Our Latest "Feel Better Campaign" Recipient Undergoes Open Heart Surgery Today....In Style

We are excited to introduce you all to our latest "Feel Better Campaign" recipient, Carly Smith.  More importantly, we would love it if you would keep Carly in your thoughts and prayers as she undergoes open heart surgery today.

Carly with her cute little cousin

Carly is 19 years old and was diagnosed with congenital heart disease when she was just three days old.  Her condition did not require surgery or treatment as a child but, more recently, Carly has developed symptoms of shortness of breath, chest pain, palpitations, and fatigue.  After undergoing several tests, her doctors discovered that she now has severe aortic stenosis and regurgitation which is causing her heart to enlarge and not function properly.  This condition is extremely dangerous and the reason she is now requiring open heart surgery.

Carly (pictured on the right) with her family

How did Carly find Annie & Isabel hospital gowns??  She hates standard hospital gowns so much that she was determined to find a better alternative and, well, SHE DID!!  Here is what she said in a recent email to us:

"I hate that hospital gowns give you no modesty or privacy. When in the hospital, you are already put into many uncomfortable situations, but the gown just adds to that because you feel like you are exposed to the whole world!"


Since Carly is having open heart surgery, we customized her designer gown to include a telemetry pocket so the hospital staff can continue to easily monitor her heart as she recovers. 

It is especially hard to see a young person deal with such a tough diagnosis and treatment, but unfortunately we have had many teenagers as our customers.  While we wish that we would have no young customers, we are happy that our gowns can be a source of happiness for their difficult days.  We hope that our "Annie" gown will provide Carly with some comfort, style, and dignity and will also bring a sweet smile to her face as she recovers from her surgery. 

To learn more about our "Feel Better Campaign" and read about past recipients click the link below:

FEEL BETTER CAMPAIGN

After A Tragic Loss Jami Welcomes Baby Shailo

We have been blessed with so many friendships created through our business. One friendship we cherish is with Jami of the blog Colour Her Hope. We first "met" her when she was pregnant with her second child Eisley. She blogged beautifully about her complicated pregnancy with Eisley and we, along with her many readers, friends, and family, stood by her side as Eisley went to be with Jesus on September 14th, 2010. Jami blogged through her most intimate feelings of sadness, grief, and healing truly capturing the hearts of so many. We kept her in our daily thoughts and prayers and she continues to amaze us with her strength and grace. 

We were so happy to hear that Jami was going to be blessed with another beautiful child after the loss of her baby girl Eisley. She blogged about her pregnancy again and told us she wanted to purchase an Annie & Isabel hospital gown. She couldn't decide on her favorite, so she enlisted the help of her readers in this post here. As you can see from the beautiful moments captured below, the Anita gown was the winner as she welcomed baby boy Shailo Valour on November 8, 2011!

Here is what Jami said about wearing her Anita gown, 

                                                                                 

                                                                                                                                                    "I felt so pretty in my Annie & Isabel hospital gown. And... oh my word did I receive so many comments about how beautiful and unique my gown was from family, friends, and nurses! One day I even had a nurse pull in a few more ladies just to show off my gown to them. Thank you so much for starting Annie & Isabel and blessing so many of us with your stunning designs."

-Jami of color her {hope}

Even in Death, This Woman's Spirit Shined Through to Many

One of the most rewarding things about having our company are the great relationships we are fortunate to develop with our customers.  When Barbara contacted us back in May of 2011, there was an instant connection.  She emailed us about her 79 year old mother, June, who had been in a bad car accident resulting in her being bed bound during her recovery.  Barbara wanted to order some Annie & Isabel gowns to help with her mother's recovery since her mother was not able wear normal clothing. Barbara felt our gowns could provide a more stylish, dress-like option that she hoped would lift her mother's spirits. Lift her spirits they did!!  After initially ordering three of our designer hospital gowns, Barbara ordered five more gowns a few weeks later stating:

"Few things bring my mom cheer these days; but, wearing your darling gowns do.  Your colorful gowns are a big hit with my mom and the staff at the facility where she is working on her recovery.  They launder, fit well, are easy to put on, yet give the look of normal dresses."

