More Kindness

During peritoneal dialysis (PD) training last week, I was a bit distraught because my stomach had swelled on account of surgery and I couldn't zip up any of my skirts. I quite literally had nothing to wear except an elastic-waist black velvet skirt.

I moaned about this state of affairs to Marlene, the PD social worker, and Gina, the dietician. The next day, Marlene called me into her office to show me a half dozen skirts she had weened from her closet. She had gone through her things and picked out six very nice skirts for me--one wool, the others non-clingy polyesters that didn't reveal the lines of my tubing. They were beautiful! I tried them on, and all but one looked wonderful.

Gina later pulled me aside and gave me a black skirt.

I was so touched by the generosity of these two women.

Though my stomach swelling has subsided and though I have lost a lot of water weight, much of the clothes in my closet fits tightly and so the outlines of the tubing and transfer set show through. These six skirts helped me feel pretty again and increased my confidence. Such a blessing!