My sister, JP, the one closest in age to me, had a medical emergency Wednesday night at work. She was rushed to the ER, where they did cranial surgery to relieve pressure. She’s in a medically-induced coma. I’m in shock. She’s in Florida, unconscious, and there’s nothing I can do. They hope to bring her out of the coma tonight or tomorrow, and then they can assess what damage the stroke or whatever it was did to her body.
Ironically, I had been reading a few poems from Good Poems for Hard Times. I think this qualifies. Here’s one of the poems I read and loved:
On a Night of Snow
Cat, if you go outdoors, you must walk in the snow.
You will come back with little white shoes on your feet,
little white shoes of snow that have heels of sleet.
Stay by the fire, my Cat. Lie still, do not go.
See how the flames are leaping and hissing low,
I will bring you a saucer of milk like a marguerite,
so white and so smooth, so spherical and so sweet–
stay with me, Cat. Outdoors the wild winds blow.
Outdoors the wild winds blow, Mistress, and dark is the night,
strange voices cry in the trees, intoning strange lore,
and more than cats move, lit by our eyes’ green light,
on silent feet where the meadow grasses hang hoar–
Mistress, there are portents abroad of magic and might,
and things that are yet to be done. Open the door!
–Elizabeth Coatsworth
Going. Staying. The choices we make all our lives. JP, stay here, by the fire.
Myra at Gathering Books has The Poetry Friday Roundup today.
My heart is with you and your family, Laura! I pray the magic finds her and all will be well. As it should be. Open the door and may the healing begin.
All my love and concern,
Pamela
My heart is with you and your family, Laura! I pray the magic finds her and all will be well. As it should be. Open the door and may the healing begin.
All my love and concern,
Pamela
Dear Laura,
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your sister and your family.
Blessings,
Maria
Dear Laura,
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your sister and your family.
Blessings,
Maria
Laura,
I am so sorry to hear about your sister. Thank you for sharing a good poem for a hard time.
Liz
Laura,
I am so sorry to hear about your sister. Thank you for sharing a good poem for a hard time.
Liz
Sending love your way. Stay strong.
Sending love your way. Stay strong.
I’m so sorry to hear about your sister, Laura. My prayers go out to her and to you. It is so hard to care for someone long distance.
I’m so sorry to hear about your sister, Laura. My prayers go out to her and to you. It is so hard to care for someone long distance.
My prayers are with you and your family, Laura. May your sister find strength and wholly heal.
Love,
Amy
My prayers are with you and your family, Laura. May your sister find strength and wholly heal.
Love,
Amy
Laura, I know how difficult this is for you…allow yourself to feel your pain and sadness so that you may open up to sending your sister all the love she needs.
With love and support,
Marianne
Laura, I know how difficult this is for you…allow yourself to feel your pain and sadness so that you may open up to sending your sister all the love she needs.
With love and support,
Marianne
Laura–Wishing you and your sister all the world’s warmth… Julie
Laura–Wishing you and your sister all the world’s warmth… Julie
Laura, thinking of you and your sister.
Martha
Laura, thinking of you and your sister.
Martha
Love and prayers to you, your sister and your entire family. How difficult it must be to be far away from her at a time like this. Sending strong healing vibes, with hopes that she recovers.
Love the poem; that’s also one of my favorite collections by GK.
Love and prayers to you, your sister and your entire family. How difficult it must be to be far away from her at a time like this. Sending strong healing vibes, with hopes that she recovers.
Love the poem; that’s also one of my favorite collections by GK.
Thinking of you and your family.
Thinking of you and your family.
Laura, I’m so sorry for you and your sister. I hope things take a positive turn, soon.
Laura, I’m so sorry for you and your sister. I hope things take a positive turn, soon.
Laura, Thank you for sharing this beautiful poem during a time when you must be moving through a dense fog of feelings. Earnest prayers for your sister, you, and your family – and lots of *hugs*,
Robyn
Laura, Thank you for sharing this beautiful poem during a time when you must be moving through a dense fog of feelings. Earnest prayers for your sister, you, and your family – and lots of *hugs*,
Robyn
Oh Laura! I’m so sorry. How very scary it is to be so far away and unable to help your family during this difficult time. I will pray your sister comes through this okay. *hugs*
Oh Laura! I’m so sorry. How very scary it is to be so far away and unable to help your family during this difficult time. I will pray your sister comes through this okay. *hugs*
Thinking of you, dear Laura, and keeping you and your sister in my prayers.