June with her sweet and loving husband

In September, Barbara called us again, as her mother had some complications with her recovery, and she wanted to order more of our gowns.  We had several conversations over the phone and Barbara explained what a strong woman her mother was.  June survived polio as a child, was in a previous serious auto accident in 1987 and had numerous other medical issues in her life.  Several of her doctors had told her that "she was the toughest woman they had ever met."  June had now lost use of her legs due to some spinal fractures but she still kept up her strong spirit.  Barbara ordered her two Susan gowns so she could go out in public in style and look "dressed". 

With all that June had been through in her life, we could see that she was a fighter, so it was with great sadness that we learned that June had passed away in October of 2011 due to further complications from her injuries.  Here is what Barbara said about her mother:

"Following a car accident 8 months prior, my mother died peacefully on October 16th, 2011, surrounded by family, wearing one of her dearly loved Annie & Isabel gowns.  These wonderful gowns gave my determined mother the look of "normal" dresses during her long recovery effort.  In fact, she owned nearly every style.  Unlike traditional "ugly" hospital gowns, her Annie & Isabel gowns were stylish, easy to put on, laundered and fit well, and were crowd pleasers. Whenever nurses, patients and visitors asked Mom where she got her fun gowns, she'd gladly tell them about Annie and Isabel - this wonderful company out in CA." 


Barbara also shared some of her mother's eulogy and we wanted to share one small part about the passing of her mother because it is so powerful and a true testament to June's character and the close knit relationship she had with her family.  In the words of her daughter Barbara:

"It was the consensus of all who had the experience of caring for Mama, that she would pick the time and details of her death.  She was famous for reminding her caregivers, "I'm in charge."  or, to me she would state "I'm the mother here."  Thus, we all felt, she might be with us for a few more days.  About 15 minutes later, she sighed, hesitated in her breathing, I motioned to Gale, but we didn't talk or touch her -- due to the fact we didn't want to pull her possible traveling soul back.  With my hand still resting on her bed, we could see she was trying to decide if she was going to go ahead and cross over to Heaven or not.  And then in an instant, she took a deep breath, as if jumping into a pool of water.  As she did this, I felt her soul (spirit), leaving her body and passing through mine.  There was an instant release of tension in her and the room. As I felt her spirit glow and expand through me, it hovered for a few seconds in the upper-back corner of the room, looked back and down on us and her body in amazement; and then with a poof of air, she was gone."

Barbara, thank you for sharing your mother's story and life with us.  We were impressed by not only your mother's strength and determination, but also with the attention and love that you gave to your mother.  You both have touched our lives deeply. We cherish the emails and phone conversations we had with you and will always keep your family in our hearts.

Jenn Sbranti, THE Hostess With The Mostess, Wears an Annie & Isabel Designer Hospital Gown

We were so thrilled to learn that Jenn Sbranti, founder and editor-in-chief of Hostess with the Mostess, welcomed her second daughter in our Anita designer hospital gown. We are huge fans of HWTM and the amazingly talented Jenn. Her website and blog are full of hip and modern party planning ideas, recipes, and inspiration. Here is what Jenn has to say about her experience wearing an Annie & Isabel gown,  



"A sweet friend of mine sent me a super colorful Annie & Isabel gown just a few days before my C-section - it was such a caring & thoughtful surprise to receive! I was so grateful to have such a "happy" and comfortable gown to recover in at the hospital for the next few days after surgery - and I have to say the gown was especially a hit with the nurses... every single one of them commented on it. :) I also love seeing the bright colors from the gown in the gazillion iPhone pictures I took of my brand new baby girl while she slept in my arms those first few days! Thanks to Annie & Isabel for adding a creative touch to those cherished photos!"


Jenn shared one of those adorable iPhone photos with us. Here is Jenn's sweet Rylie resting next to Mommy on her birthday. What a beautiful baby!   

For the few of you who don't already know about Hostess With The Mostess, you must check out her fabulous website! Below are some of our favorite ways we follow HWTM. 

{WEBSITE}

{FACEBOOK}

{PINTEREST}

{TWITTER}

From The Joy of a New Life to a Battle with Leukemia :: The Story of One Annie & Isabel Hospital Gown

Jill was my very first friend. Growing up, our houses shared a fence and we were constantly hopping over to one another's house to play. All of my favorite childhood memories included Jill and I cherish them dearly. We thought we were hilarious. We would spend our summer days making up dance routines in the pool, setting up lemonade and cookies stands in the neighborhood, and our afternoons watching the soap Days of Our Lives and eating popcorn. Long live Bo and Hope Brady. Are they still together? 

