The Upstairs Quilters meet each Thursday at 10 a.m. upstairs in the sewing room. We are currently serving three hospitals with compression pillows for use by heart surgery patients. The hospitals are: Memorial Hermann Baptist-Beaumont Hospital (50 pillows/month), Audey Murphey Veteran Hospital in San Antonio (50 pillows/month), and Michael E. DeBakey Veteran Hospital in Houston ( 40 pillows/month ).

About The Upstairs Quilters

In the fall of 2006, my husband underwent heart surgery to repair a valve.  I stayed in the Fisher House in Houston to be near him and when he came out of ICU I was able to sleep in his room and stay with him.  One morning on my way to the cafeteria for coffee, I happened to catch an elevator with a volunteer who was juggling about 5 pillows in her arms.  I helped her pick up the dropped pillows and asked her about them.  My husband had received one of the pillows when he came out of ICU.  She told me they were "compression" pillows and were vital to post surgery patients to hold over their incisions when they coughed.  Their systems contained much congestion that had to be coughed up; if they did not have some fortification at the incision sight, they were in danger of tearing the stitches loose and having to return to surgery.

She stated that the pillows she had were not stuffed tight enough and she was returning them to the group that had made them.  I asked her if she had enoughn volunteers to provide the needed pillows and she replied that the main group had almost stopped delivering as they were all older women and due to their own health problems were not meeting the demand.  I told her I had a small group of quilters that I felt might be interested in her program and she asked me to check with them and get back to her.  Thus began one of the most successful and personally satisfying mission projects we have ever had.

This year, 2010, is our fourth year to provide this service.  We deliver 100+ pillows a month to the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Hospital in Houston.  Last year we managed to deliver 1,260 pillows which was the highest amount ever.  We have since made this our yearly goal.  We also make over-sized wheel chair bags as they are needed.

One group of 8 women meet at the church on Thursdays at 10 A.M. and the second group meets at the local Nutrition Center on Friday mornings at 10 A.M.  there are about 7-9 loyal women in this group.

Our meetings are very informal and based on a "come if you can" arrangement.  so far, we have always had enough ladies to get the work done in a timely manner.  This program has allowed all of us to make new friends and form close ties while helping our Veterans.  Many of our workers are older and thought they were not longer to do mission work.  This program has given them a second chance to still be useful.  Strong ties have been formed among these women.

If you would like to visit or join either of our groups, please call Sue DeHaven, at 409 331-4431 or contact the church office.