Happy Anniversary To Us ~ Our Second Year

It is hard to believe that another year has passed here at Annie & Isabel designer hospital gowns!

We want to thank each and every one of you for your support, love, and encouragement in our second year!

We have grown more than we could have ever imagined. Our gowns have been spotted in hospitals all over the United States and even in countries like Poland, Dubai, Norway, Australia, The United Kingdom and Canada to name a few! We've even unexpectedly seen our hospital gowns being worn by patients in the hospitals we both work in! Those sightings provided us with surreal moments where we have definitely pinched ourselves with excitement.

A few highlights from our second year...

Our Isabel designer hospital gown went to Hollywood and was a mainstay on abc's hit show Private Practice! How amazing it was to see our beautiful Isabel gown in high definition and on actors such as Kate Walsh. 

We loved the excitement that surrounded our celebrity status gown sightings on primetime television, but anyone who knows us really well, knows that we cherish more the "real life" celebrities, or warriors, as we call them, that we honor through our Feel Better Campaign nominations. This past year, we recognized Brianne with cystic fibrosis with her beautiful outlook and attitude. We recognized Pricilla the "Wheelchair Mommy", who doesn't let a wheelchair slow her down. Lastly, we recognized Julie, who, after falling victim in a devastating car accident, not only survived, but has become an inspiration to so many far and near! We want to thank our readers for all the support you have sent to our FBC recipients.

We shared in the joy of so many women as they welcomed babies in style! Several of our original customers have even worn our gowns for a second birth like Ardeep, who welcomed her daughter in our Annie gown and then welcomed her son in our Isabel gown. Such a beautiful family and precious moments captured by the talented Brenda Bisharat Photography.

Our designer hospital gowns have always been popular for pregnancies but, over this last year, we have seen a huge growth in sales for people dealing with all types of medical conditions and also from family members buying them for a loved one in hospice care. We have received positive feedback from customers telling us that their Annie & Isabel hospital gowns made them feel special during a difficult time. It fills our hearts with joy knowing that our gowns can provide comfort and dignity to these patients.  

Some obstacles...

Selena lost her beloved mother-in-law Arlene to cancer. She was one of Annie & Isabel's biggest cheer leaders and always had a brochure in her purse. It was only fitting that she wore all of our gowns in the last weeks of her life. Her 5 year old grandson, George, enjoyed picking out Grandma's hospital gowns {this Anita was his favorite} and loved to stay close to her in her final days. 

Anna was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in January and just finished her treatments. She has been overwhelmed with the love and support of our Annie & Isabel community and will forever treasure all the emails, messages on Facebook, and tweets of encouragement. Thank you.

 On the horizon...

We are about to launch our men's hospital gown line!!! We have two fabrics and have perfected the design. It's going to be a little different, but don't worry men, we've still got you covered!

We are excited to introduce our new Elizabeth hospital gown! We discontinued our original Elizabeth due to fabric unavailability and are in LOVE with our replacement. As always, we donate a portion of each Elizabeth gown sale to the The Navigator Program which directly supports local women and men with breast cancer. We chose this program because our Grandmother, Elizabeth, succumbed to breast cancer and we wanted to honor her in this way.

Thank you again to all our fans and customers who have supported us. What we love most about our company is making connections with all of you. You are the faces of our company and we value every relationship we make. We are inspired on a daily basis by the people we meet through Annie & Isabel and that is what keeps us going so THANK YOU!!!

For our anniversary, we are offering 15% off this week only, Monday - Friday! Please use the checkout code "anniversary" and pass it on to anyone who might need a hospital gown. We still believe everyone should at least have one tucked away in their drawer. Hospital trips are not always planned and you don't want to be caught flapping in the wind! 

BYE BYE CANCER

Yes….Good Bye Cancer!!! I am officially done with treatment and isolation and boy does that feel good. I have been waiting for this day for over three months and I can’t tell you how good it feels to have my surgeries and treatment behind me. The radioactive iodine treatment that I received will continue to do its job for several months but I’m going to go ahead and say that I have kicked cancer’s butt!! I am still working on gaining all my energy back and that will take weeks, if not a few months, to feel completely back to normal but, with all the bad stuff behind me, I can deal with being tired and achy a little while longer. Yes, there is always a chance of a recurrence, but that is not something I am going to think about. I believe that it is so important to be positive so that is how I plan to live from here on out.

I could never have gotten through this journey without so many special people in my life. One of the most special of these is my husband, Joe. Cancer can cause a lot of stress in a family and Joe took on the reigns of our household without complaint and he did it well!! Not many husbands could switch gears and single handedly take on four active kid’s schedules, assume housekeeping 101, while also working their day job. He did just that and, in addition, provided me with so much love, support and encouragement through every step of this long journey. He is amazing and I love him so much.