Jill has two beautiful daughters, Camryn and Sadie, and we were so happy that she was able to wear our Anita designer hospital gown for the birth of her second sweetheart Sadie. This is what Jill had to say about wearing an Annie & Isabel gown for her birth, 

"Wearing my gorgeous A& I hospital gown while delivering Sadie, truly made one of the best days of my life even more special". 

Jill, like many of our wonderful friends, has become an Annie & Isabel ambassador. She sings our praises to everyone she knows and we are so thankful. Jill was one of our first believers, not because she experienced wearing one of our gowns, but because she understands how a simple and beautiful hospital gown of your own, can change almost everything about being in the hospital.

Jill even wrote to The Ellen Show last year and told her all about Annie & Isabel and how she might like to have us on the show. We all thought Ellen would be calling us right away, especially because her mother is a breast cancer survivor and we donate a portion of our proceeds to support women who are newly diagnosed. CLEARLY, Ellen must have not received her letter! Ellen... are you out there??? We are still free for an interview ANY time that is convenient for you. K? Thanks.

Jill thinks of us. Always. She is an amazing friend. Even better, she has not let the legacy of her own Anita designer hospital gown end with Sadie's birth over two years ago.

Jill shared it with her friend Danni who had this to say,

"This picture is of my husband and me right before I delivered our son Benjamin. Thank goodness for epidurals, hence my smile...and my Annie & Isabel gown, which made me feel so cute and hip!"

Last week, I got a text from Jill that her good friend Patricia had been unexpectantly admitted to the hospital with acute leukemia. Patricia's spirits were low and Jill thought about Annie & Isabel once again and rushed over to the hospital with her gown in hand. She sent me the most adorable picture of Patrica and her sons shortly after, with big smiles on her faces.

Jill knew that Patricia would unfortunately be getting good use out of her borrowed Anita gown, so she surprised Patricia on Mother's Day with her own Annie & Isabel "Susan" designer hospital gown and posted this picture to our Facebook wall.

Here is what Jill said about gifting her our Susan designer hospital gown on Mother's Day,

"It was honestly amazing the difference in her spirit (and her smile) when she put her new A&I gown on today! It's been a very rough week and an especially tough Mother's Day, having to deal with more blood transfusions and a high fever. She is hanging in there and wearing her gown with pride and even showing it off! I LOVE how happy it makes her! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Patricia now has three Annie & Isabel gowns in her rotation and we are thinking about her daily as the Annie & Isabel warrior that she is. Please keep Patricia in your thoughts as she kicks cancer's butt!

Thank you Jill for keeping the dignity, comfort, and style alive with you Anita designer hospital gown!

Have you shared your Annie & Isabel with a friend? We'd love to hear the story of your gown!

~written by Jilly Bean's BFF Selena (co-owner of Annie & Isabel)

Battling Thyroid Cancer for the Second Time ~ A True Warrior

Today's testimonial is near and dear to my heart because this Annie & Isabel warrior is fighting thyroid cancer which, as many of you know, I recently fought these last few months.  She was first diagnosed with thyroid cancer back in 2011 and had surgery to remove her thyroid and then received treatment for the cancer shortly after her surgery. Thyroid cancer, unfortunately, can be a pesky cancer and doesn't always like to go away completely.  When Janelle had her annual routine body scan this year, the doctors discovered that her thyroid cancer was back in some lymph nodes in her neck. 

Janelle recently required another surgery to remove the affected lymph nodes.  According to her good friend, Lynn, who purchased her the "Evelyn" Annie & Isabel gown, Janelle has had an amazing attitude throughout this second bout of thyroid cancer.  You can see this bright attitude shine through in her beautiful smiles in the pictures below!!

