mentor for this project.

What do you have to offer? 

•  Creativity, organizational skills, resources, and materials.

What would you do if you were me?

•  I would create a moment of comfort for those in need. 

How would you organize this project?

•  I would get a dry erase board and a calendar to sketch out my ideas and schedules.

What are one of your favorite accomplishments?

•  Raising a family.

What are some suggestions that may help me when I meet the heart patients I am donating Cheer Hearts to?

•  Inform them on what this protect is and why I am donating.

How do you feel about this idea?

• I think this project is wonderful, People of all ages are fighting for their lives everyday, and if a "Cheer Heart To Hold" can bring joy to someone struggling with heart challenges, I think it is an amazing idea. 

How do you think my project will help other heart patients?

•  First of all I'm hoping that you'll be able to deliver a moment of comfort and cheer to each patient. Secondly spread heart awareness to people of all ages. 

Is there any changes you would make to my blog?

•  So far I think you have covered the basics, I would make sure you are up-to-date with your sewing.

How do you think my blog is coming along?

•  Its had some twist and turns, but I'm sure your capable of getting back on task quickly.

Do you have any strategies that may help me be more successful with this project?

•  Complete your deadline 2 days ahead of time, and keep a journal of your ideas and progress.

What does helping others mean to you?

•  It brings me much joy to spread awareness and happiness to others.

Do you have any creative idea's I can use while designing my Cheer Hearts?

•  Yes, of course, soft material to hold, and the option to use as a heating pad.

What do you think are better ways to meet my due dates?

•  Complete it ahead of time.

What are some of your goals for me during this journey?

•  To experience what its like to contribute to your community.

Who else would you suggest to provide me with any information or resources for my project?

•  The heart nurses at the hospitals and your father and grandfather who have heart challenges. 

Hello Again, I'm Back!

To my followers: 

  I would like to apologize for my absence since April 15. On that day my father was rushed to the ER for heart failure. I spent 4 days taking care of my sisters and visiting my dad in the hospital. On Monday night April 18th Dad was released wearing a lifevest, an (external defibrillator), which detects dangerous heart rhythms and monitors his heart 24 hours a day.  

  Strangely within 48 hours I was rushed to the ER for emergency surgery. I spent 5 days in Mercy Hospital, at this time and date I am finally stable enough to update and contribute to my blog. Considering the recent events that have struck my house-hold I have decided to change the focus of my blog. Rather than Cheer Hearts for breast cancer awareness, I will be donating Cheer Hearts To Hold, for heart patients. I now have a deeper purpose into this project. 

  

Cheer Hearts To Hold

My plan is to donate a thoughtful Cheer Heart, for those suffering from breast cancer. 

-My goal? Create an amount of 50+ breast cancer awareness hearts for patients all ages.

-How & Why did I decide in this goal? Recently I have become great friends with someone who is currently suffering from breast cancer. The more I learn and experience with her the struggles she faces everyday, it brought to my attention; that I could be helping many others like her to live with less of a struggle by donating these hearts and bringing cheer.

-How will I reach my goal? Starting by the end of week 2 (April 15) I will create an amout of 15 hearts per week from then on. Once I reach my goal of 50+ hearts, it will be time to make a visit to the patients I am donating these hearts to.

-3 chosen benchmarks? 1) Week 2 (April 15) begin the first batch of Cheer Hearts. 2) Week 3 (April 22) document and create artistic designs to add to the Cheer Hearts, showing how they bring awareness to breast cancer. 3) Week 5 (May 6) I will have 50+ hearts ready for delivery. 

-Mentors & Obstacles? Mentors I am thinking of asking are two close friends of mine. To help me along with with the project; one person will help teach me how to sew the Cheer Hearts. While my other friend, will help me design and  donate the hearts. Perhaps the obstacles that might arise during this project; could be, sewing machine troubles, coordinating schedules with my mentors, and adding another activity to our weekly calendar. Though the way I would overcome these hurdles, would be calculate our time and energy wisely.