I’ve already talked in previous posts about my wonderful parents, sister and family. They have helped me immensely and mean the world to me. I have always known I have the best parents and I realize it even more after going through cancer. I am also lucky to have THE best sister ever. My sister, Selena, is my best friend and I love her dearly. She also had to run Annie & Isabel by herself and we had our best month in sales to date during that time...so she was busy....in a good way!!!

I want to thank each and every one of you for joining me on this journey and especially for helping me get through each step from surgery #1 ~ to surgery #2 ~ to treatment and isolation. You have all been my biggest cheerleaders and have helped both me and my family tremendously in remaining positive and recognizing the good things that have come from this experience. We were so blessed by all of you in so many different ways:

• We have had dinners brought to our home from friends from the week I was diagnosed until now and that has been a huge blessing. It’s been one BIG thing that we haven’t had to worry about.

• I have received so many beautiful cards in the mail. I never realized how much a card received via snail mail could lift my spirits and make me smile until going through this cancer diagnosis.

• I had one dear friend, Anne, invite me over for a girls chick flick day when I was too tired to do much else but lay on the couch.  She treated me to a lunch that met my special diet guidelines and made my day!

The two of us on a more energetic day!

·   One of my co-workers baked me three loaves of bread that met my special diet restrictions to get me through the period of time that I was required to be on a strict diet. 

• I had numerous families take my children out to do fun things like bowling and going to dinner and plays.

• While I was in isolation, I had several surrogate moms to give my little ones hugs! I know they appreciated that.

·  I received this beautiful quilt made by my mother-in-law to comfort me during my recoveries and this banner, made by a friend, to remind me what my job was...to Kick Cancer's Butt!

• I was blessed by two friends who are teachers that had their children write me notes of encouragement. I cried both times because of how wonderful it felt to hear from children who were so thoughtful to reach out and write to me.

• Several times I found fun gifts left on our doorstep to brighten our family’s day (and to fatten me up after losing some weight after surgery).

• My three best friends from high school all got together to come see me. Two of them had to fly in from out of state. We hadn’t been together at one time in over 8 years and while I felt so tired that day….they gave me more energy and laughter than I had had in a long time!

• I received several small little gifts that I wore and used throughout my journey that reminded me to keep up the good fight with a smile on my face.

• I received a prayer blanket from a dear relative who I hadn’t corresponded with in years. It was a special blanket that was prayed on while being made and given a special blessing by the monsignor of their church. I used this on my bed while I was in isolation and it was so comforting.

• We had several families provide rides for our children to and from school and sporting activities

• I'm so amazed at the friendships that we've made through Annie & Isabel from far and near. This gorgeous painting was left on my doorstep, while in isolation, by local realtor and artist Tim Collom. It brought tears to my eyes because it's my family's favorite vacation spot and I've only just met Tim this year. He shared something so precious with me...his gift of art. It will remind me of the love and support of friends as I look at this painting for years to come.

• I had several friends who knew exactly what to do to make me laugh, including this special gift from my friend Amy when I was about to become radioactive. Only from a good nurse friend like Amy can you get a gift in "biohazard wrapping" to lift your spirits.

· Another great friend researched and explained the low iodine diet I was required to do prior to treatment. She helped me get organized and prepare ahead of time which took a huge weight off my shoulders!!

• I received hundreds of notes of encouragement via email and twitter and each and every note boosted me tremendously. Even Real Housewife of New Jersey Teresa Giudice read my story and sent out this thoughtful tweet!

·  I received an abundance of flowers to brighten up my days.

These are only a few of the beautiful arrangements I received

• Thank you to Facebook and all my friends on Facebook too! I know some people think Facebook is a waste of time but I have to say that the notes, likes and comments I received via Facebook kept my spirits up and made me smile so much. Facebook was my savior during my isolation period. I have been in awe and humbled by the amount of support I have received through this social network.

I don’t share all this with you to brag about all the neat things that were sent our way or were done for me and our family. I share all these things with you to show you how much of an integral part of this journey you all were in helping me win this battle. I have always felt so blessed and lucky to have so many people standing alongside me in this fight against cancer.

When I first blogged about my thyroid cancer diagnosis I said that cancer didn’t stand a chance against me and that I was going to “Kick Cancer’s Butt”. I did Kick Cancer’s Butt but the support that you all provided to me made it so much easier that I would now say that I didn’t kick cancer’s butt but, rather, WE Kicked Cancer’s Butt!!! Thank YOU so much!

So Here Are My Parting Words To You Cancer:

1. Thank you for making me a better person.

2. It has NOT been fun.

3. I have, indeed, Kicked Your Butt!!

4. Now stay away because I have an amazing life to go live.

~Anna

Ellen's "Baby Meets City" in The Annie Designer Hospital Gown!

