Today we had our first in person working bee in what seems like years. 🤩 It was incredible to meet everyone face to face, to be able to see all the different colours of yarn, and to feel the amazing work everyone had been doing. (Also a bonus, we don’t have to look at our own faces on the computer during zoom working bees 😉). We did a small raffle and raised around $80, which is an awesome effort from the people who attended! There were games and prizes galore! Robyn took out ‘Best Dressed’, Amanda guessed the number of chains in the ball, and many ‘Job for GOG’ Packs were won! We will be holding a larger Father’s Day raffle, and further information will come at a later date. The show an tell was so inspiring and the mountains of Goodies only just fit into the boot of my car!! 😅
Hearing everyone’s laughter, seeing their smiles, and sharing stories, has clearly revitalised many of us. It’s important to stay connected and above all, safe. It was awesome to see everyone today and I hope that everyone obeys and follows all physical distancing guidelines in place, so we can continue to be able to meet! 😁 See you at the next bee! 🤩💞
1 month ago today my mum passed away in the ICU. She had deteriorated very quickly and even though she was able to go to Clare Holland House we decided not to move her and upset her further. The ICU staff moved her to a single room and looked after her wonderfully till she left us.
The day before she passed away I came in to find this little guy sitting on her. His name is Clarence and mum would have loved him. Sadly she didnt wake up to see him, but he is now at home with me forever more and is a part of the family.
GO Team GOG!
24 July – COVID 19 has definitely brought many challenges. The visitor restriction regulations have been hard on some of our long term and chronic care patients. At the moment only one visitor can come in and this is very hard for some of our patients.
One lady was missing her grandchildren so much after a long hospitalization, and with no end in sight regarding the lifting of restrictions, Tess came up with a brilliant idea. Together they choose some comfort care items (all packaged according to infection control protocols) to send to the children at home, to let them know their Nana was thinking of them, and in a way, with them through the care items.
Thank you team GOG for the care you help us give in these challenging days. X
Thank You GOGS!
Thank you GOGs! We received a full suitcase of beautiful blankets,fiddle toys, beanies and Mission Stitchin’ gowns today. Our shelves are well stocked and our register shows that we have provided many blankets for families and patients for comfort care at the end of life, over the last few weeks. We are very appreciative of the care and kindness of your donations and they definitely complement the care we give! Thank you!
GOG Birthday Wishes
” I can feel the love that’s gone into making this blanket “ Thanks GOG for making this patients Birthday extra special with a beautiful blanket.
Footy Fever
We have been reflecting on how popular the footy blankets have been over the last month.
We really appreciate how GOG has responded to the number of individual patient and family requests for a blanket knitted in their favourite team colours. We recently received feedback from a patient describing how the footy blanket transformed the clinical hospital environment into a homely place and gave them comfort during a lengthy hospital stay. Thank you GOGs for making the patient journey more comfortable Xx
MICO finds a home!
Gogster Adoption! Mico has been waiting a while but today he was adopted.
The Gogsters have many functions. They can be adopted just because they can lift someone’s spirit, or they can be used to elevate healing limbs or splint a chest for coughing or a wound on a turn.
As for Mico being bright orange he was meant to brighten this patients day. Thank you GOG!
We love our ‘eyes and ears’ inside the hospital that can pass on such amazing feedback! See below for just another reminder of the power of your handmade comfort items.
“I’m nearly 90. Receiving this blanket took me back to when I was a child and my mother knitted one just like this one. It reminded me of the love my mother gave to me. I don’t feel so alone now. It’s like a mothers hug to me… Thankyou GOGs“
More of our recently adopted GOG comfort items!
“International Nurses Day was the 12th May but all of our Nurses are still wearing their poppies on their uniforms.”
Thank you Bernie for permission to share. We love feedback here at GOG. This rainbow blanket is just too gorgeous not to share.
It was so good that GOG could provide Bernie with a gorgeous blanket during her recovery after all the care and support she has given to GOG and many families and patients over the years in her professional roles. Thanks for being such an advocate of GOG. Special thanks to Jo for the delivery as well.
Thanks again to the GOG community, so that we can provide these beautiful gifts to make a difference in someone’s day.
“There truly are such beautiful people in my life ❤️
Thank you sooooo much Kath and Good Omen Goodeze for this beautiful and welcome pressie ❤️
And the ever beautiful Joey for hand delivering it along with love rhubarb and bananas 👍😘
Today I’d like to send a huge thank you ‘shout out’ from GOG and Mission Stitchin’, to Carol and Elsa from ‘Shout Inc’ for their incredibly generous and valuable gift of fabric! Pat and I arrived to find huge bags full of fleece and other fabric ready to be used as backing for the beautiful quilts that Mission Stitchin’ hand craft.
