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Captain’s Log: Many Hands Make Light Work

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December 23, 2016 One day, maybe I’ll decompress enough to accurately describe the emotional roller coaster this is…. But I’m absolutely positive I’ll never be able to express the depth of my gratitude for the support and generosity that just keeps coming. Artful Dimensions Gallery contacted me late last night/early this morning to tell me that they had set up a go fund me account for moms medical expenses. I’ve been working with the social workers here to do what I can, but I know there are going to be LOTS of expenses down the road to recovery. Honestly, I just hadn’t… Read More »

Captain’s Log: Throwback Thursday Throwdown

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Thursday, December 22, 2016 Most emotional #tbt ever… I found this last night in mom’s/(Colleen’s) address book. It’s a note I wrote to her when I graduated high school.   No other big news… Colleen really just slept all day today. I’m reading her all the well wishes, emails and notes she’s received. She keeps lifting her eyebrows at names and smiling. Mom’s smile is physically little right now — it’s actually a huge, complicated thing for her to make facial expressions… But if you know my Mom, you know that her smile was very Irish… and on the rare occasions when we get to… Read More »

Captain’s Log: Huzzah!

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December 21, 2016 (The opposite of sunrise.) HUZZAH! For now, the breathing tubes are OUT! The gloves are OFF! … it’s been such an exhausting day. It was really slow going, really hard work to get those tubes out. Because of the swelling, the doctors and nurses are still really nervous — she’s under constant surveillance. The docs and nurses don’t want her trying to talk yet because they need the swelling in her throat to go down and for her to rest. Colleen looks SO much more comfortable now! What else do we know? Well… We found at least one blood… Read More »

Newton’s Third Law of Motion: Force a Horse

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  So this one time, when I decided to get married, I informed my husband that it would be convenient to announce our engagement the following week when both our families got together for Christmas and without pausing for breath I followed that with the firm request that we seal the deal ending his freedom that coming Mother’s Day weekend.  In the ensuing pause complete with eyebrow gesturing I reassured him: “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of everything.  You just have to show up at the end of the aisle!” (Oh, is that all?!?) My husband responded by asking if… Read More »

Captain’s Log: Sunrise

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December 21, 2016 Sunrise from the top floor. Long night. TK and I took shifts staying up with Mom. The nurses found us a recliner for the room so that we can take turns. Her BP is high and her fever has spiked again but otherwise she slept okay last night… she Wiggles her toes when they ask and can often lift her arms after a brief delay. Her eyes seem to be starting to focus and track on the world around her… All energies still focused on getting her strong enough to get the breathing tubes out… maybe today… Read More »

Captain’s Log: Our New Angel

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December 20th, 2016 So much has happened today… it’s going to be another long one… First. Mom has a new guardian angel. Her father, my grandfather, Paul Lukens Thompson, son of Alexander Thompson and Isabella Brown of Wilmington, DE passed away comfortably and quietly while in the amazing care of Hughes Home and Mary Washington Hospice. I cannot thank them enough for their help over the last few days. Pops lived an awesome life. At 91 years young, he had 4 beautiful children and they married and had beautiful children, and he even got to spend time with his great-grandbabies…. Read More »

Captain’s Log: All Hail the SmartAss!

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December 19th, 2016 We’ve been working with mom all day, but she’s still not quite ready to have the ventilator removed. However. And this is really exciting folks… She is using her arms to motion for things!!! She was making movements like she wanted to write so we got her pen + paper and after a little bit of work… She successfully called me a smartass!!!!! Hells yeah!!! I’m going to declare this day a success!! Nights are hard, but I’m looking forward to tomorrow with renewed optimism!! She’s really not “awake” so much yet as just coming in and… Read More »

Captain’s Log: A Stab at WTF?

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December 18, 2016   Hi Friends, Family, and well… Everyone! TK and I cannot get over the flood of well wishes, prayers, love, and support that continues to come our way. Some of you have a sense of what is going on, some of you are looking for updates, and some of you are wondering if we are OK because you are just hearing the news. I’m going to break with my usual social media vs. private family rules and do my best to answer all of you here, because I cannot possibly keep up with individual messages much as… Read More »

Captain’s Log: Day 1?

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December 17, 2016  ‎Megan McElf‎ to Bluebird Glass Studio December 17, 2016 · Spotsylvania, VA · Good morning wild birds! I want to take a minute to express how awesome you guys are. TK and I are feeling almost overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support! Mom made it through the night! She’s wiggling her toes! She’s comfortably settled in the ICU and we’re likely to be here for a while. At this time the nurses have asked us to keep things quiet between her hourly tests so that she can get some rest. They’ve asked us to keep her exposure to germs to… Read More »

Captain’s Log: A Public Journal to Bring Mom’s Community Together

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It all started with a phone call at ~8:00 am December 16, 2016. Mom was sick, she had collapsed and was being taken to the hospital, but her friend was sure it was just exhaustion or anxiety or panic. Nothing serious. She was fine last night, after all. I agreed. My gut disagreed, but it was plausible that this was all just a bit of morning drama. We had made the difficult decision to call hospice for Pops, Mom’s Dad, late the night before. When the phone first rang I was actually positive the woman had just misspoke and we… Read More »

Life's too short for decaf coffee or annoying emails.

What I can't promise is regular, weekly emails. What I can promise is sporadic, humorous updates with a serious amount of gorgeous glassy adventures inside. Occasionally, there might even be a chance to join me for a cup o' coffee. (The really caffeinated kind!)

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