New York City mom blogger Ellen welcomes her second daughter in the Annie designer hospital gown!  

Here is what Ellen said about wearing an Annie & Isabel hospital gown for such a special occasion, 

"I absolutely loved wearing my "Annie" hospital gown as we welcomed our new daughter, Vivian Ella, into the world. And not just because it was pink!  So much of the hospital experience is uncomfortable -- from the gowns given upon arrival to the bed you're expected to sleep in.  It was such a pleasure to wear something bright and beautiful (yet comfy!) as I shared our precious daughter with friends and family who came to visit."

You can learn more about Ellen on her blog "baby meets city" where she writes about juggling motherhood and her darling daughters in New York City. 

Thank you to Ellen for the beautiful picture and testimonial! 

Lisa Wears "The Anita" Hospital Gown to Welcome Baby Tabitha

We are so happy to share this lovely testimonial from Lisa wearing our Anita designer hospital gown for the birth of her fourth child. She was so gracious to share these special hospital moments with us and about her experience in an Annie & Isabel gown.  

                                          

This is what Lisa said about her special day,  

"I am pleased to let you know baby #4 joined our family on Jan. 3, 2012. Tabitha Mercy met us around 4:30pm weighing in at 6lbs 15oz and 19.5in. I was so excited to have a nice clean gown to change into after my shower. It was super comfy, beautiful and modest. The best compliment came from the massage therapist. She was so excited about it, I was fully covered, she loved the colors and the feel of the fabric, direct quote being "It's alot better then the things they (the hospital) give you. I wish we had more of these."

It made me feel so good to be able to get out of bed and not worry about showing off something I didn't want to. With being on hemorrage watch it was very nice to have on still for my routine checks. Thank you so much for creating such a useful and blessing filled product. I am in love with it and am glad to know I will be able to use it again.  

Thanks you again for blessing me with the Anita gown. It really helped to boost my spirits! May God bless you for blessing women in this way."

~Lisa


If you have worn an Annie & Isabel designer hospital gown and want to share your story, http://www.annieandisabel.com/contact-us/. We appreciate hearing back from every single Annie & Isabel woman out there SO much! Thank you all for your support. 

My Journey With Thyroid Cancer :: Treatment, Isolation, & Unexpected Blessings

I am nearing the end of my "isolation" period, after receiving treatment for my thyroid cancer. Soon I will be able to hug my husband, children, family, and smother them in kisses. This isolation period has really given me time to think about life and realize how precious it is.

Let me back up a little though, to the day of treatment, March 23rd to be exact. I was not prepared for just how difficult that day would be. I guess it would be normal to be very emotional on a day like this, but I just had not thought it through. It started when each of my children, in turn, gave me a hug and kiss when they went off to school and said "Good bye mommy".

The second that they left my bedroom, I completely lost it!!  I cried like a baby. Part of my emotions came from the fact that I would be away from my children for awhile. I treasure their hugs, kisses and snuggles so much and knew it would be hard to be without them for a few days. I believe that the bigger part of these emotions came from the realization of how long and hard this process has been for me and my family, and that I was FINALLY ready to begin the final step that would kill this cancer and allow me to move on to a healthy new future.

Thyroid cancer has provided me with an exercise in patience. I think it would have been easier if there had been no waiting, and if I could have just had surgery, moved right into treatment, and had been able to get it done and over. That is not how thyroid cancer works, especially when you end up with two surgeries, as I did. There were weeks of waiting in between each step of the process and that took a toll both mentally and physically.  I have always been pretty mentally tough and competitive by nature, so during all this time, I held it together pretty well. Sure, I had little moments of crying and feeling sorry for myself, but on March 23rd, the reservoir of emotions all came tumbling out. It was a good cry, and it was needed. I realize now, how important it was to let my emotions out, as it helped release everything that had built up inside of me over the last couple of months, and also validated what a tough journey this has been.

The first step on treatment day was a full body scan.

The scan was a little unnerving because I would finally find out if the cancer had spread anywhere beyond my thyroid gland.

My particular cancer, follicular carcinoma, has a tendency to spread to lymph nodes, lungs and bones. Had my cancer spread? I had anxiously waited two months to hear the answer to that question. In the afternoon, when I went back for the actual treatment, I received the wonderful news that the only place where they could see any residual thyroid tissue was in my neck, which was expected. There was no evidence of spread.  Now, the job of the Radio Active Iodine Treatment, which followed, would be to seek out and destroy all the remaining thyroid cells.

The treatment itself was simple. A Nuclear Medicine doctor brought in a special lead cylinder which contained a small radioactive capsule, tiny but powerful.

The doctor placed the pill in my mouth, gave me a few last minute instructions and soon I was out the door........I was officially radioactive!

