Here is an excerpt from an email I received from Barish who went to the hospital with Melisa and her father:

The check-up with Melisa went very well. We took her to the American Hospital to the Children's Clinic where the head of the unit, a pediatrician and oncologist saw her. She is really one of the best doctors in Istanbul in her field. Her father brought all of the previous records and MR Scans related to Melisa's condition and the Doctor had a careful look at them. She knew immediately what her condition was, and how her brain tumor was related to the spots and blemishes on her skin. She said it was a benign tumor but in a very difficult area to operate on, and that it did have the potential to become malignant if I am not mistaken.

What she recommended was that Metin have Melisa see three other specialist doctors at a research hospital in downtown Istanbul. She personally recommended and phoned up these experts in the field to refer Melisa to them. Basically there is a new non-invasive injection technique that she is recommending to reduce whatever is causing the tumor to grow. She wants to get these other doctor's opinions as well on what to do, and they know about this technique. The goal is to prevent the tumor from getting any bigger and if possible reduce it. An operation is not currently on the table. Metin and Melisa need to now see these other doctors for more tests and check-ups in the next few weeks.

The good thing is that the doctor we went to is connected with the best institutions in the city and knew all the doctors who had seen Melisa before. So it was excellent that we went to see her.

Please keep Melisa in your thoughts and prayers. To me this seems hopeful. This new procedure would be less invasive. That has to be a good thing.
Troye

I am still at it. My middle finger on the right hand is permanently sore and swollen these last few weeks. Who knew?? It is all for a great cause and I don't have any regrets. Andy may do but I don't.

The kids leave this weekend for various destinations and while I think I might be glad of a quiet house I will miss them dreadfully. I am glad they have exciting new adventures to experience, but in the deepest places in my heart I want them to stay with me. But then i know they are not mine to keep so off they go.

I will have more sewing time I hope so watch this space

Have great day today what ever you do where ever you go

Love

Troye

Still working

Greetings all!! It has been an eventful Summer. I am still working on quilts and collecting money for quilts. The auction was a success and I am thinking of doing it again later this Fall.

The update on Melisa is coming to this space soon so watch out here. Summer is nearly over and the kids will be heading out soon. This has been a very deep learning experience and I can say I have come out a different person than when I started. I don't know how much better I am but I do know I am different. Keep checking back every now and then for updates.

Thank you for dropping in

Troye

It is still today where she is but it is yesterday from here. My mother had her birthday. I just finished speaking to her and she was so excited about a fund raiser she and the rest of my family are a part of to help a little boy the know. She said she danced until her feet hurt but she had a great time.

My mother is a wonderful inspiration to me. She has no idea how much her encouraging words mean to me. I can still remember even after all of theses years how she encouraged me to apply to Colorado College. I resisted and I can still see my feet as I walked to the bus stop to go to CC. I got there a whole 90 minutes early for my interview. I remember looking up at the ceiling thinking I will never walk these halls. Well the rest as they say is history.

Mothers are amazing people. You may not always see eye to eye with them but they are a major influence whether they believe it or not.

Happiest of birthdays Mom

What a lovely morning

Wow it is a beautiful time of day. The sun is up and it is quiet outside of the house and inside. The hum of the dyer and the ticking of the clck inthe shape of Jamaica is what I can hear. Bliss.

Well I am still working on quilts for Melisa but as well as that I have had a swell of ideas for other projects too that I would like to tackle. There is a calendar competition I want to try my hand at and there are a few quilts I see in my minds eye that I want to put together. I have also been toying with the idea of dying more fabric as the last lot I did came out so beautifully.

I have had two friends in particular inspire me with what they are doing. One in New York and the other in Dubai. I hope we continue to inspire each other.

Andy went off to Tokat yesterday and the first thing he located was a quilt maker. He told me he sat and watched the man sew. He also went looking for the famous Tokat printed fabric or headscarf called a yazma. He sent me a text message to tell me what a one-of-kind-man he is. I have to give it to him he really is. A very fine man indeed.

