While going about the usual things on a typical wednesday we got a call from Sharon’s aunt Glenda that they had to take Nanny to the hospital because she was bleeding from somewhere into her stomach and had to get emergency surgery to repair some blood vessels that burst. Panic set in quickly, we were so upset, we thought we might lose Nanny. We began to figure out how we could get on the road to Baltimore. We just had some things we HAD to do before leaving. As some may know the start of my collaborative exhibition with Linda Bills Shirley, The Hand and Foot Show was to open in less than a week and I had not even gotten my artwork together yet. Thanks goodness I had it pretty much ready from all the other shows I have done and threw it all together rather quickly. And Linda, bless her heart, toted everything up there and volunteered to hang it for me. But by the time we got everything together and over to her it was too late to get on the road and we decided it would be best to get a good night’s sleep then head out in the morning.
The next morning came and we were pretty tired, it is easier said than done to sleep well with some much on one’s mind :( We were on the road by 7. We rolled into Baltimore around 1 a.m. after driving around 17 hours straight. But being quite experienced at being on the road that was not too hard for us. Throughout the drive I saw many shoes on the road, but due to the recent rash of deaths connected to lost sole photos I refused to accidently be the grim reaper and cause Nanny’s passing by stopping to photographing a shoe. There was not going to be another dedication any time soon. I asked Noah to help Nanny out, to do whatever he could do so she would make it. I told him it was too much on his mommy, and she needed a break. ‘Don’t let her Nanny be taken from her yet.” I pleaded.
Well maybe the praying worked, or just Nanny’s will to stay with us, but when we got to Baltimore and went to see her I felt a miracle had happened. The theorized her liver was shutting down causing blood flow to be stopped up and causing too much pressure on the veins, causing them to burst. The doctor gave her a 50/50 chance, and she has so far beaten the odds. I hope that by writing about this I do not jinx her. I would be devastated. When we first visited her I expected to see her attached to a bunch of tubes and machines since she lost so much blood. But when we entered the room, she woke up and sat up with a big Nanny smile. She was in good spirits and looked really good. She was able to walk even. We spent a few hours with her and felt really good about her condition.
However I am going to head back on Monday and Sharon will remain to help Glenda out with taking care of Nanny for a few weeks. We are not sure how we are going to get Sharon back to Pensacola at this point :( but this is something that has to be done. Her Nanny needs her Shabby (Sharon). The rest will work out somewhere, it always does.
It has been a pretty neat time to be here despite the bitter cold because it is just before the inauguration of Barack and his train made a stop in Baltimore and the energy in the town was incredible. I will be driving by D.C. monday just wishing I had the time to stay through the inauguration celebration as it is history in the making.
another nice thing was going to Sharon’s uncle Lenny’s for a small party to watch and listen to Lenny, his friend Michael, and aunt Glenda sit around and play guitars and sing. They are amazing to be around like that. And every is so welcoming, I truly feel I am part of the family with them.
I am deciding whether or not to photograph any shoes on the drive back as well, don’t want to be greedy and mess with what worked on the way here :)