Customer Stories

Number One Caregiver Receives a Special Gift! by Gay Jenson & Danielle Arterburn

Gay When I was diagnosed with my second cancer in 1999, a combination of life events conspired to take place at the same time.  As they say, "when it rains, it pours."  A divorce, an incredibly demanding career, raising my (then) 12-year-old daughter, Danielle, alone, and of all things, new home construction.  The home construction became a sort of "focus" for the caregivers in my life, in addition to my own.  My parents helped check on progress when I was in the hospital; Danielle assisted greatly in the overall interior design, as well as putting together a "medicine chart" to go on our refrigerator so I would be able to keep track.  When it came time to design her own room, she chose a blue-sky-and-white-clouds wallpaper theme, because it was the only room on the second floor of the new home. Although the odds of my survival were slim, a miracle occurred and my cancer went into remission in January, 2000.  I saw Diana's rocking chairs and immediately commissioned one for Danielle.  In keeping with the theme she chose for her room, I asked Diana to custom paint a chair that would fit right in....and that she did.  It was, and is, a work of art. Danielle received the chair as a Christmas present in 2000, a full year after we were wondering if I'd even live to see that year ushered in.  Diana's rocking chair for Danielle has given me a way to show gratitude for my number one caregiver during that most difficult of times: my precious daughter. Danielle My present that Christmas turned out to be a beautiful rocking chair that Diana made for me. It was painted just like the sky to match my room. It even had a sun peeking out of the clouds. Underneath the seat, there was a hand painted message that said "Danielle--no matter where you are, or what you do, my love--like the arms of this chair--will be wrapped around you. Merry Christmas, 2000. Love, Mom" Needless to say, it was a perfect addition to my room and to my life. The rocking chair really helped us to not forget the hard times and to always remember the special times. I plan on passing the chair down to my children one day, if I am so lucky, so that they will always have something to remember their grandmother.