Any way I must press on with today's activities but before I leave this spot I will savour the moment a few minutes more, before I hear small feet or bigger feet shuffling down the stairs.

I am having a lovely cup of tea and I wish Sandy was close by to drink one with me

have a wonderful day

Troye

Good Morning all,

I am still reeling from the auction but busy busy busy!!! I am grateful to all who have helped and who continue to help with their words of encouragement and support. I have lost of work to take me into the Fall. This has been a great adventure so far and there is still a way to go. I have not heard yet about any details for impending surgery but as soon as I do I will let you know. In the meantime more sewing.

In the course of all of this I read bout a competition I think I want to go for. It is titled Freshly Picked we are supposed to enter quilt depicting freshly picked fruits or veg or flowers or anything that grows. I had an idea about my Grandfather who was an avid gardener. My Gran has a beautiful picture of him wading through corn he had grown with his favorite hat on picking the corn.

The other idea I had stems from some cotton I picked in North Carolina three years ago on a road trip. We were driving through North Carolina and all along the road were these cotton fields. In the middle of the fields were these huge things that I can only think to call binders which gathered the cotton together. I asked Andy to stop and at one of the rest stops there were cotton plants everywhere. I picked some and have kept it for a scrap book, but now I am thinking hmmmmmmmmm maybe I could do something with that we will see..

The auction went well. Thank you everyone for your help. Barish and Ana thank you for your help with the websites. They looked so nice. Barish is one of the nicest men we as a family know. 20 minutes before the end of the auction the internet went down. We had a loose connection that Cameron sorted. We called Barish and he was trying to get here as fast as he could. It was sorted and we finished up in time. It kinda got like Ebay at the very end.

It was fun though

More later

Troye

Going once, going twice SOLD!

Bidding has now finished...

The winner and their prizes will be posted shortly.

Good morning all. I am not sure how it happened but there was a slide show of someone else's quilts in place of mine so I had to remove the slide show of my own quilts. I looked at them and thought these are not my quilts. Any way they are gone and I am back on point.

Thank you to everyone who has bid or visited the site. Thing are going well and I am encouraged by your generosity.

have a great day

Troye

Well we are off to a roaring start!! Ana and I worked (more Ana than me) on the album for almost a whole day. Yesterday was a funny day. A few things happened that threatened to distract me from my purpose but we launched the auction with 10 minutes to spare. Afterwards Andy and I went out to dinner with Matt and Jen and had a blast. It was a lovely way to end the day. Now I have to get busy with finishing touches. I will check back later.


Best

Troye

This is Mermaid Song. I love Mermaids or rather images of them, as some of you may know. Katherine and I tie dyed some fabric to get just the right color of warm peach to blend with some of the other fabrics we chose for this one. It is very light weight and easy to care for. It's a nice Summer evening quilt.

The pictures for the auction were taken yesterday by Jennifer Barnes Eliot. She called at just the right time the other night to offer her services to me. I was worrying about various things and she helped me put some things in perspective. Whatever happens it will be great.

The night before last I took some pictures of Cameron wearing one of the quilts. I wanted him to wear his aviator glasses but he wouldn't, but never mind the pictures came out well any way.

My grandmother who is always an inspiration to me has been praying every day for Melisa. One of the first questions she asks me when I call her is "How is that little girl Melisa"

I have to remember this is not about me. This is about Melisa and helping her. and that is it. So come on everybody lets do this thing!!!

As I was sewing some of the quilts I was getting fidgety about some of the mistakes I was making, then I kept hearing in my mind the words of my friend Kris, don't worry about your mistakes, any only God is perfect" and I kept on...

I am adding a few pictures this morning. Though the auction is this weekend there is still more work to do. I will share it with you here.

Love

Troye

Well it has been a little while since I have posted anything so here I go. Last Friday which was the 4Th of July I went to a party at Jen's where I saw one of my quilting soul mates who was passing through from Dubai. She brought with her lots of love and encouragement. I didn't realise how much I miss her till I saw her again.