Janelle just prior to surgery



Janelle just after surgery...still smiling

Today Janelle received her radioactive iodine pill that will hopefully kill any remainder thyroid cancer cells. This treatment period is one of the most difficult and challenging times, both physically and mentally, in fighting thyroid cancer.  The treatment itself can make you feel nauseated, tired and achy and it also requires isolation away from family.  She will be away from her husband and children for about a week.  We would love if you could keep Janelle in your thoughts and prayers over this next week.  Our greatest hope and wish for Janelle is that this treatment will, once and for all, kill this cancer and allow Janelle to live a healthy full life with her family.

Her friend Lynn wrote us this very nice testimonial:

"When my dear friend, Janelle, told me she was having surgery for thyroid cancer, you instantly came to mind.  I adore this woman as if she were my sister and knew a gown from Annie and Isabel would bring her cheer during a challenging time.  I had Janelle pick her gown from your website and was delighted when she chose the "Evelyn" (since she would have a little "Lynn" by her side at all times.). Janelle loved the meaning behind Evelyn and so do I:

"When Evelyn walked in a room, you could feel her optimistic and happy presence.  She loved to laugh and we laughed with her."

Evelyn could not have been more fitting for Janelle as she radiates positive energy wherever she goes.  Thank you for the opportunity to wrap Janelle in a gift of love and beauty."

~ Lynn Visser, Loomis, CA

:: The Story of Laura :: An Annie & Isabel Warrior Who Will Inspire You This Mother's Day

As we celebrate motherhood this weekend, we hope you will join us in giving thanks for all the mothers in our lives. We celebrate not only mothers and grandmothers that we were blessed with in this life, but also the "untitled" mothers who raised us...the teachers, coaches, aunties, girlfriends, neighbor ladies, brownie leaders and all mentors who nurtured us. We honor all of these women who gave us love along the way and taught us how to be mothers ourselves.

We especially honor Laura this Sunday, a courageous women who is a role model for motherhood, even while facing many serious health concerns. Laura is not only a mother and a wife, she is a true Annie & Isabel warrior in every way. She battles Cystic Fibrosis on a daily basis. We talked with her husband Kevin for this very special Mother's Day post. Here is what Kevin said about his lovely wife Laura.

"Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a recessive genetic disorder affecting the lungs as well as the pancreas, liver, and intestines. It causes the thin layer of mucus that helps keep lungs free of germs, to become thick, clogging airways and actually leading to infections that ultimately damage the lungs to the point of no repair. Most CF patient will require a single or double lung transplant. Today the average expectancy for patient with CF is 37 years. When my wife was diagnosed with CF at the age of 2, the doctor's provided little hope that she would make it to her teens. A couple decades later, she is still out to prove them wrong."

"Her strength and tenacity to fight the disease is amazing but it is not easy. On a daily basis Laura has to do 1-2 hours of breathing therapy which includes a percussion vest, nebulized antibiotics, and a number of inhaled medications. With an active 4 and a half year old boy about, 2 hours of anything is tough."        

"The frequent hospital stays away from have long lost their luster. As you go into the ICU time and time again, it is one of the few places that you don't want everyone to know your name. Her doctors and the staff are amazing, but these are not the type of "stays away from home" that most look forward to. It is comforting to have our hospital fashion consultants, the Annie & Isabel line, to make our stays a little easier. We really can't say enough about Selena and Anna and their hospital gowns. It is surprising how many little details are in their gowns and they do make your stay better. They are always the topic of conversation and seem to lighten the mood a bit. Thanks ladies."

"As a spouse of someone with a chronic disease, it is sometimes difficult to deal with the consequences of what life has dealt your partner. At the same time I am amazed at the strength in which Laura faces CF and all that accompanies it. She is always positive, always looking at the silver lining to a situation and making the best of it. She has taught this trait to me and our son, making her an amazing role model, wife, friend and mother."

"I cannot say enough about what a great mother Laura is. She has created an environment for growth and development that is perfect. She provides endless activities and ideas that challenge our son in a fun and exciting way. She constantly shows patience and provides encouragement regardless of the situation. With all of her health issues, I cannot imagine anyone being a better mother. We both love her very much. She is an amazing mother."

"Happy Mother's Day Laura. From Kevin and Everett."

We just want to thank Kevin for taking the time to honor his beautiful wife Laura on this Mother's Day weekend. What a beautiful family he and Laura have. Little Everette is the cutest!!! Laura truly inspires and we are so happy to share her story with our readers. Happy Mother's Day Laura!