An Emergency and Some Fabric

So this is a long involved story...you may want to settle in with your favorite beverage. I will wait a minute for you to go get one if you don't have one already. Snacks...do you need some cause believe me this is a tale and you want to be well nourished for it! Okay all settled...

...so it starts like this...

On Wednesday, July 22nd,  I wake up to my cellphone beeping which was unusual because I was in the middle of the Caribbean on a Royal Caribbean cruise liner. I got several text messages from my middle daughter that her older sister was in the ER. Each message got progressively worse until the final one that said she was in liver failure in the ICU and she was being transported to another hospital that specializes in liver transplants in Houston (she's been living there for the last 9 months).

The Ship on Fire ~

I went down to Guest Services and talked to a crew member about how to get off the ship and fly to Houston. While there the fire alarms start going off...yes, I was on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship that was on fire while coming into port at Jamaica. You can read all about it here and here.

photo courtesy:  jamaicaobserver.com

Now I never saw the plumes of smoke from the ship because I was one of those people standing outside on the deck - I'm not actually in the picture of my fellow cruisers below. Then I was ensconced in the skating rink, freezing while waiting for them to put the fire out and find missing passengers.

photo credit: foxnews.com

As a public service announcement, if you are ever on a cruise ship and an emergency is called, please for the sake of your fellow passengers report to your station. Do not hide in your cabin. Do not go where you're not suppose to because the crew announces your name over the intercom and your fellow passengers know you're the reason they are still waiting to continue their high priced vacation. It was getting ugly people!

Finally we are allowed to return to our cabins and I head back to Guest Services to get off the ship. Another aside, the crew on the ship was just awesome! They helped me get a flight and a car service to the airport and walked me through customs in Jamaica. 

That was the easy part because of course there was no direct flight to Houston from Jamaica. So Jamaica to Miami and wait and wait and wait and 4 hrs later still waiting (I HATE YOU AMERICAN AIRLINES!) 5 hours later I finally board a flight to Houston. I was suppose to be at the hospital by 10:30pm, Wednesday evening. I actually walked into ICU at 2:05am Thursday morning.

I'm just glad that my daughter didn't get worse or die while I was sitting there because the gate attendant just so didn't care about my predicament.  Let me say again I HATE YOU AMERICAN AIRLINES!

An Update on my Daughter ~
My daughter is recovering and doing much better and has been released from the hospital...although it was touch and go there for a day or two...she ended up spending 5 days in the ICU and 6 days on a medical floor and did not need a liver transplant. 

However, once she starting doing better, my daughter and my best friend who recently moved to Houston, decided I needed to leave the hospital. My friend took me to Hancock Fabrics to fabric shop. 

Yes, we've gotten to the fabric portion of the post ~

I haven't been to a real suburban chain fabric store in a long time - like years! So the entire experience was like deja vu to me. I knew how to act...what to look for...but it seemed a little surreal! *LOL*

A few interior shots ~

I was a little too excited to take a lot of pictures...I was too busy shopping. I did know enough to go online and get the coupons for the current sale.  So I bought Vogue Patterns - 2 for $10 and McCalls Patterns for $1.99 each. I tried to find the new Butterick Patterns but they weren't in stock yet. I've bought all of my patterns from Club BMV since the inception of the club. Again a light bulb went off cause I now understand why my fellow sewists have so many patterns! Those prices are AMAZING!

This is the fabric I bought ~

When I saw this "Frozen" fabric I knew Miss Lena needed a new summer dress so a piece of this came home with me.  The other two pieces are cottons (and after experiencing a few days of temps in the 100's and higher, I understand why y'all wear cotton fabrics all the time! Geeze it's hot in Houston!) Because I lived in maxi dresses on this trip, I was on the hunt for knit fabric to make more. 

So these knits were purchased too...

Two days later after my daughter's nurse raved about High Fashion Fabrics, my friend took me there too.

I honestly was a little disappointed with this shop probably because it caters to a clientele that needs evening, wedding and prom apparel. 

I did like the signage and the place is huge. I just wasn't that impressed with the fabric selection. However, if this is what's available to you, it is an amazing assortment all in one place, although the price points are a little high.

There was only one piece that excited me enough to purchase...this printed cotton guipure lace.

Conclusion ~
So this is why it's been sooooooo quiet here and on my Instagram account. When I walked into my bedroom this afternoon, all I could do was sigh with delight & relief. It has been a very traumatizing two weeks. I'm so thrilled that my daughter is doing better and she will be home next week after some folllow-ups with the doctors.

Also I just want to say that the Doctors and nurses of The Methodist Hospital were the most amazing health care professionals I've ever dealt with. The ICU staff let me stay as long as I wanted and took great care of not only my daughter but me too. I truly believe that those Doctors saved my daughter's life and why she was able to check out of the hospital with a wonderful prognosis for recovery.

The maxi's that I finished prior to leaving will be photographed next weekend and up on the blog then. I know that this has been one extra long post but I just did not have the wherewithal to make it two separate posts. I hope you made it all the way to the end!

...as always more later!