Any way the auction is this weekend. We wills tart with 5 or 6 then carry on from there. I am happy I have Katherine to help me move things along, don't really know what I would be up to if not for her pushing me along.

I have heard that this week Melisa goes for some test that will determine when her next surgery will be. We are hoping for good news. I will keep you posted.

I have a quilt on the table that is nearly finished and it is looking promising. Whoever ha it will love it. It feels lovely especially as I have used a thicker cotton wadding on it and it is trimmed in velvet. Pictures to follow..

More later

Troye

Well the first quilt went to a new good home last night. It looked lovely in its new surroundings. I am happy and the new owner is happy and the baby approved. This is a picture of me holding on for one last time. We are on our way Hurray for Melisa!!!

It's a great day, so what ever you gotta do, you gotta great day to do it in,it's true

What a great today has been so far and it is only mid day. I heard from Alexandra which is always good. I had a great meeting with a learning support teacher yesterday and I just finished my Turkish lesson. Life is good. I have a manager now who is helping me organize myself and who will organize the auction for me. We think two weeks. She has devised a great plan which means all I have to do is think about getting finished.

I put the binding on the quilt I want to call Mermaid Dreams, and I have to say it looks really different. Good but different. I need batteries for my camera but the pictures will be here later today.
It is hot here and we are loving it.

Best

Troye

I have been blessed with great friends. Two in particular I would like to thank for their kindness and generosity. Sharon and Selma. I don't want to embarrass them but they have really encouraged me and have called their friends to help too. Many people have seen some of what I have done so far and I am encouraged by their responses.

I am really encouraged that I can focus on the quilting project alone now. A funny thing just happened. Turkey is playing Switzerland as I type. Andy called from the other room 'did you hear that gunfire'. I ran into the living room and said 'do you think someone is shooting someone'> Should we dim the lights'. He said 'go back into the computer room hit refresh and check the score'.' he said it is celebration I bet you. Sure enough Turkey had scored, What a scare!! More gun shots a few seconds later, he said they must have won!!! We hit refresh Turkey had won!

I will post some more pictures once I return from London on Sunday.

Let me just say here though that whatever happens with this project. I have learned a fair few things. Best of all I learned that God blesses good ideas and works out even the tiniest of details. Ana knows what I mean. I understand completely why the Bible says it is better to give than to receive indeed it really is.

I have finished one quilt today except for the label. I have to name it but it is lovely I may very well name it "I recognise that". It the one with Cameron's shirt in it. I took a few of them along to Isaiah's school today and I felt the day was a success. My hands are still a bit sore and I am tired but it is a good feeling. I have to dig out the pinks now of which I think I have a fair amount,,, Thank you Caroline!! Oh and guess what speaking of Caroline. Keeko Krumbs is going to a new home. I love that quilt but it was only ever going to remain in my closet. It is good that it should go to a good home and for a good cause. I feel a renewed energy. I am grateful to all of you who keep me accountable with your support. I am learning a lot too. God is a god of great things and small things. He cares very much about the details. For me this year is like 1997 and that is saying something.

I will get more pictures up for you to see. Thank you for dropping by.

Sending you peace and love

Troye

2Thess 1:11

Keeko Krumbs

These quilts are being quilted now and I think they are lovely. The one with the sleeping beauty is a really special quilt. I made it a few years ago out of scraps that a friend was about to throw away. I took the bag of scraps home and worked all night and here is the result. I have had it in a cupboard for years waiting for the right time to finish it. What better cause than this one I asked myself? I promised at the beginning of this venture that I would not hold back anything.

The little boy sleeping under it use to call my friend Keeko because she baked delicious cookies and that is what he used to call cookies. "Are we going to Keeko's house" he used to ask. Well they were her scraps that I used so we call this quilt Keeko krumbs!! Now how clever is that???? It is a Troye one of a kind!!!

Some of the same pictures but a little closer to being finished

Quilt 4

Quilt 3

Quilting materials

Quilt 2

Quilt 1

This website is dedicated to helping raise support for our friend's daughter Melisa, who needs surgery to remove a tumor behind her eye.