Just taking a moment to share how equally amazing Mary Barlow’s leadership and the GOG community are.
There are often special requests from nursing staff, social work, patients and families in other Canberra hospitals and TCH requesting GOG comfort care goods or gowns from Mission Stitchin’ for end of life care or long term patients. These requests are either made on the GOG FB page or calling ICU or the Foundation. Often these requests are for urgent specific purposes. Mary prioritises her life and puts others first and always finds a way and resources to get the comfort care goods to patient care immediately. Often this goes unrecognised.
Not today because I thought I would shout out thanks to Mary and the kindness of the GOG community who support this amazing service to our patients in the Canberra community.
Xxx
Great News! Sterlo has been Adopted!
Great News! Sterlo has finally been adopted. He made the day of a die hard eels supporter. Well done Thim for organizing this adoption. I don’t think we will forget the joy on the face of the recipient for a long while!
Milko
Gogsters come in all shapes and sizes and this little guy proved to be a perfect fit for a patient that had neck surgery and had spent the last few days with a rolled up towel for neck support.
Not anymore thanks for the comfort and the giggle the patient said..
Footy ‘Goodie Dolls’
The GOG fiddle toys are useful in many ways. They are used as comforters, distraction tools and fiddle toys for the young and elderly.
Recently one of our staff discovered that they also provide children comfort that are separated from a parent who is also a patient. We often send these toys home with the message that they are from mum or dad who are thinking about you at home.
Thanks GOGs for all you do!
Poppies Keep on Popping Up!
Even though International Nurses Day was the 12th May our Nurses are still wearing their poppies on their uniforms. Thanks again for your acknowledgement!
More adoptions!!
When I was checking the register one of the staff left a note from one of the patients it said…
“I’m nearly 90 – recieving this blanket took me back to when I was a child and my mother knitted one just like this one. It reminded me of the love my mother gave to me. I don’t feel so alone now. It’s like a mothers hug to me… Thank you GOGs!
In honour of International Year of Nurses and Midwives, and to celebrate Nurses Day, GOG decided to mark this occasion during unprecedented times, with a special project.
The idea was to create an individual hand-stitched flower 🌺brooch to be presented to each nurse within ICU and infection control, to show our support and heartfelt gratitude for these selfless and hardworking members of our community.
Last week, Mary and Amanda were thrilled to be able to make the presentation to the ACT Chief Nurse, Denise Patterson, the Critical Care executive team including Executive Director, Lisa Gilmore, Assistant Director of Nursing, Gillian, Dr Bron, Dr Manoj, Genevieve and their wonderful team of nurses in the ICU.
The joy on the face of each nurse after choosing their special flower, was as they say ‘priceless’. Thank you to Kathleen for her support in this and to all the Goodeze who were eager to participate, and who managed to keep our little secret, despite so many of these ‘heroes’ being part of our GOG community on Facebook! 😊💖
Trystan is our resident Gogster adoption facilitator. This little guy found a home last night.
International Nurses Day
Happy International Nurses Day. Thank you so much to Mary and the GOG community for your kind donation of the beautiful poppies to commemorate 2020 Year of the Nurse. The ICU and Infection Control staff where so touched by your generosity. The feedback I’m receiving is overwhelming with most saying the poppy will be a very special keepsake and a reminder of how we all came together and supported each other in this extraordinary year.
Many have said they will wear the poppy every year on International Nurses Day. Thanks for thinking of us Xx
So excited today to visit Pat and the girls for their first workshop for 2020!!🤩 Could not believe the number of gorgeous rugs, beautiful gowns and crocheted therapy dolls! You girls are angels! Thanks Pat, June,Lynn, Rosemary, Lucie, Marylin, Helen! 💖
Once again, we had another fun as well as informative Zoom WB this afternoon! 🤩 It was great to see the projects that everyone’s been working on and to pass on some feedback we’ve had recently.
Our special guest star today was Chris Odell. For those who don’t know, Chris is a former ICU patient who regularly joins us to chat about his GOG experience. He’s a passionate and inspiring Goodie himself these days, and it’s a real treat to have him join us when he can. To thank him for giving up his afternoon to join us today, Robin decided to give him the honour of choosing the next BOM colour theme! We all look forward to seeing his BOM square at the next Zoom WB! 😉
I’ve recorded our little chat and will put it up on our facebook page for those members who couldn’t attend today and who may interested in hearing his amazing story. 😁 Thanks Chris and everyone who joined us today. It was great to see you all!! 🥰
