Every Bit the Bride.
The dress gathered in beaded ivory folds at my feet. I stood on the fitting pedestal while the seamstress sat, pinning up the edge of the dress and adjusting the seam of the beading so she would be able to hem my wedding gown.
"Hemming this gown is tricky because of all these pretty edges," she said through clenched teeth, her hands busy folding and pinning with precision.
"It's going to be beautiful." I looked in the mirror and felt every bit a bride, despite my smudged make-up and my rumpled hair.
"It already is beautiful. That dress fits you perfectly, Kerri." My mother grinned as she watched from her chair.
"It's going to fit perfectly after I take it up a few inches, my friend." The seamstress laughed a bit and stood up, admiring her pinning job. "This will work fine. Just a lot of work to move those beads! Okay, now tell me about the pocket."
"It's for that insulin pump. It will need to be off the seam and big enough to fit this," I reached down and lifted the edge of the dress so she could see the insulin pump, hiding out in my trouser sock.
"That? Okay. Do you need to keep that on or can you take it off?"
"It's for diabetes. For her insulin? It stays on all the time." My mom asserted from her seat, shifting around a bit.
"Yes. It can't come off. And the pocket needs to have a hole in it for this tubing, so it can be fitted through all the layers and reach my thigh.
"Show me this tubing." The seamstress put her hands on her waist and furrowed her brow.
I lifted the dress and removed the pump from my sock, following the tubing up to the infusion set on my outer right thigh. "Here. This is the pump itself, and this plastic tubing needs to be fed through the layers of the dress so that it can reach this, " I tapped the plastic cap of the infusion site with my finger. "It delivers my medicine this way and needs to be connected, but hidden at the same time."
"Okay." She reached into her sewing kit and removed a seam opener. "So we'll just open this here and," She opened up the seam of my wedding dress and placed pins on either side, pushing the pump through the hole. "We'll sew in the little pocket. Maybe add some edging to it so you don't notice it. A bit of velcro to keep it closed. Very small. Very pretty."
I watched her in the mirror as she took her seam opener through the different layers of my dress - from the gown itself to the petticoat layers underneath and then to the slip. I knew once she was done with the alterations that the dress would fit me perfectly, and would have the perfect hidden pocket for my insulin pump. A little makeup would cover up the small red marks on my arm from the CGM transmitter. I raised my chin proudly. I have had type 1 diabetes for over 21 years, and I have found good health and strong love and support in those decades.
I caught a glimpse of my mother in the mirror's reflection. Her eyes were a little red and her smile was a little softer as she watched her oldest daughter fitted for her wedding gown, the seamstress holding my insulin pump in her hand.
SUM Tags: wedding, insulin pump, gown fitting, mother-daughter moment
Comments
You wait Kerri, soon you'll be able to send SMS with them and they'll play MP3s.
I have a bolus! - MLK
Posted by: Darrell | January 21, 2008 04:21 PM
How wonderful! I'm glad you found such a wonderful seamstress, dress, and pump pocket.
Posted by: amylia | January 21, 2008 05:50 PM
That is a sweet story. Chris is a lucky guy. You guys make a great couple. You are a lucky gal!
:)
Posted by: George | January 21, 2008 05:57 PM
Kerri,
What a touching mother/daughter moment. My eyes are watery and I don't even know you except for the fact that I regularly read your blog :-)
Shirley in Georgia
type 1 since June 2005
Animas 1250 since June 2006
Posted by: Shirley | January 21, 2008 06:44 PM
Oh my - your seamstress sounds wonderful! The dress is beautiful. How nice of you to share all of your plans with us. Thanks for letting this mom of two boys (they're nice but...) enjoy your excitement.
Posted by: Colleen | January 21, 2008 07:10 PM
Very sweet, Kerri. I hope the rest of your wedding preparations go smoothly and the day itself becomes a wonderful memory to tell your grandchildren.
Posted by: Zazzy | January 21, 2008 07:25 PM
Kerri you are going to look so beautiful in your gown...i cant wait...just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes....its going to be so much fun....and your dress is beautiful......love ya..hi darrell hehe
Posted by: Courtney | January 21, 2008 09:54 PM
"I have found good health and strong love and support in those decades" That is a beautiful image.
Posted by: Auntly H | January 21, 2008 10:17 PM
Awwwww. *sniffle*
It's not tears...it's a cold. Yeah, that's it, a cold.
Posted by: Major Bedhead | January 21, 2008 10:28 PM
ahhhhh major bedhead is a softie! i know, i got teary too. our kerri is getting married!
Posted by: landileigh | January 21, 2008 11:51 PM
Between you raising your chin proudly, and your mom watching you from her chair, I've got the tears rolling down my cheeks.
Posted by: Shannon | January 22, 2008 02:20 AM
I can't wait to see a pic of this gorgeous dress. That was a beautiful Mom/Daughter moment. Thanks for sharing as always.
Posted by: Jess | January 22, 2008 04:08 AM
All weepy here!
Oh my gosh, May will be here before you know it! :)
Posted by: Lea | January 22, 2008 01:45 PM
I enjoy reading your blog it is like looking in the window to your soul.
Posted by: Russell Scott | January 22, 2008 02:15 PM
I'm a little weepy over here too. I know those bitter sweet moments all too well.
Posted by: Penny | January 22, 2008 04:55 PM
Kerri
Lovely post. Your mom's heart must be bursting with excitement. And it sounds like you've found a magic seamstress. Maybe she can open a practice tailoring dresses for folks with insulin pumps!
Posted by: Bernard Farrell | January 22, 2008 08:13 PM
Kerri, this post made me cry (happy tears, so it's all good). I got married in September, and some days I felt like I was planning the whole wedding around my arthritis and what I'd be able to handle physically. But you know what? It was an absolutely perfect day, and I wouldn't change a single detail - healthy or not. Yours will be perfect too.
Posted by: Lindsay | January 29, 2008 12:45 AM
WOW this made an awesome read.
Posted by: SAGARPREDDY | February 16, 2008 05:51 AM