Thinking of you, dear Laura, and keeping you and your sister in my prayers.
Thinking of you and your family, Laura.
ellie
Thinking of you and your family, Laura.
ellie
Laura,
Prayers of strength, love, and hope your way at this difficult time. May your sister heal fully. A great poem choice.
Laura,
Prayers of strength, love, and hope your way at this difficult time. May your sister heal fully. A great poem choice.
I hope my comment went through. Am sorry to hear about your sister. Sending prayers of healing, love, and hope to you and your family.
Oops. Sorry, didn’t know the new comments are first.
I hope my comment went through. Am sorry to hear about your sister. Sending prayers of healing, love, and hope to you and your family.
Oops. Sorry, didn’t know the new comments are first.
So sorry to hear about your sister, Laura. Praying for a full recovery.
Kim Hutmacher
So sorry to hear about your sister, Laura. Praying for a full recovery.
Kim Hutmacher
A beautiful poem, Laura. Praying for you and your sister, for solace, for healing, for wisdom as you decide what to do.
A beautiful poem, Laura. Praying for you and your sister, for solace, for healing, for wisdom as you decide what to do.
My sister and I are very close, Laura – I would be crazy-desperate in your situation. Sending good thoughts to you and your family.
My sister and I are very close, Laura – I would be crazy-desperate in your situation. Sending good thoughts to you and your family.
I don’t have any words of comfort that haven’t already been written. Just wanted you to know I’m here in the crowd that’s encircling you with hope and caring.
I don’t have any words of comfort that haven’t already been written. Just wanted you to know I’m here in the crowd that’s encircling you with hope and caring.
Lifting up prayer for you, your sister and your whole family. May today be a day of good news.
Lifting up prayer for you, your sister and your whole family. May today be a day of good news.
Thank you for your concern, prayers, and love. It has truly been a comfort to read your words each time I’ve checked my email. No further news except that when they briefly brought her out of the coma Friday, she tried to remove her tubes, so at least she is able to move purposely. She is back under heavy sedation as the swelling continues to go down.
I am here to check on you and your sister. Thank you for letting us know what is going on, Laura. It is indeed a good sign that she struggled with the tubes. All my love to you and your family. Prayers going out across the country to you, dear Laura. Will keep my eye on this spot for updates. xoxox
-Pamela
Oh Laura, my heart goes out to you and your sister. I can’t imagine what you must be going through. I began to respond to your lovely blogpost, and of course now it has such deeper meaning. I had just awarded you the Liebster Blog award for your blog. When you want to, or feel like it, you can see it on my blog.
Liebster Blog award-Spreading the Love. http://jenniferkirkeby.blogspot.com/
In the meantime, my thoughts and prayers will be with you and your sister.
Thank you for your concern, prayers, and love. It has truly been a comfort to read your words each time I’ve checked my email. No further news except that when they briefly brought her out of the coma Friday, she tried to remove her tubes, so at least she is able to move purposely. She is back under heavy sedation as the swelling continues to go down.
I am here to check on you and your sister. Thank you for letting us know what is going on, Laura. It is indeed a good sign that she struggled with the tubes. All my love to you and your family. Prayers going out across the country to you, dear Laura. Will keep my eye on this spot for updates. xoxox
-Pamela
Oh Laura, my heart goes out to you and your sister. I can’t imagine what you must be going through. I began to respond to your lovely blogpost, and of course now it has such deeper meaning. I had just awarded you the Liebster Blog award for your blog. When you want to, or feel like it, you can see it on my blog.
Liebster Blog award-Spreading the Love. http://jenniferkirkeby.blogspot.com/
In the meantime, my thoughts and prayers will be with you and your sister.
Just reading this now, days later. I hope you have had good news about your sister by now.
Just reading this now, days later. I hope you have had good news about your sister by now.