My husband was instructed to stay as far away as he could. How far away can you get in an elevator? On the quicker than usual ride home, I sat in the farthest back seat, on the opposite side from Joe. He drove me to my parents home because I needed to keep my radioactive body away from my small children who would not understand the strict isolation.

I needed my own room, my own bed, my own bathroom and so I returned to my childhood bedroom.

Most of the radioactivity passes out of the body though body fluids in the first three days. I was required to drink lots of water to speed up this process and this meant frequent trips to the bathroom where I had to flush the toilet twice after each use.

The isolation itself, was not so bad because I soon became pretty nauseated, and that, combined with being achy and tired, made it easy to want to be by myself in a quiet room. During the good moments, I enjoyed having "facetime" with my boys and receiving "virtual" hugs and kisses.

Starting on the fourth day of isolation, I began to take short walks with my loves, with them walking a few feet behind me. I won't take a nice walk for granted anymore.

On that same day, I took my first dose of thyroid medication. I have never been so happy to take any drug before. This little pill will be responsible for making me feel a whole lot better in three to four weeks.

I have found another unexpected blessing in all of this. I have been fortunate enough to spend this isolation time with my parents and it has been such a treat to be their little girl again in my childhood home. The only thing missing in my room, is a rope down the middle with my dear sister on the other side, a favorite memory of when we shared this room and had territorial wars:)  I have had many long talks with my mom as she stood the required distance away in the doorway and she has taken care of me as any loving mother would. With modern technology, I have even had special texting sessions with my dad, while in the same house, from our own bedrooms, like the ones that follows:

 Still finding things to cherish....here's to unexpected blessings!

~Anna

From Life Threatening Injuries To An Inspiring Story of Love & Journey Towards Recovery ~ Feel Better Campaign Recipient

We are so happy to introduce Julie McClure, our latest recipient of a Feel Better Campaign nomination. She was nominated by Pat, a family friend, after she survived a major car accident on December 17th. Julie has an amazing story of survival that we'd like to share and want everyone to join us as her cheerleaders as she undergoes her seventh surgery today! 

Julie Anna Robson and Michael McClure were married on August 6th, 2011. They both work for Pensacola Christian College in Florida. Julie is a registered nurse, a nursing instructor, and is working on her nurse practitioner degree. Julie is a compassionate and selfless people lover. She has taken several medical mission trips to South America and Africa to use her skills to help those in need. Her dream is to one day travel to many different lands to share her faith with people in need through the use of her medical skills.

On December 17th, 2011 at 9:47pm, while driving down US 231 outside of Troy Alabama, they were struck by another vehicle which was out of control and traveling at high speed. Michael survived with injuries to his left arm, back, and ribs. He was treated and released within a few days. Julie sustained multiple life threatening injuries as the other vehicle struck her side of the car. She was resuscitated twice on the scene and was life flighted to two different hospitals. Since then, she has survived 6 major surgeries on her left arm and both of her legs. She still has one major surgery to go today, March 22nd. 

The doctors and nurses have been amazed at Julie's joyful spirit and her will to recover. The next four months of her life will be spent in a hospital bed at home while recovering through intense therapy. Julie is thankful to God to be alive and believes that through the prayers and support of her family and friends all around the world, she will walk and use her left arm again! 

We are honored to welcome Julie as our latest Feel Better Campaign recipient and would like to encourage all of our amazing readers to follow along with Julie as she climbs this hill and goes on to do the great things she is clearly destined to accomplish. She is a warrior. She is a survivor. She is amazingly beautiful inside and out. Follow her Facebook page HERE and send her a message of encouragement as she undergoes surgery today.

Besides the invaluable thoughts, prayers, and words of encouragement you can send Julie's way... there is one more thing...

Julie's family informed us that she will be bed bound and in a hospital gown for the next 4 months! We sent Julie her first gown as our gift, and are establishing a "gown fund" for Julie. If you would like to purchase or contribute to Julie's gown fund - you can donate any amount of money in $5 increments to  purchase Julie Annie & Isabel gowns. Just put Julie's name in the "recipient name" field and our email address in the "recipients email" field {as shown below} and we will tally up Julie's donations and send her additional gowns. She has the swatches of all of our hospital gowns, so she can pick her next gown! We are going to contribute 15% of the cost of any additional gowns we are able to send to her through this special program. As you can see below, there is also an area to leave a message. If you would like us to include your own personal message with any gowns we send her, type it in the message area and we will send that with the gown. Anyone who joins us in donating to Julie's gown fund will receive a discount code for a future gown purchase for their own needs.

Julie has a long and difficult road of ahead of her in her recovery and we hope that you will feel inclined to "Pay It Forward" to an amazing woman who we can guarantee will also "Pay It Forward" to many others in her lifetime.  

  Click HERE to donate to Julie's hospital gown fund.