On Love, Loss, and One Hell of a Hurricane

​Long time no see.

What a wild year 2024 has been. I don’t want to write a book, and I don’t want to get too personal, but I do want to let you know what has happened since spring. And why you haven’t heard from me since my last blog post.

My Dad fell ill in May, losing his voice and unable to speak. After a doctor visit, he was rushed to the ER with low sodium. He was there for a week, the end of June into the beginning of July. One test after another test confirmed that he had Stage 3C lung cancer. At age 86. Up until he lost his voice, he was walking 3-4 miles a day with his dog, Mickey. After diagnosis, it wasn’t long before he succumbed to the disease. I held his hand as he took his last breath at 10:55am on August 9.

Since that moment, my sister and I have been clearing out our childhood home, preparing it for the market. It’s been so surreal, going through my parents’ things and reliving so many memories. My mother died on January 9, 2023, and he didn’t touch any of her belongings until the early part of this year. 

On September 27, Hurricane Helene tore through Augusta with winds peaking at over 100mph. The entire area is decimated. My husband and I were without power for seven days, but thankfully and gratefully we didn’t have any structural damage to our home. Yet, the destruction around us is so heartbreaking and depressing. We have no idea how long it will be before our neighborhoods are restored and tree debris removed. It’s just been way too much.

So, TL:DR, my life has been consumed with grief and healing and moving forward. Thank you for being here and for taking time to read. The following blog posts will be happier, more exciting ones.

Sometimes we need a little rain to make the flowers grow. May the garden be bountiful.

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